There’s an easy way to sort them out, the smart ones from the dumb ones. Bertrand Russell, (one of the smart ones) said this:
“William James used to preach the “will-to-believe.” For my part, I should wish to preach the “will-to-doubt.” None of our beliefs are quite true; all at least have a penumbra of vagueness and error. What is wanted is not the will to believe, but the will to find out, which is the exact opposite.”
The longer I’ve lived and the more I’ve learned, the dumber I feel. You may speak for yourself and the Dumb Motherfuckers you’ve known, but to a man, all the DMs I’ve known think they’re the smartest.
Doubt has played a huge role in my life. (Long Story) However, I think I would identify more with the crazy label than the smart label. To me, the non-crazies seem to be defined by confidence/arrogance. Or maybe I have that reversed.
Jake Kern Of course you’re correct, this time around. How can anyone possibly go about their lives, doubting this ‘n that, productively figuring things out, learning shit – and not privately doubt their own sanity? Once yez start in with doubt as a motivator, the first and most important doubt is about the doubter himself. Why, for example, do Dumb People just take things for granted? Wouldn’t it be so much easier not to doubt? All those absurd axioms upon which most people’s lives depend.
As Frank Zappa said “Some wear po-jamas / if only they knew it”
There’s an easy way to sort them out, the smart ones from the dumb ones. Bertrand Russell, (one of the smart ones) said this:
“William James used to preach the “will-to-believe.” For my part, I should wish to preach the “will-to-doubt.” None of our beliefs are quite true; all at least have a penumbra of vagueness and error. What is wanted is not the will to believe, but the will to find out, which is the exact opposite.”
The longer I’ve lived and the more I’ve learned, the dumber I feel. You may speak for yourself and the Dumb Motherfuckers you’ve known, but to a man, all the DMs I’ve known think they’re the smartest.
Doubt has played a huge role in my life. (Long Story) However, I think I would identify more with the crazy label than the smart label. To me, the non-crazies seem to be defined by confidence/arrogance. Or maybe I have that reversed.
I probably have that reversed.
Jake Kern Of course you’re correct, this time around. How can anyone possibly go about their lives, doubting this ‘n that, productively figuring things out, learning shit – and not privately doubt their own sanity? Once yez start in with doubt as a motivator, the first and most important doubt is about the doubter himself. Why, for example, do Dumb People just take things for granted? Wouldn’t it be so much easier not to doubt? All those absurd axioms upon which most people’s lives depend.
As Frank Zappa said “Some wear po-jamas / if only they knew it”
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/frankzappa/pojamapeople.html