Wendy Rogers has got me thinking.... do dumber people enjoy life more or less

[Goodheart]

than the more intelligent?

"I love the poorly educated".

As I travel to distant places it occurs to me that as a history buff I can better appreciate the current states and people of the locales. As I watch movies and read books it occurs to me that as someone reasonably well read I can better appreciate allusions to other literary or artistic works. As I watch the news it occurs to me that as a fan of physical, political, and economic sciences I can better appreciate the causes and consequences of current events.

59% of Republicans think colleges are bad for America.

Yesterday I was walking here in Charlotte along a beautiful, mostly quiet boulevard, and twice some motorcyclist blew past, their machines equipped to as loud as they can be, and it occurred to me that their joy in loud nuisances is about as simple a pleasure as one can get... requiring very little creativity or effort.... but yet it is pleasure, nevertheless. Why read a book to pass the time? Why bother to learn the history of Barcelona beforehand when it's so easy and so much fun just to go there and drink and eat?

Is stupidity a blessing?

[LakeArenal]

1. I find dumb people have little sense of humor.

and completely miss anything subtle.

[marybourg]

2. From my observations, it must be

unnerving to have to function in a world whose natural and man-made laws are incomprehensible to you.

[Goodheart]

3. They absolutely do mistrust and fear intelligence in other people.

[Walleye]

6. I have often felt that way. Reading and arithmetic came easy to me in school.

I know everyone wasn’t as fortunate. I do have certain mild learning disabilities so I can really sympathize

[Aristus]

4. "When ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise."

I know my life would be a lot simpler if I had no higher cognitive functions. If my life was, as Stephen King once described it, "nothing more than a moment-by-moment flow of sensory input."

Taking pleasure in banal things, and gossiping with banal people about other banal people.

Having a mind so utterly devoid of discernment that one could think Donald Trump was the most gifted and accomplished person in history.

I suppose my life would be simpler, and certainly more squalid and bereft of meaning.

But would I be happier? I don't think so...

[cilla4progress]

11. Ahhh....

the unexamined life... Socrates.

[Pantagruel]

5. It's not like they have a choice.

Can't cure stupid, so even if they wish to enjoy the more subtle pleasures of the intelligent, they simply can't. Just the fax, not judging.

[rickford66]

7. Per Dunning-Kruger they "know" they know everything already.

Best to smile and carry on.

[Chainfire]

8. Smart people have a better understanding what is going on around them and why

it is not always a pleasant revelation. People with less situational awareness are willing to let others tell them what is going on, so that they don't have to worry about it. The power behind religion and other propaganda is to relieve people of unwanted responsibility, and to guide them down paths selected by others to suit their own desires. Smart people are generally not as gullible or responsive to situations that don't pass a bullshit test. (Or in more modern modern terms, the Fox shit test) The masters manipulate people without them realizing that they are being manipulated, convince them that complete happiness lies in the direction that they are being led, it requires sacrifices and that anyone who gets in their way is evil.

So, in my opinion, people who are less smart are not necessarily happier than those who are smarter, because they are generally directed in the direction of hate and fear.

[ProfessorGAC]

9. Observation Suggests Otherwise

The cult is loaded with uneducated, undereducated, incurious, and willfully ignorant people.
Yet, they're always angry about something.
They sure don't seem happy to me!

[Doc Sportello]

10. Good observations and an interesting question

Like you I enjoy learning as much as I can about other cultures and places before I visit, and just learning in general. Do these assholes who have to blast people with their engine noise enjoy it? I guess at some level, but then you wonder about the definition of enjoyment from a philosophical or psychological points of view. Would I rather be them? Hell no, although during the dark times you wonder. But there's just too much in the world that is interesting, sometimes awesome, compelling and touching to miss out on it the way so many seem destined to do.

[cilla4progress]

12. According to Socrates

the unexamined life is not worth living.

Who is Wendy Rogers anyway? Saw her tweet but don't get the context.

[sammythecat]

13. I think it is

For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
--- Ecclesiastes 1:18

[Tomconroy]

15. I like to think I'm not stupid.

I'm pretty happy at this point in my life but at other times much less so. Don't think being smart or stupid affects happiness or enjoyment of life. I would think your health would matter more.

[Thtwudbeme]

16. Hard to say- but, Charlotte

What I wouldn't give to walk around Freedom Park tomorrow morning- early. I grew up there.

Back to your question, it's very hard to say. The uneducated people I have met are very satisfied with their lives. A small brick ranch, maybe a time share at the beach- and they feel like "that's it." They can read Facebook, or watch TV and feel "informed." Life is pretty black and white for many of the ones I have met. Grow up making OK grades, graduate from HS, get a job, get married- it's like the American Dream is a script for them. Liberals are scary to them with "new ideas."

I am only speaking of the ones I know personally, so it's anecdotal.

College does not necessarily equate with intelligence OR education. I went to Myers Park HS (a long time ago) and still know many of those folks. Some of the ones still around Charlotte went on to good schools- Duke, UNC, State, Davidson and Wake Forest. Yet, they are still gun totin' rednecks that happen to dress in expensive clothing, and their houses are bigger. However, they have the exact same mentality towards enjoying anything "intellectual" even though they live next door to gorgeous museums and libraries.

Lack of intellectual curiosity almost defines "Conservatism" for me; I have yet to meet one that derived much pleasure from college.

Interesting topic of conversation- I am glad you posted this.

[Hortensis]

17. :) As long as ignorance's twin, fear, doesn't show up, maybe.

Fear's pretty much inevitable in troubled times, though, and these days it's driving many millions of angry, unhappy people.