‘Stupid is as stupid does’

Is it just me, or does the gap between higher intelligence and primate-level stupidity seem to be widening?
Hear me out.
The world has always comprised a wide spectrum of personality, intelligence, common sense and compassion. Why some of us seem to wind up on the more generous side when it came to passing out positive human attributes is beyond my scope of understanding.
And while I’ve certainly done more than my fair share of stupid things so far in life, I feel at least far enough up the intelligence spectrum to weigh in on the chasm that continues to edge humans out to the extreme ends of mental discernment.
Given any set of variables, is it possible that just sitting someone from the lower end of the intelligence spectrum in front of a TV full of WWE, Jerry Springer and competitions gauging our intellectual abilities in relation to a fifth-grader merely dumbs them down even more? Really, what can we expect?
Stupidity alone is frightening enough. It’s bad enough to do it to yourself, but taking someone with you down your path of foolishness is something else. If you are foolish enough to imitate a World Wrestling move and do a head-butt drop on your trampoline at home, well – then I suppose that’s just Darwin’s theory at its finest.
The same goes for if you decide to bring a somewhat competent, though possibly equally as stupid – adult buddy over to join you in your fun. However, the whole equation changes when you factor in children.
Approximately two weeks ago, Alaska State Troopers charged two men with felony assault and reckless endangerment after they reportedly set fire to a 5-year-old boy’s head, causing second-degree burns on his face and head. Labeled by the two men allegedly responsible for the action as, “a practical joke gone wrong,” the lack of common sense, reason and any amount of compassion in regard to the young boy’s safety is remarkably disturbing.
If this chasm between stupidity and intelligence continues to widen, what kind of a society are we looking at in the future? What good does it do us to find the cure for cancer, make incredible gains in science and develop microtechnology that changes our world, if we still have idiots out there who think it would be funny to scare the crap out of a kindergartner because they are bored?
And, even if you excuse the “stupid” for their being somewhat less-fortunate on the brain-take at birth, doesn’t it become all too easy then, for the intelligent to oppress the stupid? Is that a bad thing? Wouldn’t we eventually move into “doing what’s best” for the stupid ones? And how would we even know which of us was stupid? Who would decide? What are the criteria?
You can tell someone they are black – or tall – but chances are, they’ve already figured that out. We have external measures for height, weight – and just about anything else you long to know about.
And while we have certain measures of intelligence that are arguably speculative and culture-specific at best, is that really a fair way to judge the smart from the stupid? What if you miss the cutoff by two points? Do you get to at least pick out your own clothes everyday?
Apparently, for some of us, even that may be too much.
The problem with this kind of logic is that the stupid don’t know they’re stupid.
But can’t we at least keep them from setting each other on fire?

Subscribe via RSS

Subscribe via email