Is there anything that explained in layman's terms, degrades what you're trying to explain?

Certain vocabulary or jargon that is sometimes necessary. It seems sometimes when you try using laymen's terms to explain something to someone, is doesn't get the whole message across and causes pervasive misconceptions.

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SW-User

Well with those who like to think using a lot of fancy words equals intelligence you cannot use laymen's terms, because they make fun of your lack of smarts even if what your saying is making perfect sense. And then the other side of the coin is people who hate highbrow language and terms and think you are an intellectual snob, so it depends on the crowd you are dealing with I suppose? I google terms and try to understand and keep my mouth shut if I can't.

Cease · 26-30

@SW-User Yeah, but certain higher level things that can't easily be explained on the spot with layman's. Sometimes layman's terms just don't have the specificity to accurately explain something. There are a lot of people who demand a simple anwser and when they realize it's not, they immediately shut down anything you try to say. And that using that necessary vocabulary is talking down to them, giving them the run around, or people being self-superiority.

A lot of very intelligent people I like are very blunt and can come across as asshole-ish. It's not intentional though. They know what they are talking about but they just don't have the "charisma" to explain to people who don't know what they are talking about. But I guess that's what science communicators are for.

But yeah, there are snobbish people who don't know what they are talking about, or do know what they are talking and have a sense of self superiority.

SW-User

@Cease There are people who'd like to learn but are shut down because they can only adapt to laymen terms so again it depends on the audience you are trying to convince.

puck61

It would hard to explain Plato's cave allegory to Bubba Ray down the street, I guess.

puck61

It would be interesting to try though.....
"Man! You ain't seein what's really there! You just seein what folks have told you what's there. The real truth ain't what you've had whooped into ya and finally took to. You gotta look around and start piecing things together till you can see more than just your shadow, and maybe see that thing that's casting that shadow. You follow me, Bubba?"

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