AMERICAN IGNORANCE YOU CAN COUNT ON IN A PINCH

American ignorance is a special kind of stupid.

Start with the smart people who screw up, like the man who leans into your face to explain how wrong you are about wearing a mask.

Or the men and women who possess a special knowledge that goes beyond science when they make fun of mask wearing people.

But it’s not all about the mask and ‘To Wear Or Not To Wear.’

American ignorance is fueled by knowledge seekers barking up the wrong tree. Along with their fear and embarrassment when they discover their mistake.

Then what? Double down with more nonsense? Of course.

It starts with a question: What happened?

It’s a big question with more answers than you’d ever expect. During my history museum days the big question was, “What is it?”

Often the object in question answered the question after careful analysis and observation.

The keys to discovery were what it’s made up, it’s shape, and use wear. There’s always a forensic element to discovery without the crime.

For example, take a ceramic cylinder with a sealed bottom and a loop side handle. It might be a cup.

Or a thick woven textile with with fringe on each end and a wear pattern down the center. It might be a rug.

Another interpretation calls the cup a magic lantern and the rug a flying carpet for the genie to ride. The more opinions the better? Who is right?

American Ignorance To The Rescue

I’ve been wrong before and had to change my mind based on new knowledge.

No one could ever drown in a pool full of Pepsi because people would drink it faster than it would drown them.

And, wearing a plastic bag over your head when you go to sleep is fine.

Those were observations from seven year old me. And they were wrong. I loved that Pepsi and thought a pool of it would be a good, safe, idea.

On the second thing, I’d never seen myself asleep, so how did I know if I needed to breath?

Those were childhood notions, then I grew up, asked a few questions, got laughed at and saw the real outcome from a Pepsi pool and the sleep sack.

At no surprise to others, I didn’t carry those two ideas past childhood.

What do we do when we hear adults saying things of equal ignorance?

It depends.

Find Reliable People, Not Indifferent People

My relationship to education can fairly be called ‘off and on’ with my spotty dropout record.

After an indifferent run through high school academics, I followed up with an indifferent freshman year in college.

I could have stayed for an indifferent degree, got an indifferent job, married an indifferent woman, and had indifferent kids in an indifferent town.

But it didn’t seem very appealing in the long run, and not fair to a wife and kids.

I dropped out of higher education for the mental challenge provided by the U.S. Army where I achieved the rank of Genius PFC, or Genius Private First Class. Those guys are always up to something, especially the Privates with ten years in service.

That soldier has been busted down from higher rank a few times. Some of them are evil geniuses, so be careful with them.

I followed that up with two more years of college before dropping out again.

Two years later I was back in class, dropped out, then got married and collected a history degree for all the time and trouble.

The knowledge base I write from includes those common experiences, college, service, marriage, kids, in-laws, jobs, and aging with my eyes wide open.

Good Parents Make A Difference

People change, sometimes for the better.

One grandpa said the only people who go to college are those afraid to work. His education stopped in the eighth grade. His opinion probably made sense to him. He lived to the ripe old age of sixty-one.

One of his kids saw the example set and became the first ever college graduate in the family. He broke the mold and set the bar high.

Having a dad who understood the value of education was a plus growing up. Since it was my dad, I wanted to prove him wrong. But he was right and I set my kids on the same path.

For every twist and turn on the road to the future we can look back and see it made sense.

But it doesn’t make the same sense to everyone. The privileged don’t always see privilege. When they see protests and demonstrations from the couch in their air conditioned home, America looks like a foreign country.

“Why don’t they stay home?” they ask.

Because they fear a future of injustice, racism, and intolerance more than they fear for their own safety. And they want to set an example for their kids.

When American Ignorance Becomes Knowledge

Given the last four years of THE GREATEST PRESIDENT WHO EVER HELD THE OFFICE AND WAS RE-ELECTED IN A LANDSLIDE, what do we know today?

When a fat man wearing a girdle and high heels opines that shining a bright light inside our body cavity will kill Covid, be doubtful. But if it makes perfect sense, consult your clergyman first for scientific evidence.

If a hateful old man in makeup promises that injecting bleach will cure Covid, check with the mailman for scientific proof.

So many people get confused when they see big numbers, even more confused with they hear about the fortunes of rich people laid out in big numbers.

Don’t we want to know how much the Amazon guy is worth, and what his wife got in their divorce? The same with the Microsoft guy and his divorce. We’ve seen estimates and guesses.

Estimates on the wealth of the former president from the same source sounds murkier than the big money guys.

American ignorance turns into knowledge when math comes into play. A rich guy is rich because he says he’s rich? What about the numbers? Who cares, he said he’s rich, he looks rich, that’s good enough.

When That Special Man Speaks

People listen.

Now, it is up to Congress to confront this egregious assault on our democracy. And after this, we’re going to walk down, and I’ll be there with you, we’re going to walk down, we’re going to walk down.

A powerful man, the leader of the free world, tells you what to do, then by God that’s what you do?

But wait, he’s not there with you?

“Well, he’s an important man with important things to do.”

Then you get arrested for insurrection on Jan.6, but he doesn’t give you a pardon?

“It’s in the works and will be ready next week, maybe the week after. He promised, and he never lies. And if he lies, then it’s knowledge.”

How is it possible that people stoked on fear spread by a shit-talking official decide he’s the base of their knowledge? That a man with a sketchy past sews mistrust because the truth is too ugly to face?

Either trust your experience and education, or give it over to someone else. Is there a name for this?

What’s that called? Cult. I’d call it a cult.

“Great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (such as a film or book.)”

Instead of a cult, join boomerpdx.

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