I consider myself being fairly intelligent. Displaying or characterized by quickness of understanding, sound thought, and good judgment.
I was told in grade school I had a tested Intelligence Quotient (I.Q.) of 140. Good for a 4th or 5th grader I assumed, since “average” was supposed to be 100. My “report cards” were never bad, but always contained a warning to my parents, “…your son seems a bit lazy and not working hard to produce his full potential.” Of course I could read this and knew what was being reported. That was a problem with IQ tests and mediocre teachers in those days (1950’s). Blame the kid, not the process.
Today, I would say that sounds like a teacher encouragement issue more than one I created being lazy at 9 years old. Tisk! The world is so unfair. But somehow I survived this long.
There is a difference between intelligence, ignorance, and stupidity. We are all born equally ignorant with no measure of intelligence. Both are levels raised by learning. I know the rate of learning is not equal for all humans. We progress by inherited and environmental factors and conditions.
I’ll stop that thought here. But the idea that, “All men (people) are created equal” although fundamentally true at birth, is totally inaccurate and un-maintainable standard of equal intelligence and abilities throughout life.
The rate of progress and levels obtainable are different for every human. We all become individuals through the immense number of variables that affect our abilities and produce the effect of our persona. Humans do not follow the same experience path.
Humans are not duplicate insects like ants and bees or schools of fish in a pond.
A person with a brilliant mind can be a weak athlete and plain looking. A brilliant athlete can be horrible with math. Humans are NOT equals in all ability. Equal rights, and the concept of having fundamental “rights” is a political term, not a standard of functional ability.
Religion and politics are laws governing human activity and are inventions of the mind. This separates us from all other animal life forms.
It’s the human brain and with its concept of providing or containing a “mind” that sets humans apart. The mind is the set of faculties responsible for all mental phenomena. Often the term is also identified with the phenomena themselves. These faculties include thought, imagination, memory, will, and sensation. They are responsible for various mental phenomena, like perception, pain experience, belief, desire, intention, and emotion.
A thinking brain is what drives humans beyond simple survival instincts.
If we actually were all equal, there would be no need for religion or political hierarchy. We could live life like krill in the ocean. Not even know or care that whales are eating us.
Getting back to my reality.
It is not the same reality as anyone else. At least not exactly.
I see a lot of ignorance from other humans who do not have the same knowledge of things that interest me. Humans retain and build knowledge from all life experience, but we concentrate on the things we like the best.
If our interests are very small (or narrow) then we may have a very broad level of ignorance.
Ignorance is not a bad if it stems from a lack of experience or interest. Some people are just not exposed to all there is to know. The fact is no “one” can know it all.
A prime mission of teaching is to broaden the range of exposure for increased knowledge and provide a method of learning. Teachers must inspire a desire and reason to learn. A “What’s in it for me.” is the real motivator.
“Book learning” is NOT fundamentally better than developing manual or physical skills.
Humans are generally far from being fair. We like dominance, being better than others, winning, Having more than others. We brag about being smarter and that others are dumb, having “power” over human and other life forms.
We kill other humans in war or just for the thrill. Take what we want from other humans. Create slavery. Create rules and have control. Be the King!
Alter and destroy our environment and consume huge amounts of resources and energy.
Yeah, humanity is pretty much an unfair mess in many ways. We are a plague upon the earth we claim to love. It’s what we are.
I am pretty much one lucky SOB that was born in the right place at the right time with the right intelligence and physical abilities. Just to be able to write something as simple as this blog.
Thomas Grey in 1724 once wrote, “Where ignorance is bliss, ’tis folly to be wise.” How true seems, but it wasn’t meant to be a life style.
I prefer the bliss of experience and knowledge. The ongoing quest for more of both. I can endure the ignorant, the naive, and even tolerate the stupid. I like knowing what I know and knowing I will never know it all.
Knowledge is a power that doesn’t have to conquer.