Why are we humans so stupid?

[petercharlesfagg]

Friends,
When you consider the centuries we have spent evolving (if you believe that) or allegedly improving on our general lot, then why oh why do we continue to be so stupid?

As many are aware I am using the Woodland Scenics 2% inclines and in order to secure them to the baseboard I found that the "Foam Nails" were insufficient in keeping them in one place whilst I applied mod-roc elsewhere.

All well and good, so I decided to use my hot melt gun to secure the foam better to the baseboard.  Happily glueing and setting I found out the hard way that hot melt glue stays hot for a considerable period by planting my thumb on to a large glob!  I said something naughty, withdrew my hand, left the workshop and plunged my hand into a water butt to cool the pain.  Removing my hand I couldn't remove the now set glue!

Anyway, after a cup of tea, a sit down and some thinking I returned to my glueing endeavors.

Again I put on the hot glue gun and started placing the inclines, then;  "You guessed it" I stuck my finger on to another blob to check if it was hard, it wasn't and it stuck fast to my finger!

I yanked my hand back and took with it a piece of incline which snapped into several pieces, my elbow shattered the bulb in my desk lamp that was behind me and the glue gun fell to the floor!

Some time later I returned to my workshop to find the glue gun firmly attached to the carpet and impossible to remove so out came the scalpel to cut it away from the carpet and I cut through the glue gun cable!!!!!

Oh Dear! I said.

I went for a walk instead!

Peter.

[scotsoft]

  just goes to show that natural selection even has its faults 

cheers John.

[MikeDunn]

Errr, why not use PVA ?

Worked for me, as did the WS glue ...

[NeMo]

When you consider the centuries we have spent evolving (if you believe that) or allegedly improving on our general lot, then why oh why do we continue to be so stupid?

For very good evolutionary reasons! Stupidity is helpful. Think about it. The sensible way to do something is the way it's always been done. You know how to do it, what the probability of it working will be, and what happens once you've done it. But a stupid person ignores advice and tradition, and does something else. Mostly that isn't useful, but once in a while that stupid person comes up with a better way of doing something.

There must have been a stupid human who thought about throwing pointed sticks at predators instead of running away, or throwing perfectly good meat onto a fire instead of eating it raw. Some idiot thought about using bits of paper for bartering instead of swapping goods, while another fool thought that trapping steam under pressure might be useful rather than merely explosive. Surely it was an idiot who tried out the first hot air balloon, then the first aeroplane, and then the first rocket. You get the idea.

Of course history doesn't record the stupid people who lost money, times or lives by ignoring the good advice around them! But fortunately stupid people don't seem to be in short supply, so humanity can afford to lose a few of them for the greater good! 

Cheers, NeMo

[dodger112958]

 

A Mr Bean moment if I am not mistaken. lol

[Newportnobby]

I think rather than Mr Bean it was more Kenny Everett (Reg Prescott??)
Sorry, Peter, but your tale did make me chuckle, even though I know I shouldn't

Have you tried "No More Nails" as it sounds slightly less dangerous than the glue gun?

[Steve.T]

Doesn't it hurt!

I once used the hot melt glue gun to the underside of something and got loads of the stuff on my hand.
Made a right mess and had blisters for weeks.

I do have sympathy and agree we all have these stupid moments.


steve

[OwL]

Got to hand it to you Peter (no pun intended!) but that was the most honest account of stupidity I have ever read about

Don't worry Peter. I'm not mocking you as I too (being human ) have done something as stupid whilst modelling also involving glue, which also turned into a comedy of errors as well!!!!

Thanks for being so honest and sharing your mis-hap. Suffice to say if we catch up at TINGS, I will let you know my 'human' moment.

All the best

[Jack]

I think all of us who own a bag of tools of some description have done similar things at some time in our lives Peter. A soldering iron comes to mind for me. 

Try double sided tape next time, the same as you might use on carpets. Its how I did it. It doesn't melt into the WS incline like PVA does. If you don't press the incline down too hard before you are sure its in the right position you can, with care, lift and move the incline if its not quite right.

[Pete Mc]

When you consider the centuries we have spent evolving (if you believe that) or allegedly improving on our general lot, then why oh why do we continue to be so stupid?

For very good evolutionary reasons! Stupidity is helpful. Think about it. The sensible way to do something is the way it's always been done. You know how to do it, what the probability of it working will be, and what happens once you've done it. But a stupid person ignores advice and tradition, and does something else. Mostly that isn't useful, but once in a while that stupid person comes up with a better way of doing something.

There must have been a stupid human who thought about throwing pointed sticks at predators instead of running away, or throwing perfectly good meat onto a fire instead of eating it raw. Some idiot thought about using bits of paper for bartering instead of swapping goods, while another fool thought that trapping steam under pressure might be useful rather than merely explosive. Surely it was an idiot who tried out the first hot air balloon, then the first aeroplane, and then the first rocket. You get the idea.

Of course history doesn't record the stupid people who lost money, times or lives by ignoring the good advice around them! But fortunately stupid people don't seem to be in short supply, so humanity can afford to lose a few of them for the greater good! 

Cheers, NeMo


Had to laugh at this,I meet lots stupid people on a daily basis.Natural selection doesn't appear to be working where I am coming into contact with them.It seems to be getting more prolific.Stupid people are now giving birth to even more stupid people.

Pete

[trainsdownunder]

Makes me feel better for my moment of stupidity last week - checking if I had put a new blade in the scalpel with the tip of the my thumb. My Timber Mill now has some realistic blood stains on the floor !

[ozzie Bill.]

On a plane to Sydney, cleaning my specs - blind without them. They fell apart in my hand. Qantas lady lent me sticky tape to hold them together until I reached destination. Bought super glue. Mended glasses. Rang wife to tell her about it. Found glasses and me were irrevocably attached. Makes you feel alive, doesn't it!
Peter, loved your story, thanks. Bill.

[daveg]

Well done, Peter!

Never mind! I'm sure all will be well in the end.

Meanwhile, you started my day with a chuckle.

Dave G

[petercharlesfagg]

Errr, why not use PVA ?

Worked for me, as did the WS glue ...

Thankyou for the thought but if I'd had some I might have considered it, but I didn't want to drive 16 miles for some glue! 

The glue gun was here as was a pack of sticks from 20 years ago from another project that also gave me problems!   

I never learn!

[petercharlesfagg]

Got to hand it to you Peter (no pun intended!) but that was the most honest account of stupidity I have ever read about

Don't worry Peter. I'm not mocking you as I too (being human ) have done something as stupid whilst modelling also involving glue, which also turned into a comedy of errors as well!!!!

Thanks for being so honest and sharing your mis-hap. Suffice to say if we catch up at TINGS, I will let you know my 'human' moment.

All the best

If I continue to use the glue gun you will have no problem recognising me beacause I will be covered in sticking plaster and plaster of Paris from the mod-roc!!!!

(Besides I will be wearing my NGF badge with pride)

Regards, Peter.