Then here is a simple question.

If I wrote something, and you don't understand it - does the responsibility of understanding not ultimately rest with you?
Leading a horse to water and all that.

If I wrote something, and you don't understand it - does the responsibility of understanding not ultimately rest with you? — Shamshir

No, not really. You aren't our resident guru, you're a philosopher with whom we are all trying to exchange meaning. If you deliberately make it difficult for us to understand you, why should we expend the effort? :chin:

But consider I'm not deliberately being difficult and you simply don't get it.

In the same way a well written manual on riding a bicycle is worthless if the rider doesn't innately 'get it'.

Or the punchline of a joke.

a well written manual on riding a bicycle is worthless if the rider doesn't innately 'get it'. — Shamshir

That is the first sensible thing you have said, well almost sensible.

But there is no way a person can learn to ride a bike by reading about it. You have to put your butt in the saddle and ride till you fall off and then start gain.

Leading a horse to water and all that. — Shamshir

When things need to be explained, the onus is on the writer to do so. There is no horse and no water involved.

Or the punchline of a joke. — Shamshir

Jokes rarely transcend ethnic, racial, territorial, gender, economic or even age barriers. And the best comedians no that and play to a particular audience so that the do get the punch line.
It is not the problem of the poor black kid in the ghetto to understand a rich man's joke about golf.

Very well, ant. Open your head, and I will pour the knowledge into it.

Open your head, — Shamshir

Completely different sense to the word as used in this context as used in the door example.

and I will pour the knowledge into it. — Shamshir

I seriously doubt that you have anything new or exciting to offer. :shade:

If I wrote something, and you don't understand it - does the responsibility of understanding not ultimately rest with you? — Shamshir

I don't think we ascribe responsibility to the process of "understanding". It happens, or not. But convincing is a task, the responsibility of which falls on the writer -- that is, it is the writer's responsibility to convince the reader of the value or truth of his ideas.

I can't convince you, if you can't convince yourself.

Maybe you've heard this one:

A fellow was stuck on his rooftop in a flood. He was praying to God for help.

Soon a man in a rowboat came by and the fellow shouted to the man on the roof, "Jump in, I can save you."

The stranded fellow shouted back, "No, it's OK, I'm praying to God and he is going to save me."

So the rowboat went on.

Then a motorboat came by. "The fellow in the motorboat shouted, "Jump in, I can save you."

To this the stranded man said, "No thanks, I'm praying to God and he is going to save me. I have faith."

So the motorboat went on.

Then a helicopter came by and the pilot shouted down, "Grab this rope and I will lift you to safety."

To this the stranded man again replied, "No thanks, I'm praying to God and he is going to save me. I have faith."

So the helicopter reluctantly flew away.

Soon the water rose above the rooftop and the man drowned. He went to Heaven. He finally got his chance to discuss this whole situation with God, at which point he exclaimed, "I had faith in you but you didn't save me, you let me drown. I don't understand why!"

To this God replied, "I sent you a rowboat and a motorboat and a helicopter, what more did you expect?

A christian pastor, a catholic priest, a Jewish rabbi, a Jehovah witness and a Muslim were on a small plane. All of a sudden the pilot rushes out of the cockpit opens a lock, grabs a parachute, opens the door and before he jumps yells that the plane is out of fuel and will crash in a few minutes.

The pastor looks in the locker and sees that there are only two more parachutes, he grabs one. The witness grabs the other and they both jump out before the others can realize what is happening.

The Muslim gets down on the floor and prays out loud and then jumps out of the plane screaming "Into the hands of Allah". A hand reaches down from the cloud and grabs him.

The jew drops to the floor and repeats what the Muslim did, then jumps out of the plane screaming "Into the hands of Allah". A hand reaches down from the cloud and grabs him.

The catholic priest follows the example of the rabbi an jumps screaming "Into the hands of Allah". A hand reaches down from the cloud and grabs him.

Just as he jumps the plane's motor dies and it dips towards the earth.

"Oh thank god" he cries and crosses himself.

The hand from the sky throws him to the ground.

You have to continue believing.

To this God replied, "I sent you a rowboat and a motorboat and a helicopter, what more did you expect?

:razz:

A Mormon was seated next to an Irishman on a flight from London to the US.

After the plane was airborne, drink orders were taken. The Irishman asked for a whiskey, which was promptly brought and placed before him.

The flight attendant then asked the Mormon if he would like a drink. He replied in disgust, "I'd rather be savagely raped by a dozen whores than let liquor touch my lips."

The Irishman then took a sip of his whiskey, and began to rummage around under his seat as though he was looking for something.

He kept on rummaging around for quite some time whilst the Mormon looked at the Irishman in bewilderment, until finally the Mormon asked him, "What are doing? Are looking for something?".

The Irishman replied, "Yes, and I've just this moment found it!".

So the Mormon asked, "What is it that you've found?"

And the Irishman replied, "A cat with no arms and legs".

A rabbi is teaching math and asks his student:
- Moses, how much is 2 + 2?
- 2 + 2 makes four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten... - answers Moses.
- Wait, wait, wait! Now, you remember this from me - 2 + 2 makes four, five, six, seven at maximum!
Eight, nine and ten in the Armenian school, next door.

EH?