Actually, It's You, Not Me

I work for the Federal Government of Canada, and one of the peripheral expectations of the job is to be aware of current world events, whether they be related to local social policy or conflict abroad. However even if not employed by some level of government or political science department, I would expect my fellow humans to have some knowledge of these issues - or at least be interested to know. Sadly, it was once again demonstrated to me that most people are idiots.

I was talking to two of my co-workers upon my return from New York the other day. They asked me how my trip went and I was trying to think of work appropriate anecdotes.

"Actually, on the ferry ride back to Manhattan from Randall's Island the second night, I met a few guys from Arizona." They nodded as I continued, "The day before, they had been sitting in the window of some cafe when Kofi Annan, his wife, and two bodyguards walked by on the sidewalk!"

I finished the story with my eyes wide with excitement, anticipating their reactions. Instead, they both looked blankly at me.

"Isn't that cool?" I continued, trying to read their faces, "It would have been so neat to see him just walking down the streets of New York."

More stares of confusion greet me. I think I see the problem here. "You know Kofi Annan right?"

"Ahh...no..." One of them said, "Is he in a band or an actor or something?"

"What?? No. Kofi Annan! The UN Secretary General? The dude who's like, head of the UN? Been all over the news for months? You know?? Kofi Annan??" I sputtered incredulously.

They just shrugged their shoulders, still lost in this unfamiliar data. Then they laughed. At me. Because they thought it was funny that I would find some 'nobody' that they had never heard of before as interesting or cool.

*groan*

This moronic display was too pathetic for me to laugh at (even if only in my head). I only felt pity, for them, me, and the planet. I just smiled, relayed some fake understanding and compassion, thought briefly of what it might be like to live as they do, then walked away with an internal head shake. What else can you do with someone who would rather ridicule you than learn a little something about the world?