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Ignorant, badly behaved and G-dless…

August 22nd, 2011
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  1. nerdygirl
    August 22nd, 2011 at 22:54 | #1

    Neither is ignorant, badly behaved and full of religious zeal. Ignorance is the real danger, how does a nation go about combating ignorance?

  2. Leo
    August 23rd, 2011 at 17:56 | #2

    The author is correct that wealth can shield the rich and their children from some of the effects of their foolishness, but only up to a point, and it is difficult if not impossible to pass wealth through multiple generations without inculcating the virtues such as, but not limited to, industry and thrift. Virtue has the archaic meaning of “power” and the word the root word is “vir,” meaning man. Having virtue was what it meant to be a man. Wisdom was seen as a virtue as well as promoting other virtues.

  3. Anne
    August 26th, 2011 at 09:17 | #3

    “Neither is ignorant, badly behaved and full of religious zeal. Ignorance is the real danger, how does a nation go about combating ignorance?”

    By reminding people that they’re not as smart as they think they are.

    Pride is a very deadly sin (whether or not you practice a religion).

  4. RJ
    August 26th, 2011 at 16:47 | #4

    I am one of the secular (don’t read that as meaning ‘atheist’), liberal, urban, educated, upper-middle class Americans living in MA. I have heard this stereotype countless times and have never understood it.

    Why is that? Because while I do have a great job, am the son of two wonderful parents, have a wonderful boyfriend whom I love and am fully committed to, and am well versed on many number of topics, I’d bet against my ability to do things like plant and grow my own food, hunt game, or survive without having the things I need being delivered to my neighborhood to be purchased with my hard-earned money.

    I have a high IQ. That is not arrogance. It is a statement. I am capable of comprehending complex problems and developing unique, mathematical solutions. I am brilliant in that way.

    A farmer in rural Mississippi is also equally as brilliant, because he can look at his land, get his hands dirty, and produce the most delicious and healthy food that we all require.

    Are rural folks as educated? When it comes to collegiate/urban standards, the answer is no. That doesn’t mean they’re stupid.

  5. Anne
    August 26th, 2011 at 21:09 | #5

    @RJ

    Give life a few years to teach you a thing or two RJ. Believe it or not, brilliant IQ’s and great jobs don’t last forever. Nobody ever plans to get divorced or go into debt or get sick or loose their faculties as they age. After a few of those humbling experiences, you might actually know something. Life is a far more realistic teacher than any university professor.

  6. Rich
    August 27th, 2011 at 06:35 | #6

    @Anne
    Life is certainly a realistic teacher but the lessons come with no plans and the message is often not received by the student. Thank God for University Professors who, at the very least, prepare the minds of young people to open up, look about, observe, compare, analyze, synthesize and conclude…all based upon an intelligent perspective. In short, University Professors take a narrow mind and widen its scope. Some refer to this as elitism but that is just a throw-off term used by the intellectually insecure.

  7. RJ
    August 27th, 2011 at 08:47 | #7

    Anne,

    I agree completely and am glad that I possess intelligence enough to always learn new skills – or at least am humble enough to ask for help from others when I simply am not enough. Of course, the point of working the job I am now is that I am doing what I enjoy and am saving money needed for eventual retirement. Heck, I’m not even opposed to a retirement job. I was merely saying that when it comes to intelligence – “smarts” if you will – there’s not much difference between me and a rural farmer or factory worker. We both do things that are equally brilliant in our own ways. My college education doesn’t make me better than someone who left school to enter into the workforce. It just allowed me to cultivate knowledge in a different area.

  8. Anne
    August 28th, 2011 at 11:04 | #8

    @Rich
    “In short, University Professors take a narrow mind and widen its scope. Some refer to this as elitism but that is just a throw-off term used by the intellectually insecure.”

    How open minded of you.

    “Thank God for University Professors who, at the very least, prepare the minds of young people to open up, look about, observe, compare, analyze, synthesize and conclude…”

    You put a lot of faith in the teaching of University Professors to “prepare the minds of young people”. It’s a good thing that universities are prohibited from hiring anyone with any kind of political or social agenda which might actually limit or deliberately redirect “the minds of young people”.

    I wonder if the unencumbered (uneducated/”unprepared”) free thinking mind might be just as capable of observing, comparing, analyzing, synthesizing and concluding based upon intelligent perspective. I mean, whoever came up with the original idea of university would have been “uneducated/unprepared”, wouldn’t they?

  9. Deb
    August 28th, 2011 at 16:00 | #9

    Rich :
    @Anne
    In short, University Professors take a narrow mind and widen its scope. Some refer to this as elitism but that is just a throw-off term used by the intellectually insecure.

    “Merely having an open mind is nothing. The object of opening the mind, as of opening the mouth, is to shut it again on something solid.”
    – G K Chesterton

  10. nerdygirl
    August 29th, 2011 at 15:17 | #10

    I think the real problem in this thread is ignorant is not the same as “not smart”.

  11. Rich
    August 30th, 2011 at 08:04 | #11


    “I think the real problem in this thread is ignorant is not the same as “not smart”.

    In a few short words, I’d like to think you advanced my point. Thank you.

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