The #1 thing people don't understand about X, is Y

[yesno]

In whatever you do, there's probably some little thing that the general public doesn't understand, but which is essential to understanding your work.

When I worked in customer service-type jobs, the #1 thing that customers didn't understand is that my boss sees me every day.  If you have some disagreement with me, he's probably going to take my side, not yours, whatever he might tell you.

When I teach people computers, the #1 thing people don't understand is that you don't do yourself any favors by just learning some particular program.  That's like learning a phrasebook, instead of learning a language, but in a situation where learning the language is actually easier.

Now I'm in law school.  The number one thing I didn't understand about American law before school, and which basically no one who hasn't been to law school gets, is the breakdown between the authority of federal and state courts.

Boring text in small font:
(Basically, state supreme courts are the highest court in the land when it comes to matters of interpreting their own law.  One state might have a statute that says something.  Another state might have the exact same statute. Each state might interpret them to mean something different.  That's just the way it is! If a federal court hears a claim involving state law (in a mixed case of state and federal law, or because it's a suit between citizens of different states), it must defer to what that state's courts say about it.  If it decides some novel question, the state courts are not bound by its interpretation. Federal courts can only decide issues of federal law and the constitution.  Because the constitution trumps anything the state might do, lawyers get really creative in finding ways to turn any old argument into a constitutional question-- this is the only way to "appeal" from a state supreme court.  This is also why the US Supreme Court has to decide a lot of really vague questions about "due process" and so on.)
/end boring

Is there something in whatever you do, that the general public or the press or whatever just consistently doesn't understand?

[Martin]

The #1 thing that people don't understand about working as a freelance writer is that I'm not readily available at any given time during day or night, for coffee, bar hopping and the like, simply because I have more control over my work schedule than regular worker bees. And become annoyed when I explain I have other things to do. "But you decide your own hours, right?"

[erika]

The one thing people don't understand about managing websites is that adding a bunch of flash and video clips that take a long time to develop doesn't always add to the user's experience or make them want to return to the site. Especially when your target audience is men and women over 65.

Luckily, the president of my company gets it. The VP's, however, just keep asking me to add "word games" and stupid multimedia clips to the websites. 8 hours of my time to develop a crossword puzzle??

I think not.

[iAmBaronVonTito]

the one thing people dont understand about any service-based job (ive ever worked) is stressing out doesnt make things happen on my end

[Stupornaut]

The one thing people don't understand about music critics is that we like music, and typically don't make it a point to think the general public are stupid assholes for not liking the same music we do -- at least not any more than your typical music obsessive that doesn't write reviews.

[John Junk 2.0]

The one thing college students don't understand about college staff (be it custodial, security, maintenance, or what-have-you) is that declaring the exorbitant cost of your tuition as license to do anything you like actually works against you in an argument.

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

The thing that (mostly younger) undergraduates don't understand about their teachers is that I don't actually live in my office.  Just because they show up does not mean I'll be magically conjured.

The thing that nobody understands about playwrights is that...  actually people pretty much get it.

[Susannah]

The thing high school students don't understand about teachers is that we actually like them and want them to do well; to go forth and prosper.  Giving a B- (or even a C or a D) on a paper is not tantamount to handing out a death sentence.

The other thing high school students don't understand about English teachers specifically is that we're not trying to "ruin" a piece of literature by asking you to think about it a little.  I've heard too many people say, "I would have loved [insert book title here], except my teacher ruined it for me in school."  Give me a break. I haven't dedicated my life to teaching you about literature so that you'll hate reading.  What sense does that make?

That and text messaging.  Boy, my blood doth boil.

[Gilly]

Give me a break. I haven't dedicated my life to teaching you about literature so that you'll hate reading.  What sense does that make?

I think the teachers who ruin it are the ones who dedicated their life to teaching literature and didn't get any satisfaction from it and have given up at the expense of their students. I think the majority of students appreciate and love to learn from people who like to teach.


The thing most people don't get about radio DJ's is how little money the majority of them make. I do better than most beginners but most DJ's make close to minimum wage and most stations expect you to have a broadcasting degree.

[iAmBaronVonTito]

The thing high school students don't understand about teachers is that we actually like them and want them to do well; to go forth and prosper.  Giving a B- (or even a C or a D) on a paper is not tantamount to handing out a death sentence.

The other thing high school students don't understand about English teachers specifically is that we're not trying to "ruin" a piece of literature by asking you to think about it a little.  I've heard too many people say, "I would have loved [insert book title here], except my teacher ruined it for me in school."  Give me a break. I haven't dedicated my life to teaching you about literature so that you'll hate reading.  What sense does that make?

That and text messaging.  Boy, my blood doth boil.

it bugs me when i hear, "i dont like to read when im told to do it and i dont do it on my own" (or along those lines).


one thing people dont understand about that kind of excuse is it has NOTHING to do with someone telling you to do it.  in fact, the logic makes no sense, period. 

[gravy boat]

The thing most people don't understand about the management of an multi-billion dollar international oil company is that our record profits really have nothing to do with the record price of oil, or the record price of gas you are paying.  These things are simply not connected.  We acheive our record profits through increased efficency, like having our employees bring their own coffee cups instead of us buying them.  Really.

[erika]

The thing most people don't understand about the management of an multi-billion dollar international oil company is that our record profits really have nothing to do with the record price of oil, or the record price of gas you are paying.  These things are simply not connected.  We acheive our record profits through increased efficency, like having our employees bring their own coffee cups instead of us buying them.  Really.

[Pat K]

As someone who actually is an employee of a successful oil company, the one thing people don't understand is that because I am not an executive at said company, higher gas prices actually hurt me just as much as everybody else. It's not like I'm getting a commission from the corner gas station or anything.

Even someone at my office who should have known better tried to congratulate me on oil going up to a record high recently, and I responded "Yay - my cost of living just went up!" They didn't really seem to get it.

And yes, I do have to bring my own coffee cup.

[Jason]

The one thing people don't understand about time travel is that it's perfectly OK to mess with the present in order to change time lines and drastically alter the events of the future. In fact its pretty much the only reason for time travel at all.
If you think the present sucks then you should have seen it before I messed with it.

[senorcorazon]

The one thing people don't understand about managing websites is that adding a bunch of flash and video clips that take a long time to develop doesn't always add to the user's experience or make them want to return to the site.

Cheers to this. The one thing that people don't understand about developing websites "for teens" is that teens don't want to come to your crappy website, and neither would I.