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vsp · 06-24-2003, 03:42 PM

It's never the wrong time for a George Carlin quote:

"Think about how stupid the average person is. Then realize that, by definition, half the people are stupider than that!"

To take it a step further and generalize... compare the amount of energy involved in the following activities:

1) Actively seeking out the truth, and attempting to verify it through multiple sources

2) Actively questioning the truth of what you see, hear or read

3) Believing the majority of what you're told is the truth, on face-value

4) Not even bothering to watch the news, read the papers, surf the web, ask other people, or otherwise generally find out what's going on

How many people get up to #3 on many topics, let alone beyond that, unless they have a personal stake in the issues being discussed?

(Of course, I just reflected on the fact that it would help to define "stupid." Is it an inability to comprehend? A lack of education or worldliness? Ignorance, willful or otherwise? Lack of forethought in word or deed? Gullibility?)

06-24-2003, 03:42 PM	#4
vsp Syndrome of a Down Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: West Chester Posts: 1,367	It's never the wrong time for a George Carlin quote: "Think about how stupid the average person is. Then realize that, by definition, half the people are stupider than that!" To take it a step further and generalize... compare the amount of energy involved in the following activities: 1) Actively seeking out the truth, and attempting to verify it through multiple sources 2) Actively questioning the truth of what you see, hear or read 3) Believing the majority of what you're told is the truth, on face-value 4) Not even bothering to watch the news, read the papers, surf the web, ask other people, or otherwise generally find out what's going on How many people get up to #3 on many topics, let alone beyond that, unless they have a personal stake in the issues being discussed? (Of course, I just reflected on the fact that it would help to define "stupid." Is it an inability to comprehend? A lack of education or worldliness? Ignorance, willful or otherwise? Lack of forethought in word or deed? Gullibility?) Last edited by vsp; 06-24-2003 at 03:56 PM.