The Idiocy of People, Part 94

I've said much over the years about the idiocy of the human race. Einstein's oft-quoted remark, "two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the universe", is a very good starting point for any policy towards your fellow man. The majority of my day-to-day experience of humans is with the better sort; with friends and Radio 4 presenters. But occasionally, for the sake of getting things done, we all have to talk to the outside world. Selling things on eBay to raise a few bob is just such an occasion.

It's generally a good idea to be as specific and informative as possible in your auction blurbs, to avoid confusion and excessive questioning. But on virtually every auction someone spoils this scheme. They will ask a question that is already answered in the item description. It is infuriating. Say, for example, that you are selling a screen for a specific model of laptop. One fellow eBayer asked me what model the screen was for (obviously this was mentioned not once, but twice, in the blurb) and whether it would fit another model. It is unspeakably irksome to be asked questions like this when a simple Google search will suffice. You are selling an item that you know will do one thing well, but one thing only. There is no need for you to say anything otherwise, but the plebeian masses seem to take pleasure in asking poorly-spelled, illogical questions.

Another question that routinely pops up is whether I have a "Buy it Now" price. Well, since I have chosen an auction format instead of the Buy it Now format, the answer should be obvious. If I intended to let someone walk away with something for a fixed price, I'd choose that option. In fact, simply by asking the question they have removed any incentive for me to sell early. If they ask the question and want an item now, then there's plainly demand. These items tend to fetch a price above my initial expectations . It is simply idiotic to ask, and a waste of everyone's time.

I apologise for the length of this rather esoteric rant, but I'm increasingly infuriated (after the scandal of the public's reaction to the MPs expenses scandal!) by the stupidity of my fellow citizens. I've never really liked them, but am now veering towards total revulsion.