Social Paradigm | Kevin Barrett's Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Social Paradigm’

Why some MAGA Can Be Well Educated And Still Stupid

Posted in Education, General Comments, Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged #47DonTheFelon, American Politics, Distinctions, Education, Facts, General Comments, Ignorance, John C. Holt, Philosophy, Quotes, Salary, Schools, Social Paradigm, Stupidity, Understanding, Upton Sinclair on February 15, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Someone asked the other day, “Why do we go to school?” Pat, with vigor unusual in her, said, “So when we grow up we won’t be stupid.” These children equate stupidity with ignorance. Is this what they mean when they call themselves stupid? Is this one of the reasons why they are so ashamed of not knowing something? If so, have we, perhaps unknowingly, taught them to feel this way? We should clear up this distinction, show them that it is possible to know very few facts, but make very good use of them.

Conversely, one can know many facts and still act stupidly. The learned fool is by no means rare in this country.

― John C. Holt
From his book: “How Children Fail“

[Ignorance can come from what you are taught incorrectly and as well as what you are not taught at all. In particular, ignorance can come from frequent and prolonged exposure to the intentional skewing of limited facts to promote ideology over truth. Finally, to quote Upton Sinclair: “It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it.” In our polarized political times, we have to substitute “social paradigm” for “salary”. If you are willing to punish the same people they dislike / hate, then some folks don’t really care if you are also a liar, a convicted criminal and consistently working to undermine their economic well being. — kmab]

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Click here (15 February) to see the posts of prior years. I started this blog in late 2009. Daily posting began in late January 2011. Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.