Assert your intellectual superiority here.

There's no polite way of saying this, so I'm just gonna say it, even though it will make me sound more of a jerk than I already am.

Okay I'll try to sugarcoat it a bit.

People with less knowledge tend to rub it in when they know something someone else doesn't.


Why do I say this? Why even talk about this?

Because its annoying when they do it to me, and I have to be the nice guy and keep quiet.

(Although I may have done some things to annoy them as well.)


When I ask someone something, the all-too common reply would be "Seriously, you don't know?"

Here are some of the replies that run through my head:

"Pssh, no... I just asked so that you would ask me that condescending question which would ultimately make me feel stupider than I did when I asked the question."

"NO I DON'T KNOW. WHY THE HELL WOULD I ASK IF I DID."

"Yeah I don't know, coz well, only uncivilized people would"

"No."

In the end, I just bite my tongue and go with the last one. I am seriously trying to be a nice person.

Honestly, when someone asks me something, I just tell them.

I don't ask them stupid condescending questions because I do not expect everyone to know what I know, and neither can I know what everyone knows. No one person can know everything, you know?


And also, I don't want people to feel bad. I do enough of that already.

(even when they should feel bad for not knowing such a basic / general bit of information / knowledge!)

I seriously should get a medal for trying to be a nice person.

Anyways, I've deduced a reasoning for these responses.

The people that say these kinds of things, aren't very clever, they probably have self-esteem issues and will take any opportunity to show how clever they are.

Or they're just mean.

Before you go and call me an jerk, an A-hole, a sunnavabeech and all that, think back.

When you did your studies, or when you're at work, has a Professor / Teacher / Senior colleague / generally someone you consider to be smart or smarter than you, ever asked you that question?

"Excuse me Professor, what is the purpose of life?"

"Dude, like seriously you don't know?!"

Never, right?

Ignore the dude part. Think back. Think really REALLY hard.

If the answer is no, then that proves my point.

If the answer is yes, then ask yourself another question : Was that person an annoying jerk?

If the answer is yes again, then my point is proven again.

If the answer is no, then we agree to disagree.

Even though I'm right. But its cool, I don't mind.

Another reason why I wanted to talk about this, is because, smart people can be asses as well.


I, generally speaking can understand things faster than some people.

Generally speaking. I'm not saying I'm a genius or anything, its just that I feel that I pick up things at a faster rate.

I may or may not remember it afterwards, but at that time, I can understand it.

Call me a show-off, but its true.

To me, sometimes, a seemingly average question about something might sound like a silly question.

And an actually silly question, would immediately kick my sarcasticness to high gear.

It takes every ounce of self-control I have to not be mean at this point.

Example : I was telling people at work about this video I saw on Youtube. It was a video of a modern-day Samurai. He was so badass, that they shot a pellet straight at him, (a wee pellet, the size of a regular bead), and he could cut the pellet in half! I shit you not. Go look for him on Youtube.

So here comes this blurry colleague, asking silly things about the video.

"Diorang tembak dia dari jauh ke dekat?"

"Kenapa orang tembak dia?"

"Kenapa dia nak potong peluru tu?"

Patiently, seeing as how this was an old friend, and I was already aware of how blur she can be sometimes (well not sometimes but most of the time), carefully explained and answered each silly question as calm and as unsarcastically as can be.

But the last question she had was the kicker.

"Oh.... OK OK... so..."

"Siapa yang hebat nye? Orang yang tembak ke orang yang potong peluru tu?"

OMFG, I so wanted to jump off the 19th floor of the Menara HLA at that moment.

All the frustration and pent-up sarcasticness just burst out into an unnaturally loud laughter.

I just laughed out loud and left her before I could say anything.

"HOW IS IT SO DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND!"

See, this is what my brain tells me all the time.

And in order to not be alienated, I repress this thought.

It's mean, I know it is. But sometimes I cannot help it.

Sarcasm, in a way, is my brain's compromise. Not too mean, but not too nice either.

At least I take an effort in not being mean. Other people just laugh at silly questions. Or just go sarcastically mean.

There's a difference, being sarcastic and being sarcastically mean. Most people can't tell which from which.

But enough about my brain.

Long story short, as Albert Einstein aptly put it :

"Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid."

Every single human being on this planet is superior to someone else in at least one way. And by that basis everyone is also inferior to everyone else in at least one way.

So try not to patronize someone simply because you know something they don't, or you can do something they can't.

Be nice.

Peace.

Envy

I get now why people are often envious and sabotage others.

Apparently this is a most popular trait among Malays.

Misery loves company. We do not like to be miserable alone.

Humans are practically designed to be selfish. We want the best for ourselves, and we compete with each other for the best.

Whatever it is. Work. Partner. House. Car.

There was this one interview that I went for, down to last two candidates, me and this other guy.

We were anxiously waiting for the results, even 2 months after the final interview.

We kept in touch, me asking him, him asking me whether either one of us got it.

After two months, I just assumed no one actually got it, coz I haven't heard anything, and he didn't tell me anything.

Fast forward 7 months later, I work at the same building I went for that interview previously.

Surprise surprise, who do I bump into? Other guy from the interview.

He could've just freaking told me he got the job. I mean, after all I did ask.

But, he didn't.

So when I bumped into him, I recognized him, and he recognized me, but we both pretended to not know each other.

Have the courtesy to at least tell me, even though I am basically a stranger.

Was I envious? Hell yes at first, but I probably wouldn't have been so pissed if he'd tell me sooner.

So not only was I angry I didn't get the job, I was also angry he didn't have the courtesy to tell me.

Ugh. Human interactions are sometimes.... ugh.

Extremely awkward, always, when I bump into people from that company, and that guy. Especially that guy.

With that arrogant smug on his face. Pfft.

Now its no longer envy, no, envy for me is merely a temporary phase. Normal, I think.

I realize that were I successful in the interview, I would've been a glorified salesperson.

A highly-paid glorified salesman, but a salesman nonetheless.

Now I'm an underpaid graduate engineer, but still an actual engineer.

Overpaid, by the amount of work I'm currently doing, which is nada.

Anyways, point here is, I am not proud to admit, I sometimes do envy the success of others.

Perhaps it stems from the fact that I do not truly feel that I am all that successful.

Does this make me ungrateful to God? God, I hope not.

Its not that I am not grateful, thankful, just that I feel I can achieve more. That I deserve more.

Slightly egoistic, but what the hell. At least I can admit it.

I think some people, scratch that, most people are generally more complacent than me.

They settle for whatever they can get.

I, for one, think that reaching for the stars doesn't make me ungrateful, it just means I dream bigger.

I'm bigger than my body gives me credit for, as John Mayer put it.

But for me its mostly materialistic stuff, rarely on other stuff.

I don't really turn green of envy seeing other people get married.

Seeing them with hot wives, a definite hell yes, but actually getting married, meh.

Which would partially explain why I'm not married yet. Such high standards I have set for myself.

And the ones that have been set for me. But let's not get into that.

I personally think, girls perceive me as the friendly guy, that funny guy friend.

The dreaded friend zone, as 9gag aptly put it.

Well, 9GAG didn't exactly invent the friend zone, I did, but I'm not gonna sue them like Apple sued Samsung.

OH BURN APPLE FANS.

Moving on.

They don't really see me as boyfriend material, haha, and I can't really blame them.

I act like a total ass sometimes. I know, no need to tell me.

Should I change who I am so that girls will like me?

Haha, maybe I'll make a television series to tell people how I slowly matured and finally met my girlfriend / wife.

How friends around me, even the most unexpected douches have gotten married, but I am still single.

Haha. That would probably take 7 to 8 seasons, and there'd still be no sign of the wife / girlfriend...

This sounds strangely familiar....

OH GOD.

AM I BARNEY?!

Answer : NO.

Reason : I have not banged 200 chicks.

More seriously, AM I TED?!

Ugh, I hope not. I mean, I like red as much as the next guy, but red boots?

Seriously Ted?

Okay that sounded a bit gay.

Back to topic, I think the 3 reasons above (high standards, friendzone, ass) are the reasons why some of my guy friends are still not married.

And I have all three. Terrific.

Maybe I should get rid of one. Maybe the ass part.

Although I have been told to have a nice ass, by a friend of mine. A guy.

Okay that sounded more than a bit gay.

Its not. He's married now.

No, its not with another guy. A girl. Quite cute. Good for him.

Bastard. Lol joke. I love him. Well, not THAT love, the friendly type love.

Moving on before I permanently brand myself gay, strangely I find myself slightly feeling envious when I see good people.

Well not exactly envy, but the faintest of feeling in my heart that says " when am I gonna be like that"?

I think thats probably more along the lines of admiration. Yeah, definitely not envy.

Some people are just too damn nice, and I wonder if I should be more like them.

Main question now is how to motivate myself to actually be a good person, a good Muslim.

Most days when I am not working are spent lounging about doing absolutely nothing.

I'm just lazy. If I didn't have to eat, I probably wouldn't move the whole bloody day.

Fungus would probably be able to grow on my back.

Sloths would probably marvel at how lazy I am.

I mean, at least they move, albeit at a slow pace. Me, stationary.

I'm getting off track. You'd think being stationary, that'd be impossible, but no.

Impossible is nothing for me. See how high my standards are?

Le sigh.

Ranting feels good. Its been awhile since I wrote a proper blog post, hasn't it.

Truth be told, I'm just slightly more conscious now that I know that more people are actually reading this crap I call blogging. Haha.

Well, you came here to read about me, so there you go. Like it, good, we can be friends.

Don't like it, unfriend on FB. I don't care. Muahaha.

Ass. Work in progress.

Till next time, old friend.

Peace.

Wedding Plan

Sorry for not posting for so long.

I've been swamped with.... God knows what.

Running around, doing a bit of this, a bit of that...

Trying out food here and there...

New shoes, new clothes..

Needless to say, money has been tight this past month.

And probably so for the next few months.

I've been meaning to write about this, just never had the time or the energy.

To be honest, at first I wasn't sure.

But now that its confirmed.....

I never knew weddings could be so stressful.

Luckily work has somewhat slowed down.

Had a presentation last week, somewhat impromptu.

Not my best presentation, but I did good I think.

People understood what I was trying to say, I think.

Okay, okay, I'm stalling.

The date is 1st of September.

No, not next year, next MONTH.

There is going to be a wedding.

Which I am... required to attend.

Obviously I'm required to attend.

If I didn't have to, there wouldn't be a problem.

But that wouldn't be very nice, would it.

The problem is, there's two of them.

Two weddings.

Two of my friends are getting married on the same day.

These are really close friends of mine, at some point in my life.

I'd hate to disappoint either one of them.

The thing is, one is in KL, and the other is in Ipoh.

My mother tells me to choose one.

I'm not gonna do that.

I think I'll go to the KL one, and arrive at the Ipoh one slightly late.

I just have to call him first and tell him, so that he won't be upset or anything.

Yeah, I think that'll work.

That'll be the Wedding Plan.

Heheh.

Sorry if I've mislead you into thinking that I was the one getting married.

Please drop a comment to express your anger, and I shall be sure to send you an invite should I do get married.

Bulan puasa kena bersabar.

Peace.

Angels and Demons

It's been more than a month since my last post. Ive been busy at work.

I did write something, but it was too angry for my liking, so I scrapped it.

I'll try and be less angry this time around.

I wrote something about how I'm disliking the current celebrity ustaz fab thats going around.

You see people all over facebook and twitter posting stuff up about the sayings and ceramahs of these ustazs.

But to be honest the only reason people like these people so much is because they're funny.

They make religion sound fun.

Take away the jokes, no one wants to listen to them.

Even with the jokes I don't like listening to them, if I'm being honest.

I don't like how these ustazs, educated, religious folk, look down upon those with less religious knowledge and awareness.

They make fun of people that don't know religion that well. Call them names and stuff.

Bodoh macam kambing was the one I heard.

And the audience laughs with them.

"Haha, memang bodoh macam kambing siapa yang tak tau tu.".

What if the person was never brought up in an Islamic background and wanted to change?

Then people promote to him this ustaz.

"Listen to this Ustaz, he is funny, he is good."

So he listens, and finds himself not knowing these very basic Islamic things.

And is likened to a goat.

Its like telling a kindergartner how stupid he is for not knowing how to read.

He will be completely demoralized, and shall avoid the subject of reading altogether.

No one likes being called stupid, in anything at all.

It's as if these religious folks, these learned scholars of our religion, think that hidayah is found, not received.

It's as if they feel they worked hard to be good, it is all their doing, thus they deserve the right to brag and ridicule people.

And expect the ridiculed to take it all humbly and miraculously change into a devout Muslim.

This is not so. This reminds me of a story I once read about the meeting between Iblis and our Prophet.

He told the Prophet, "I do not have the power to turn people astray. I merely have the ability to persuade them. If I did have the power to turn them astray, then not even one of them will be spared. It is the same with you. You are merely the Messenger, you do not have the power to grant hidayah. If you did, then you would save everyone."

Only God can decide who leads the righteous path and who does not.

So with this in mind, how can any man woman or child, be proud and boast of his or her amalan?

You would be guzzling down beer and fornicating like bunnies if not for God's mercy.

It has absolutely nothing to do with you, He just so happens to be in a good mood and wants to spare you from his fiery hells.

Loosely speaking, of course.

I'll be honest, when people ask me to go for these ceramahs, I try my best to find excuses not to go.

Not because I am so lacking in religious knowledge and would be offended, I think I know the ABCs of Islam.

Its because I cannot bring myself to learn from these people.

I can almost hear the arrogance in their voices.

That feeling of superiority over others, that 'holier-than-thou' attitude, travels much faster, and much deeper than what they're actually saying.

A teacher should not impose his or her superiority to his or her students.

A teacher should earnestly, sincerely want to pass on their knowledge.

To help others, not to brag.

You cannot tell me that you have never felt this

That you have never felt that someone is trying to show off.

Or that someone is sincerely trying to teach you something.

I think I should stop here before it turns into an angry post again.

Just in case someone misunderstood what I meant in this post, this does not mean that I feel that I am better than these ulama'.

By all means no, I am very much lacking in both knowledge and amalan.

I am merely saying that a little humility won't hurt.

After all, what are we if not slaves to Him.

Peace.