Who are the idiots? Complete Idiot's Guide?

Question

What do you think about complete idiot's guides? The statement "Complete Idiot's guide" is ambiguous to me. The guide can belong both to the reader and to the author. So, who are the idiots: the ones who buy those guides or the ones who write them, or both? Is it fair to call someone an idiot for seeking knowledge by reading an idiot's guide. Why does society tolerate so much verbal violence on the part of knowledgeable persons against persons who are ignorant about something. Why does culture accept sadistic styles of humour in its treatment of persons who lack knowledge even when they are trying to obtain it?

Danus: I have never bought any of those books, you idiot. You don't mind other people getting called idiots, so how about you, idiot?

Those books are a joke to educated minds. They are filled with oversimplifications, and thus promote ignorance perhaps even more than knowledge.

Adam B, Broken Planet, & tonydal: Only idiots make assumptions and hasty conclusions about the questioners based simply on the questions they ask. So, you don't mind getting called idiots by persons who have a sadistic sense of humour? Or are you the idiots who would write such books and you feel the need to get defensive?

Yes, it is common sense that the word 'idiots' in a Complete Idiot's Guide book is not supposed to be taken seriously as an offense. I am not questioning whether the way that people normally perceive the matter as non-offensive is common sensical; undeniably, it is common sensical. However, common sense is based on cultural values, attitudes, and beliefs. I was questioning the attitudes that permit it to be common sensical.

Just being a free thinker, trying to bring attention to the finer details of the picture; that is all.

Josie, graceful g, Inquisitive, witch2order, Persiphone_Hellecat, and Shaggy: You raised some good points and I liked your answers.
peapod13: I am not necessarily offended about the term "idiot's guide"; however, I am offended by the answerers who make illogical assumptions about my reasons for asking this question just because I dare to ask it. I am simply questioning the use of this term, trying to explore other possible interpretations and explanations of its usage, which may be more informed and valid than the most common sensical interpretations and explanations.

Adam B, Broken P, tonydal: Examine your own behaviour for a change instead of trolling around questions that you don't like. Since you did't even try to consider my question and comments about why I asked it, at least, now, consider this: YOU ARE THE ONES WHO NEED TO LIGHTEN UP: you got offended and annoyed so easily just because I asked this question. Thank you for your amusing answers. It was fun seeing your hypocrite sides.

Answer 1

They are not truly calling anyone an idiot. While the term idiot is by definition an offensive term, in the case of the idiots guides the offensive nature term is actually meant to be largely overlooked. Like it or not, idiots and dummies guides are in vogue with the people buying them for themselves admitting their knowledge in the particular field covered by the book is lacking.

Yes guide books have been around for quite some time. But there is something about using terms like idiots and dummies in the title of a guide book that actually makes them more appealing to the masses. Perhaps it's the fact that their more basic than many other guides, making them actually easier to understand and follow. Perhaps it's because folks can call themselves an idiot or dummy when it comes to something with or without others around even before they pick up the guide. Maybe it's just as simple as I've already stated, that their currently in vogue. Whose to say. But the simple fact is that as long as there are people willing to buy the guides, and admit that their knowledge in that particular is lacking, then the idiots and dummies guides will keep being published.

Answer 2

Well put. I, however, always thought of "the idiot" as the buyer/reader. I would think an author wouldn't want to call themselves such a negative word. If the "idiot" is pertained to the author, then who in their right minds would buy a book, let a lone a book that enlightens readers, from a self-proclaimed "idiot"? Of course even though I see the title referring to the buyer, I don't completely agree with their tactic. Often I could see it as a joke but at times it can be degrading. Society tolerates it because it's not illegal to use slight negative words. Of course cuss words wouldn't be allowed. As a bystander their choice of words really pop. It's a great attention grabber because I don't think other publishers would use such a word.

Answer 3

It is unfair indeed but this is a world run by consumerist industries bent on elbowing out each other to sell products. Moral values have been dumped. Idiot's guide is catchy. There's the other "dumb" series too. The guides are excellent written by really knowledgeable folks in the respective fields. Hence the idiot is assumed to be the reader who needs guidance from the point of view of the publisher's whose trade is defined by market forces. That's the bit of my one cent economics!

Answer 4

Allah permitted Wife beating! but not the husband beating! The Koran is clear and unmistakable. Exactly mirroring all legal systems that administer increasingly harsher penalties for continued wrongdoing, the Koran says the Husband should first verbally admonish her, next ground her to the bedroom like a child, and finally when all else fails, to beat her. 1. Give her a piece of your mind by scolding and rebuking her. 2. Ignore her, ground her to her room, starving her of sex, affection and attention. (This is recognized to day as a form of passive wife abuse) 3. Physically beat her.

Answer 5

Hey, come on...stop taking those Sensitive Soul seminars (and try to get something like a sense of humor about these things). I always think of it as being nicely informal and inclusive--rather than the more traditional Preachments from On High approach.

P.S. Soliloquy Soliloquy Soliloquy (can I call you Soliloquy?)...did you really ask this question to find out about it, maybe even from people who don't agree with you? Or did you do it just to gripe? Nothing wrong with that--I gripe myself a fair amount; but you've got to expect if you do that not everyone's necessarily gonna feel the same way--especially us idiots.:)

Answer 6

I think that they're just trying to emphasize that it is written in such a way that is so easy to understand, an idiot would be able to comprehend it.

Answer 7

How did the world become so PC that everyone is offended by everything. To get so worked up about anything is tedious and "idiotic."

Answer 8

Definitely not the people who wrote the books.

They're making bank. We're the ones giving them money for them calling us idiots.

(We being consumers)

Answer 9

We all know it's the buyer being the idiot! How much, in your research, have you found the authors to be idiots?Edit: Sorta seems like you already had your mind made up. Y ask?

Answer 10

Do you stay up at night thinking of things to be offended by?

Don't buy them if you don't like them.

There's always "Yahoo! Answers For Dummies" if you're still having problems.

Soliloquy ... what's wrong with having a "sadistic sense of humor?" Should everyone be more nice to accomodate the oversensitive?

You'd be better served to not expect the world to soften it's language to cater to your inability to resolve your fragile sensibilities.