The discussion on the forum started on anti-intellectualism. Being smart is NOT respected in our society. Starting from public school, moving to social circles, and going into the work place. If you are advanced, if you are intelligent, you are an outcast and unwanted. You can even be seen as a danger.
I can say this with conviction, because I am an outspoken person of intelligence. I am proud of my accomplishments, when I have ideas I share them, and my interest is in seeing everyone succeed–yes, especially myself. And it has cost me a lot. It has cost me in past social circles. It has cost me everytime I moved.
I moved every year or two of my younger life. And everytime I did, I would have to start over at a new school. At the new school, I would be put in lower grade classes (even after an IQ test scored me at 145). And in addition to the normal difficulties in making friends, I had to go with it that I was also fairly intelligent and showed it. That is just damning.
In work places, I have advanced quickly… until a point. And once at a point where they realize just how intelligent and capable I am, I stop. They put a hold on me. Every block is thrown up. Because, instead of wanting an organization that is full of competentence, the people above me instead, motivated by fear, want stagnation and sheep.
In 1984, this line struck out to me last night while reading:
“One of these days, thought Winston with sudden deep conviction, Syme will be vaporized. He is too intelligent. He sees too clearly and speaks too plainly . . . There was something subtly wrong with Syme. There was something that he lacked: discretion, aloofness, a sort of saving stupidity. You could not say that he was unorthodox. He believed in the principles of Ingsoc, he venerated Big Brother, he rejoiced over victories, he hated heretics, nor merely with sincerity but with a sort of restless zeal, an up-to-dateness of information, which the oridinary Party member did not approach. Yet a faint air of disreputability always clung to him. He said things that would have been better unsaid, he had read too many books . . .”
I want you to think long and hard about what intelligence is. And I want you to think long and hard about what it means in our society.
Because intelligence is not just about having book knowledge–I know I don’t have that. Intelligence is not about using big words.
Rather, intelligence is about being able to live and be happy. It’s about knowledge of your own beliefs. It’s about understanding reality. It’s seeing that your happiness comes at neither a sacrifice to yourself or to others. Intelligence is about being able to LIVE.
And we, as a society, boldy reject this . . .