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St. Cloud State University
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Commentary
Education, age promote false intelligence
By Nick Hanson
Published:
Thursday, April 15, 2004
Nick Hanson -- Staff Essay
I think there is an old saying that links age to wisdom.
If that is true, my grandpa must be the wisest man alive because he's old. In fact, I can vividly recall the most prolific adage he ever bestowed upon me.
One starry night as a child, my grandpa, my dad and I were sitting around a campfire at my cabin. As I roasted hotdogs in the blaze, my grandpa soaked his liver with cocktails. A silence fell over the crisp, cool fall air and he spoke.
"Boy," he prophetically proclaimed. "Don't put your c- in that fire cause I bet it's pretty damn hot."
Although there have been a few close calls, I am proud to say that I haven't stuck my c- in a bonfire to this date.
My point: the only thing age guarantees are wrinkles and aching bones. Not wisdom.
As we get older and learn more in college, we start to believe that we are experts on everything from movies and music to sex and drinking. These things are fun to talk about and relatively non-controversial. But, what we think is an educated view is often a pathetic attempt to claim our intelligence and prove someone else is an idiot.
Guess what? We're all idiots.
No matter how long I live, I know I'm never going to be very smart. I'll leave that job to Alex Trebek.
I can battle my "educated" opinion and steadfast beliefs as much as I want, but I'll never be able to convince others to follow my viewpoint on an important philosophical issue. Usually, people are too ignorant to accept opposing facts.
That's why I follow this bit of advice:
Want to make a friend?
Ask a person about themselves, listen, smile and just nod your head.
Want to make an enemy?
Ask a person about politics or religion, listen, frown and shake your head.
As a general rule, I try to stay as far away from scenario two as possible. But, I bet I'm in the minority.
I'd rather tell someone that their face resembles the steamy s- I took that morning than tell a republican that Bush sucks. Worse: tell a Christian that "The Passion" sucks. Or catastrophic: mumble the word "abortion."
I'm not smart enough and don't care enough to make that call.
Let's talk about video games or the "Real World." Leave those philosophical debates to somebody else.
But, you say, "You're the news editor, you should care."
Why take a stance on something like religion or politics and then share it, I respond. It's a surefire way to lose someone's respect. It's personal.
Second, by doing so, you peg yourself into a label.
Suddenly you become pro-life, pro-choice, conservative or liberal. Everybody will see you in that light. Why close your mind to one angle?
As far as religion goes, trust me, you're not going to be able to convince a Jew to believe "The Passion" isn't anti-Semitic by arguing about it at a party, or worse, writing into the opinions page.
I don't care if you think "The Passion" is revolutionary or George Bush is a Nazi. For every person that writes in about Bush, another will write in about Kerry being even better. It's like two dogs tied to chains barking at each other.
What sparks people to engage in these philosophical debates? It must be that college education begging to be shared for the greater good of mankind.
But you say, "Conversations like that stimulate the mind."
Maybe they do, but I don't care. I'd rather make friends than enemies.
Call me lazy generation X burnout if you want. But as a person who reads several papers everyday, a devout journalism and political science major and news editor for the Chronicle, I bet I am more informed in pressing issues about politics and religion than 80 percent of the student body.
I just don't walk around pretending to be smart and talk about it.
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