And not being willing to learn new info…I will never understand that…because intelligent people are constantly learning and never feel like we know enough. Yes, I know you learned that in 3rd grade, but you learn more about it in high school, more in college, more in grad/post-grad, etc.
I grew up being the target of persecution for being both intellectual and brown.
The US has a particularly egregious culture of celebrating stupidity. It's even reflected in popular culture -- look at most of the action heroes... They're usually muscle bound idiots.
I think one main downside of social media that's insidious is that influencer culture adds a lot of noise to this for someone who might not be smart. I think for a lot of folks it can be hard to disentangle listening to experts vs listening to an influencer.
People grift and make up expertise and also the social media can give the feeling of "word of mouth"/getting information from a "friend" so adds a level of influence.
one indication of intelligence is acknowledging your own limitations and ask for explanations or advice. not knowing things doesn’t make you stupid. not being able to learn from others does.
It is my opinion that those w/80-90 scores of intelligences are the loudest. Typically these people do not have great reasoning abilities.They fall in the low average area because they have solid memory and general processing abilities. They can remember & spew the Fox News talking points great.
My theory is a lot of this gets manufactured at a young age, by separating out a group of kids, calling them “gifted” (intentionally bad name, implies good stuff for free, no drawbacks), and saying those kids will go on to do stuff while the rest of you will eat shit.
Not at my schools, they regularly told the kids in the highest classes that they were no better than anyone else. That everyone was good at different things, that everyone had value. But that was a left leaning school system.
That’s good! I’m glad there are places out there saying so. I do think we are getting slightly better over time. My parents’ generation literally were divided into the ‘A’ room, ‘B’ room, etc. based on what grade they thought you would get.
Yes, once in high school that sort of differentiation is common. Back in the day, this used to be done for elementary school for the one classroom you’d spend your whole day in. Like, you’re in 1st grade and they’ve already decided you “belong” in the ‘C room’, as in you have no potential.
English 1A teacher in high school repeatedly stressed, "This is a college track course." throughout the semester. He was also giddy with anticipation at the O.J. verdict and made several trips to the teachers lounge to see if it came in.
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Interesting. The OJ verdict is way past the time frame when most schools had eliminated the ‘A’ room and ‘B’ room concept. I’m talking 1940s and 1950s.
Tell that to District. 303 in Illinois!(former sundown town that elected Everett Dirksen to help end segregation.)
Was split like that for math, history(economics/consumer economics after History 1A and 1) and biology also
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It is when entrenched power shuts down actual criticism from people who disagree, but have the data to back them up. Unfortunately, having authority matters more in every sector of society than having data.
understanding (and delivering!) effective criticism and skepticism requires nuance and an acceptance that YOU (or me) may be wrong about some fundamental assumptions.
Humility in the face of uncertainty is hard. It is for me anyway.
“There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there always has been.The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that ‘my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge”
One of the reasons I'm so harsh on astrology and crystal healing and other quasiwitchy woowoo. It makes your brain dumber when you knowingly and purposely fill it with nonsense and untruths. It makes it easier for you to believe lies and misinformation because you're teaching your brain lies = good.
See also, the final episode of James Burke's Connections, which aired at the end of the 1970s, which had a very similar, if more general warning for all humanity.
The first rule of "skeptism" should be not to believe the first person you hear with a plausible-sounding critique of the official narrative, just because they seem to know technical jargon and know how to talk effectively... Instead, the automatic response should be "Yeah, that sounds plausible...
How to counteract the "firehose of lies" where the simple truth lays hidden among a mountain of lies? It's a russian propaganda tool imported by corrupt gangsters like trump to confuse the masses while they kill, maim and rob us. It's corruption in broad daylight.
Comments
The US has a particularly egregious culture of celebrating stupidity. It's even reflected in popular culture -- look at most of the action heroes... They're usually muscle bound idiots.
virtue is scarce and contradictions tighten, now is a time for heroes
It should make them appreciate how hard it is to master any given field, but it often does the opposite
Yeah, I am unfamiliar with that practice.
English 1A teacher in high school repeatedly stressed, "This is a college track course." throughout the semester. He was also giddy with anticipation at the O.J. verdict and made several trips to the teachers lounge to see if it came in.
❤
Was split like that for math, history(economics/consumer economics after History 1A and 1) and biology also
❤
Humility in the face of uncertainty is hard. It is for me anyway.
See also, the final episode of James Burke's Connections, which aired at the end of the 1970s, which had a very similar, if more general warning for all humanity.