27 thoughts on “People are stupid ”

  1. The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap says:
    July 26, 2017 at 21:32

    “But now you” – don’t be so quick to count me out. I excel at stupid in many areas. Maybe that ought to be my new ego statement, “I’M MORE STUPID THAN YOU ARE.” I guess the difference might be I’m not allergic to I don’t know. Another interesting post. 🙂

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    • makagutu says:
      July 27, 2017 at 16:00

      Stupid is incurable, ignorance yes. Paulette can only be ignorant about somethings. She is not stupid.
      And they say the gods proclaimed Socrates the wisest of men for he knew he knew not.
      So there is some wisdom in knowing we don’t know

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  2. atheistsmeow >(^-^)< says:
    July 26, 2017 at 21:44

    I do very well in the stupid department myself.

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  3. Ubi Dubium says:
    July 26, 2017 at 21:52

    I’m going to have to completely disagree with this art critic. I like the Banksy image, because it’s not just shallow pathos. Has the girl lost her grip on her balloon, or did she let go on purpose? Her posture and expression are not giving this away, it’s her secret. Does the heart-shaped balloon represent how ephemeral love is, or things that are in general ephemeral, such as a stenciled street graffito? Is it saying that if you let love go you won’t be able to get it back, or that you should let it go because it won’t last anyway?

    If there’s that much to talk about in a piece of art, then it’s not the shallow stupidity that this art critic says it is. Which is a reason that I generally don’t like art critics!

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    • makagutu says:
      July 27, 2017 at 16:16

      Your comment reminds me of the last post I did on art. Tolstoy had no kind words for art critics and schools of art. To him art, being representation of feeling, could not be taught. You can’t be taught to be moved by something. In this sense, I think he would agree with you on not liking art critics.

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  4. Robert A. Vella says:
    July 26, 2017 at 21:52

    >>> “We need to reject bullying populism in art. We need to reject it in politics too, if we want democracy to survive. In art at least it should be easy to state the obvious fact that majority taste is often dead wrong. I learned that from Paul Weller long before I read any Ruskin. ‘The public gets what the public wants,’ declared The Jam in Going Underground – but the artist stands alone and doesn’t care. The whole premise of the most progressive music, from folk to punk, was to reject the banality of pop from within pop itself – to make serious art in a market that was dominated by trash. Today, we bow down before the trash.”

    Point well taken. I think in this case it’s a reflection of art imitating life, and life today is in various states of decline particularly with respect to modern civilization. This keen editorial also reminds me of a famous movie quote: “A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it. Fifteen hundred years ago everybody knew the Earth was the center of the universe.”

    That is why Enlightenment thinkers advocated so strongly for public education. They understood that democracy would be doomed if implemented for an ignorant population.

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    • makagutu says:
      July 27, 2017 at 16:20

      Bob, I have a problem with the author when the author says the majority taste might be wrong in art. That may be true, but then I go back to the question asked by Tolstoy whether art should only be accessible to a select elite group rich enough to think two lines drawn carelessly on a piece of canvas is high art or should art be accessible to the masses?
      That is not to say I don’t oppose populism.
      And I agree that public education is important. It is fundamental for the well being of society

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      • Robert A. Vella says:
        July 27, 2017 at 18:07

        The author was just expressing their subjective opinion on art as we are all entitled to do. We are all also entitled to express our subjective agreement or disagreement on such opinions.

        I appreciate the thoughtful articulation of the author’s critique even though I don’t necessarily agree with it. I can also appreciate rebuttal arguments.

        Populism is neither inherently good nor bad. It simply exists. It is more inclined towards sound judgements when the intellectual and moral sophistication of the populace is high; and, it is more inclined towards unsound judgements when the reverse is true. If art imitates life, and I think that it does, then both the art itself and its critiques are a reflection of our human culture; and, that is certainly evident in this particular case.

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    • basenjibrian says:
      July 28, 2017 at 23:12

      Is life really in a state of decline, overall? By what standards? For whom? Even in the era of Trump, we cannot forget how awful life and yes, politics, have been in the past. Look at the horrors of 19th century American political campaigns. Or the reality that “politics” in the pre-modern era meant one gang of armed thugs swooping in and taking over from another group of armed thugs. “Family values” and “Community” often meant oppressive conformity within a smothering small town environment.

      There are contraries to everything I say above, but….I don’t like the perennial claim in every generation that things are declining and we need to get back to the glory days.

      Not sure you are really doing that, but…

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      • Robert A. Vella says:
        July 29, 2017 at 00:34

        It should be obvious, but I understand why it isn’t to so many people these days. In any case, I’ll offer some specifics.

        1) Earth is currently experiencing what author Elizabeth Kolbert has described as the “Sixth Extinction” – a progressively worsening loss of species and biologic diversity confirmed by science. The cause is anthropogenic – manifested through global warming, industrial pollution, ecosystem degradation, etc. Eventually, it will severely impact the human population.

        2) Overpopulation has reached unsustainable levels putting increasing pressure on governance and international relations as competition over dwindling resources mounts.

        3) As stresses build from the aforementioned global trends, social organization – the “glue” of civilization, if you will – becomes harder to maintain. We’re witnessing this now with escalating occurrences of cultural polarization particularly in western democracies. National security agencies around the globe have studied this prospect and are justifiably concerned.

        4) The rise of corporate dominance on the world stage over the last four decades – facilitated by neoliberalism and laissez faire policies – has led to socially destabilizing inequalities of wealth and opportunity also predominantly in the West.

        5) Education and civic participation – the great equalizers of democracy – are deteriorating in key nations such as the U.S. American colleges and universities, which were once affordable and produced well-rounded citizens, have become cost-prohibitive for most people and now serve as occupational training schools tailored for business.

        The 2006 satirical film “Idiocracy” made comedic fun of these general states of decline.

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  5. inspiredbythedivine1 says:
    July 26, 2017 at 21:59

    Remember what Mark Twain once said to his barber, Teddy Ruffinfeather: “Teddy, people aren’t stupid, not really. It’s more like they’re full-fledged idjits.”

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  6. john zande says:
    July 26, 2017 at 22:11

    Turner must be rolling in his grave

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  7. renudepride says:
    July 26, 2017 at 23:15

    Thank you for re-affirming my normalcy and supporting my argument that indeed I am NOT quite as stupid as others want to believe. I read the article/opinion on the balloon art. As superior as he apparently is, he’s also not as supportive of the masses as wants to think. He’s a little too dismissive of modern culture. Art is an acquired appreciation and only survives because the majority respects that premise.

    Thank you for posting this! It reminded me that yes, we are ALL stupid in the eyes and opinions of others. That is not necessarily a bad thing – it helps to make every one of us unique. Much love and many naked hugs!

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  8. emmylgant says:
    July 28, 2017 at 12:06

    Populist art is a soundbite. You see what you want to see. You fill in what’s missing with your own notions of whatever is occupying your gut.
    My two cents.

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