dreadedcandiru2 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
dreadedcandiru2) wrote2013-11-01 12:54 am
dreadedcandiru2) wrote2013-11-01 12:54 am
"You thought I wasn't keeping track": why John underestimates how smart people are.
As you know, I've made something of a meal pointing out one of the stupider ideas that Elly has when dealing with her children. The stupid idea I happen to have in mind is when she comes to the stupid conclusion that when she plops one of the kids down someplace, the child will not move, act, speak or think. You'd have to be stupid to think that a child would sit inertly like a doll or something just because it would be convenient and you'd have to be even stupider to get angry with the kid for doing something you really should have anticipated he or she would do. As any number of strips attest, Elly is exactly stupid enough to think that a child will happily sit still for Mommy and stupid enough to think that since the kid did move, he or she hates Mommy and wants to make a fool of her.
I told you that story to tell you about John's blind-spot. As we all know, John loves to think that he's the smartest person in the strip. According to him, he's far smarter than the woman he conned into thinking that he was completely helpless around the house and he's definitely smarter than the kids who eat his food, spend his money and live in his house without contributing anything in return. As far as he can see, said children are completely unaware of their surroundings. This is as it should be so that he, the man, can reign supreme as the only one with his head in the game.
The problem is that his children aren't the stupid, oblivious nitwits he needs them to be. Every so often, they make the mistake of reminding Daddy that no, they aren't little dummies he can get to believe crap without thinking about what it means. Instead of being grateful that his children can think for themselves, John is outraged. Having children who think is seen as an affront and a challenge to his masculinity. This sort of thing is why it's very hard to understand why he sees himself as a good father with bad kids. I tend to think that the adjectives need to be swapped around to fit the facts.
I told you that story to tell you about John's blind-spot. As we all know, John loves to think that he's the smartest person in the strip. According to him, he's far smarter than the woman he conned into thinking that he was completely helpless around the house and he's definitely smarter than the kids who eat his food, spend his money and live in his house without contributing anything in return. As far as he can see, said children are completely unaware of their surroundings. This is as it should be so that he, the man, can reign supreme as the only one with his head in the game.
The problem is that his children aren't the stupid, oblivious nitwits he needs them to be. Every so often, they make the mistake of reminding Daddy that no, they aren't little dummies he can get to believe crap without thinking about what it means. Instead of being grateful that his children can think for themselves, John is outraged. Having children who think is seen as an affront and a challenge to his masculinity. This sort of thing is why it's very hard to understand why he sees himself as a good father with bad kids. I tend to think that the adjectives need to be swapped around to fit the facts.