Lately I keep thinking our biggest problem is that we confuse intelligence with loudness and arrogance, when really it's the opposite.
Intelligence is humility. It's listening and paying attention. It's understanding there's stuff you don't know or understand.
Fuck the Smartest Man in the Room.
He who knows not, and knows not that he knows not, is a fool; shun him.
He who knows not, and knows that he knows not, is a child; teach him.
He who knows, and knows not that he knows, is asleep; awaken him.
He who knows, and knows that he knows, is wise; follow him.
- Confucius
It's so very bizarre, how the social meaning of "intelligence" is so fluid and inconsistent and has nothing to do with the actual definition. And not just the meaning and usage of the word, but whether it is something to strive for or something that is socially shamed.
@Frances_Larina @charliejane it's effectively used as a means of supporting the delusion that we live in a meritocracy, as a means of justifying the exclusion of other perspectives, & as a means of justifying the denial of autonomy.
As it's used, the concept does not exist. There is no numerical value one can assign to rank intelligence & correlate it to their value, impact, & contribution to society (one's connections & net worth will always have a higher correlation). As such, the purpose of measuring people's problem-solving abilities must be different than the purported meaning of intelligence/IQ (which people seem to use interchangeably). It seems to just be a lie embedded into our language to reinforce support for hierarchy & imperialism.
@charliejane No one needs to be stupid forever. Everyone can be an intelligent being, beneficial to her/his individual positive development & humanity.
Despite book banners & burners.
https://www.alternet.org/alternet-exclusives/a-neuroscientist-explains-why-stupidity-is-an-existential-threat-to-america/
#EducationMatters #EducationNow #YourVoiceMatters #YouMatter #RaiseYourVoice vs #InformationSabotage #ObstructionOfEducation #BanTheGOP #TerroristOrganization #CriminalNetwork #Insurrection #Overthrow
It may sound like an insensitive statement, but the cold hard truth is that there are a lot of stupid people in the world, and their stupidity presents a constant danger to others. Some of these people are in positions of power, and some of them have been elected to run our country. A far greater nu...
@charliejane Re that quote by @pmb00cs
"it's better to be thought a fool than speak and remove all doubt"
While it's a valid perspective, it can limit discussions.
I'm often the first to ask questions of a speaker - This may sound foolish but ...Ask for information about topic to clarify my understanding ...
I've often been thanked by people who didn't know either but who didn't want to look stupid.
@charliejane maybe intelligence is not what we should even be looking for, but rather wisdom that is intrinsically tied to humility and the ability to be intellectually flexible with new information, while intelligence is relative to the having the correct answer/solution regardless of whether or not the question/problem is the most helpful to be answered/solved.
Give wisdom a chance, and let's stop letting smart fools hold onto the levers of power.
He who seeks knowledge begins with humbleness.
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