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Whenever I go surfing on the Internet, I will always see many comments, facebook postings, memes, and pictures all complain about how people are so stupid. I'm tired of having to keep hearing such complaints. It's especially irritating when they come from people I personally know who flunked out of high school and now living off their parents. My thoughts are that we overvalue intelligence over other qualities that make up a human being. It's their actions and thoughts towards others that truly define what a person is worth.
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Overvaluing one standard, like perceived beauty, is not cause to react by overvaluing another. Intelligence is great, but it’s also a highly problematic concept the way it’s framed in our culture (anyone happen to have any links to these discussions?), & there’s so many other just-as-worthy traits out there like genuine kindness, passion, humility, interesting-ness etc. etc. Intelligence can actually have negative effects if a person doesn’t have the conscience to at least avoid using it hurtfully … personally, I’d prefer that mean, judgmental behavior is done without the force, power & status that a person’s socially-recognized intelligence gives it.
It’s dehumanizing, whatever trait you use to do it with, to perpetuate the mindset that a person’s not really worth respecting unless they happen to appear to have characteristics you happen to value more than understanding people on their own terms. (At least, with the exception of not esteeming people for using behaviors that are aptly described as harmful to others.
Well there's "stupid" and there's STOOPID. It's the lack of common sense that gets me. I've known some very intelligent people, those with a bunch of letters after their name that were just dumb as dirt, and I've known people who don't have much of a formal education who are some of the smartest folks I know.
You used the words 'actions" and thoughts" Those are two examples right there of intelligence. Intelligence comes in many forms, NOT just information. There is emotional physical, and strategic intelligence as well. Some of the most thoughtful and sensitive people I have met were by definition 'Intelligent' but if I were to ask them a trivial question they would most likely reply 'I don't know' A lot of people think intelligence is 'information gathering' this is just a small fragment of intelligence.
You used the words 'actions" and thoughts" Those are two examples right there of intelligence. Intelligence comes in many forms, NOT just information. There is emotional physical, and strategic intelligence as well. Some of the most thoughtful and sensitive people I have met were by definition 'Intelligent' but if I were to ask them a trivial question they would most likely reply 'I don't know' A lot of people think intelligence is 'information gathering' this is just a small fragment of intelligence.
When I meant actions, I meant how they treat others as well as how they contribute to everyday society. For example, say an immigrant nurse from India was kind to everyone around her, but didn't know common sense things such as how to use a ticket machine or politics. Is she a worthless person then?
I know about the memes you are talking about. I hate them. They are just rude. The problem is that most people overestimate their own intelligence and/or have no concept of humility. It's usually people who are lacking some intelligence that are first to blame others as being stupid.
I don't care how intelligent anyone is, everyone has innate value and huge potential in one way or another. Calling another person stupid is kind of abusive, in my opinion. Especially when you consider that a big chunk of intelligence is related to genetics more than anything else. It would not be okay to call someone with a birth defect names, right?
I guess this is really an emotional topic for me because I've worked with special education students, some who through no fault of their own, are never going to be that bright. I hate the thought that these precious beings may one day be told they are stupid by anyone. It's obnoxious.
I don't think what you described is actually people overvaluing intelligence. That's just people complaining that other people aren't doing what they want or agreeing with them on whatever issue. It's not like they are saying "darn those people not getting elite college degrees/using perfect grammar/scoring high on the SATs/displaying high analytical ability/displaying mental excellence in some way". Heh.
But I do agree with what you quoted. There are other qualities that are important to society, not to mention we need to define "intelligence" in a broader way. Right now it gets confused with specific kinds of educational achievement only.
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