How important is it nowadays to be smart?
A story in The Atlantic headlined “The War on Stupid People” argues that it’s crucial — and that it isn’t fair: “As recently as the 1950s, possessing only middling intelligence was not likely to severely limit your life’s trajectory. … The 2010s, in contrast, are a terrible time to not be brainy. Those who consider themselves bright openly mock others for being less so. Even in this age of rampant concern over microaggressions and victimization, we maintain open season on the nonsmart.
“People who’d swerve off a cliff rather than use a pejorative for race, religion, physical appearance, or disability are all too happy to drop the s‑bomb: Indeed, degrading others for being ‘stupid’ has become nearly automatic in all forms of disagreement. … This gleeful derision seems especially cruel in view of the more serious abuse that modern life has heaped upon the less intellectually gifted.”
Hmm — accurate? Fair? Email me at rrollins@coxohio.com.
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