For example,I have witnessed people saying things like a man was just killed in a crash beside me today and people reply "your kidding" or "your joking";what makes us say such stupid things at times like this ?
2006-08-03 09:19:39 · 14 answers · asked by any 4 in Social Science ➔ Sociology
Sometimes, GB, when we are in difficult or distressing situations we don't know what to say, and when we do speak we say the wrong thing. Terms like "you're joking" and "you're kidding," however, fall under a different category. They are very common colloquialisms and platitudes that have become such a part of our culture's way of communicating that they are said without even realizing that they make no logical sense.
2006-08-03 09:45:41 · answer #1 · answered by No Shortage 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
:] I got a little confused because your question and explanation seem to go into two different directions.
About your explanation. Those expressions like "You're kidding," "you're joking" or "OMG" or "yeah right!" they are not stupid things to say. People say them out of habit. Look around you, everybody uses those phrases. It only means that they yield to the social pressure, peer pressure on the grander scale because everyone else in the society is doing it. I'm not a Christian but I say "OMG" all the time... maybe I should switch to "Oh my Buddha." :]
About your question, I thought you meant how people keep telling themselves in their own head that don't say 1, say 2 and they fight their own consciences to say 2. Does this make sense??
2006-08-03 18:40:50 · answer #2 · answered by Mercii 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because people don't want to hear such things and cannot take it in when they do. Their brain goes into disbelief mode which makes them incapable of sensible speech for a moment or two.
2006-08-03 16:25:54 · answer #3 · answered by blondie 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is shock, in most cases. People have laughed at funerals - not because they were meaning to be disrespectful, but out of nerves. My mom said that someone woke her up and announced that RFK had been assassinated, and that she (just waking up) laughed - she did not mean that, but it was hard for her to take in (as she was alive during JFK's assassination as well).
2006-08-03 16:25:22 · answer #4 · answered by Terri C. 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Habit? we don't want to believe it just like that person who witnessed it does not want to deal with it either. Would you rather they be flippant about it? Why do we say "Oh my God" when it happens? I have witnessed an atheist saying that.
2006-08-03 16:32:41 · answer #5 · answered by Scott 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because we're so suprised at the unlikeliness of something like that happening, so we're expecting it to be a joke.
2006-08-03 16:24:28 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because we let our emotions take over, instead of our brain and sometimes don't think before we say things.
2006-08-03 16:23:54 · answer #7 · answered by Rachel 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because we all follow the Golden Rule - "Don't trust anyone"
2006-08-03 16:51:44 · answer #8 · answered by jimmbobobb 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its called getting your mords wiked
2006-08-03 16:27:56 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Gosh gee willikers, I am thrown back by your question.
2006-08-03 16:24:44 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋