Dummheit - The Most Contagious Disease Ever

(die) Dummheit = stupidity/ignorance/idiocy.

All the nouns with endings -heit & -keit take "die" as their definite article.

There's a story/rant behind my title.

The bus I get home stops at the local hospital.  There's quite a lot of maintenance going on there and that means that the usual place for the bus line that ends there has been moved. As my bus moved off we could see that a bus wanted to lay up in the waiting position.

It couldn't because there was a car parked there next to the big sign that says Bus Waiting Place.  Obviously the person in the car was REALLY Important. They had put on their hazard lights to make sure that everyone knows that this is now a 100% legal parking place for them for as long as they want.  They were on their mobile phone - naturally. 

My bus driver got out and went to tell them "It's not a parking place, it's a bus stop."

The bus needing to park can't do anything and neither can the cars behind it - a line that was getting longer.

What would you do in a situation like that?

Obviously you would make a face that says you're exasperated. You have your hazard lights on and everyone in Germany knows that means you are allowed to park where you want for as long as you want.  You also end your phone call. And then phone someone else.  Because you studied Dummheit and you graduated when you could spell it - it was a tough 8 years - but well done you.

This sort of thing is becoming more and more common.  It's quite wearing for someone like me.  I believe in kindness, courtesy and respect.  I see very little of them.  Which is why I like going for a walk in the countryside.  Although even there I find people sitting and staring at their phones - ignore your screaming child - I'm sure it's much more important to know what she said and then he said....

Someone turned my Misanthropy way, way up.