Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall
So, as I was Wonking this morning, I read you guys going back and forth on whether we can determine which political party is generally smarter. I don't think this is the right question because almost everyone is stupid. The right question is: Which party is more educated?
When I say, "educated," I don't mean strictly good grades, college achievement, post-graduate studies, etc.--although that's part of it. I mean being open to learning, whether that mean accepting science, being open to understanding different people and cultures, listening to and acceptance of facts, and adapting to change and progress (technological, social, whatever).
Obviously everything I'm about to say falls in the category of generalizations and exaggeration.
If you live in the middle of nowhere, do the same job your daddy did and his daddy did, know no one who doesn't look like you and who isn't in the same position as you, are heavily religious and attend the type of churches filled with people who have the same limitations, didn't attend college, and watch Fox News, you are uneducated when it comes to almost everything. And the fact that you are isolated with people of similar viewpoints means not only is there little chance that you will be exposed to any type of new ideas, but every stupid idea you have will be reinforced by the people in your community. You will never be open. You will always be uneducated as to anything outside of that world.
Your views on diverse people are completely uninformed and ruled by ignorance and fear.
You are resistant to learning a new trade or job as the world changes around you and options within your geographic reach are non-existent.
Your post-school education is rooted in religious "teachings" that are as slanted and ignorant and designed to appeal to your already-limited view of the world.
Any reasonable people who might give you a different perspective have fled at the very first opportunity.
I've said this a million times. Our biggest problem in this country is that we design everything to avoid interaction with people who are not like us. Cities surely aren't perfect and people sure try to craft an experience in which they mix with people unlike them as little as possible, but it's just not possible to live in them and not have some exposure to different types of people, more opportunity, lots of ideas and differing viewpoints, actual interactions with other cultures, exposure to smart and accomplished women or any in positions of authority,* etc. Education. Ongoing.
Don't get me wrong. You can be ignorant as fuck and live in a city. But you really have to go out of your way to make it that way. Easier to do in suburbs, easier still exurbs, and a piece of cake in rural areas.
TM
*Added after reading GGG's response. Shameful that it doesn't automatically pop up when I'm trying to make a list.
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