Someone quipped to me years ago that P.H.D. stood for Post Hole Diggers. It wasn't meant to disparage education per se, but to point out that a PHD could be stupid in a very practical sense. The plumber, on the other hand, is practical, and it was a plumber who made the quip to me.
This is so funny. My family is made up of a mix of PhDs/ academics and trades people with practical skills. The PhD types are forever calling on the trades to help them with practical issues and freely admit the PhD did not really assist in many ways. Only one is working in the field they gained their degree in. So have heard lots of this banter around the table.
Your observations about the 'confidently stupid' ring true. I like to call them the credentialed classes - who believe their PhDs in sociology make them more knowledgeable than the rest of us. On any topic.
As you point out, they're following the Hitlerian notion of the Big Lie: a falsehood so blatant that no reasonable person could believe anyone would broadcast it so brazenly.
The thing is Sandra, They actually say Trans women (A)
are women (B)
But the cognitive dissonance when you say to them
‘Oh right - so B is A? … is wonderful.
The other thing is this,
“Trans women are women” gives an A and B.
So if you ask what makes A, A
And what makes B, B….. they give you the kill kill kill look. 😂
I’m looking for the day when a bunch of terfs chant ‘women are trans women’ next to a bunch of activist nut jobs who are screaming ‘trans women are women’.
I know we don’t believe it but it might actually shut them up for a few seconds so we can get a word in edgeways.
Wanted to share an Orwell quote in line with this, but it's too Orwellian for Orwell to have come up with this so I'll leave it. Another wonderful post where you've hit the nail on the head on the 'intellectual class' and how they are in fact not very intellectual. It's mostly empty slogans and tribalistic group-think.
A very cliché one, which turns out to probably not have been from Orwell at all! : “In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.”
I came across this one yesterday from a Dutch author, roughly translated: "The irreplaceable value of stupidity lies in its ability to connect large groups of people."
I've read quite a few books on totalitarianism and communism. Made me think just now that authors often make the point that the point of propaganda is not to replace truth with falsehood, but the inability to distinguish between truth and falsehood/fiction. Orwell surely must have written about this too.
From Hannah Arendt: “The result of a consistent and total substitution of lies for factual truth is not that the lie will now be accepted as truth and truth be defamed as a lie, but that the sense by which we take our bearings in the real world—and the category of truth versus falsehood is among the mental means to this end—is being destroyed.”
You're subtitle ' How the confidently stupid captured our institutions' instantly reminded me of the line form Yeats' The Second Coming - "The best lack all conviction while the worst are full of passionate intensity". The fact that he foresaw this over a hundred years ago is telling. And frightening.
I used to think that the 'rough beast slouching towards Bethlehem' was Hillary (Heh!) but Trump slew her, so to speak, so there's another one coming. Evil never rests, nor does stupidity.
Also Your, NOT You're. Sorry, I need to go away now since I don't seem to have a good grasp of the language. My excuse is that I don't have an English degree, although I do have a PHD. It's in the Study of Earth Displacement. I used it to build my orchard fence. Got it from Home Depot.
Sorry - pressed 'send' too early. I read the first few pages and realised that the writer was not just a plagiarist but also an unintelligent individual who had picked up a whole load of sociological and educational jargon without actually having anything to say with it or in many cases understanding what the words actually meant (when they meant anything at all). It's a shame because obviously Arday was a charming and quite charismatic man but it's hard to conceal stupidity for ever.
One of the lessons learned here is to be wary of 'charming and charismatic' men. Obama was/is one of those as well. It's often a characteristic of con-men.
You’ve nailed the mechanism, Frederick. Once they convince polite society that asking the obvious is an offense, they no longer need to address the evidence right in front of their eyes. For decades now, the purpose academia has been forming just this particular “polite society”—the one schooled in *not* following evidence.
It’s way past time we dealt with these fraudsters:
Will Rogers said: “Everyone is ignorant, only about different things.” My first year of graduate school, two of the PhDs in my department were swindled: One paid $1,500 for a pure-bred dog that turned out to be a mix. The other signed the title to her Corvette over to her boyfriend, who was an “FBI agent and could get her a discount on auto insurance.” When the campus police stopped him from driving off with the car, he presented the title and drove away. Same swindler who sold the dog to her colleague. Best thing I learned in grad school!
Interesting..as a NZer there was a tendency to view Glastonbury as the ultimate music festival and when I was younger I would have loved to go. However it appears to have lost its way somewhat . Love your work!
Someone quipped to me years ago that P.H.D. stood for Post Hole Diggers. It wasn't meant to disparage education per se, but to point out that a PHD could be stupid in a very practical sense. The plumber, on the other hand, is practical, and it was a plumber who made the quip to me.
This is so funny. My family is made up of a mix of PhDs/ academics and trades people with practical skills. The PhD types are forever calling on the trades to help them with practical issues and freely admit the PhD did not really assist in many ways. Only one is working in the field they gained their degree in. So have heard lots of this banter around the table.
Dear Frederick,
I am sending this to our Future of the American University Committee members. You have made the case for reality beautifully!
thanks,
randy
Thanks, Randy!
Your observations about the 'confidently stupid' ring true. I like to call them the credentialed classes - who believe their PhDs in sociology make them more knowledgeable than the rest of us. On any topic.
As you point out, they're following the Hitlerian notion of the Big Lie: a falsehood so blatant that no reasonable person could believe anyone would broadcast it so brazenly.
F,
If Trans women are women,
are women Trans women?
I'm going to borrow that.
Brilliant……..but a horrifying thought.
Quite.
LOL! What a great observation!
I would be afraid to ask this question of any young person I know, however, because I'm certain they would say "yes."
The thing is Sandra, They actually say Trans women (A)
are women (B)
But the cognitive dissonance when you say to them
‘Oh right - so B is A? … is wonderful.
The other thing is this,
“Trans women are women” gives an A and B.
So if you ask what makes A, A
And what makes B, B….. they give you the kill kill kill look. 😂
I’m looking for the day when a bunch of terfs chant ‘women are trans women’ next to a bunch of activist nut jobs who are screaming ‘trans women are women’.
I know we don’t believe it but it might actually shut them up for a few seconds so we can get a word in edgeways.
I love it!
Brilliant Frederick! And darkly very funny too. Thanks for the breath of fresh air.
🙏
Wanted to share an Orwell quote in line with this, but it's too Orwellian for Orwell to have come up with this so I'll leave it. Another wonderful post where you've hit the nail on the head on the 'intellectual class' and how they are in fact not very intellectual. It's mostly empty slogans and tribalistic group-think.
Cheers, Ruben. I'm now very curious to know what quote that is. 😄
A very cliché one, which turns out to probably not have been from Orwell at all! : “In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.”
I came across this one yesterday from a Dutch author, roughly translated: "The irreplaceable value of stupidity lies in its ability to connect large groups of people."
The classic! Love the other quote too 😆
I've read quite a few books on totalitarianism and communism. Made me think just now that authors often make the point that the point of propaganda is not to replace truth with falsehood, but the inability to distinguish between truth and falsehood/fiction. Orwell surely must have written about this too.
From Hannah Arendt: “The result of a consistent and total substitution of lies for factual truth is not that the lie will now be accepted as truth and truth be defamed as a lie, but that the sense by which we take our bearings in the real world—and the category of truth versus falsehood is among the mental means to this end—is being destroyed.”
The Arendt quote is one of the best.
Love your stuff Frederick! I’ll keep sending it out in my circles to use your voice to try to stop the madness.
Thanks, Brock.
You're subtitle ' How the confidently stupid captured our institutions' instantly reminded me of the line form Yeats' The Second Coming - "The best lack all conviction while the worst are full of passionate intensity". The fact that he foresaw this over a hundred years ago is telling. And frightening.
I used to think that the 'rough beast slouching towards Bethlehem' was Hillary (Heh!) but Trump slew her, so to speak, so there's another one coming. Evil never rests, nor does stupidity.
Love that poem and think of that line often, along with a similar one by Bertrand Russell:
"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts."
From Yeats, NOT form Yeats. Sheesh.
Also Your, NOT You're. Sorry, I need to go away now since I don't seem to have a good grasp of the language. My excuse is that I don't have an English degree, although I do have a PHD. It's in the Study of Earth Displacement. I used it to build my orchard fence. Got it from Home Depot.
You can edit your comments by using the three tiny dots to the right of your name.
Didn't know that. Thanks! My PHD's not worth what I paid for it apparently. Heh.
Thanks for the great laugh, gents. I needed it today. 😅
'A thesaurus in a blender'. Superb. I read the first few pages
Sorry - pressed 'send' too early. I read the first few pages and realised that the writer was not just a plagiarist but also an unintelligent individual who had picked up a whole load of sociological and educational jargon without actually having anything to say with it or in many cases understanding what the words actually meant (when they meant anything at all). It's a shame because obviously Arday was a charming and quite charismatic man but it's hard to conceal stupidity for ever.
One of the lessons learned here is to be wary of 'charming and charismatic' men. Obama was/is one of those as well. It's often a characteristic of con-men.
Very accurate, thank you.
But all I can picture is a dolphin bobbing at the end of a pool, “where is everyone!” Very funny.
You’ve nailed the mechanism, Frederick. Once they convince polite society that asking the obvious is an offense, they no longer need to address the evidence right in front of their eyes. For decades now, the purpose academia has been forming just this particular “polite society”—the one schooled in *not* following evidence.
It’s way past time we dealt with these fraudsters:
https://ericmader.substack.com/p/jason-arday-lived-the-lie
Cheers, Eric. Yes, way past time indeed.
Will Rogers said: “Everyone is ignorant, only about different things.” My first year of graduate school, two of the PhDs in my department were swindled: One paid $1,500 for a pure-bred dog that turned out to be a mix. The other signed the title to her Corvette over to her boyfriend, who was an “FBI agent and could get her a discount on auto insurance.” When the campus police stopped him from driving off with the car, he presented the title and drove away. Same swindler who sold the dog to her colleague. Best thing I learned in grad school!
Great story. 😀
Your writing is outstanding. Glad to be a new subscriber.
You have absolutely nailed it. And so funny as well. Laughed out loud about Glastonbury. Thank-you so much.
I've never been to Glastonbury but it's remarkable how it's changed in the last couple of decades. Thanks for the kind words, Liz.
Interesting..as a NZer there was a tendency to view Glastonbury as the ultimate music festival and when I was younger I would have loved to go. However it appears to have lost its way somewhat . Love your work!
🙏
All you say is true.
If we were able to make it untrue in 10-15 years, what should we do?
It's a good question. It worked for Hitler for a decade. I hope the solution is not the same one over again.
You do realize that this credentialed morons probably celebrated the tragic death of Arday as a way to celebrate their virtue signaling . I’m cynical.
Yes, many were obviously delighted while clutching their pearls in a performance of moral superiority. Ever thus.
Good that you're back. I was started to think you had been struck by lightning.