Poll: Do you correct innocent / obvious mistakes ?

[SimuLord]

I usually don't mention it unless I really care about the mistake they made. If it has something to do with nerd culture, I usually don't bring it up unless that person IS a nerd. I once heard a gamer friend of mine saying that BioWare made Fallout 3 and BioShock. Not only did BioWare make NEITHER of these games, but they were made by two different companies. I HAD to correct this, so I kindly told him that Bethesda made Fallout 3 and 2k made BioShock. He was embarrassed that he made the mistake after that, but didn't hold it against me. I do this to nerd friends all the time, and they don't complain about it.

Considering one of the nerd's chief attributes is "better dead than wrong", that's a good way to go about it.

My standard mode of correcting someone is to notice it the first time but let it go, then if they make the same mistake again, I say something like "I'm sorry, but did you mean...?" which usually elicits a "wait, what did I say? Yeah, I meant..."

I prefer to give people the benefit of the doubt whenever possible.

 

[Outofideas]

I try to avoid it, but I start getting frustrated if someone keeps making an obvious error over and over in the same conversation.

And on the far end of that, I have to stop myself from screaming every time I find a typo in a book or video game. And I seem to find them ALL THE FREAKIN' TIME.

 

[Darth Pope]

I'm actually a little obsessive about it.

 

[Agent Larkin]

Yes and my schools History Department hates me for it.

 

[SmartIdiot]

Only if it would provide any benefit to the person I'm correcting. Otherwise I'd have to say no and the people that do are likely the biggest pricks you'll ever meet. We'd never get anything done if we stopped to correct every tiny, little, otherwise insignificant mistake. Now, I must leave *holds up flame shield*.