CSotD: Stupid’s only skin deep (yeah, yeah, yeah)
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The Brilliant Mind of Edison Lee takes on the issue of balance. There was a moment back around 2008 when everyone was quoting Daniel Patrick Moynihan's "You're entitled to your own opinions, but you're not entitled to your own facts."
That moment has passed. We've moved on to "Stupid is as stupid does," which relies on the idea that you don't have to have critical thinking skills in order to excel as long as you believe in yourself. And have at least one unusual talent combined with the extraordinary luck to be exactly in the right place at the right time on multiple occasions throughout your life.
The original saying, "Beauty is as beauty does" was simply a variation of "beauty is only skin deep," which refers to much more conscious behavior — in fact, the very opposite of luck and a positive self-image — and is a somewhat Puritanical reminder that some effort is required in order to take advantage of the gifts we're given.
I don't think "Stupid is only skin deep" would have had the same appeal. In any case, I prefer Matthew 10:16: "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves."
We are in a time of wolves. To pretend that facts are largely a matter of opinion and that it is unkind to tell someone they are wrong, is to surrender without even trying.
Though I do like the idea of an ideology based on the teachings of Tony Randall.
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In other news: After several months of visions and revisions, the Newspaper Association of America Foundation has released its new geography curriculum, which is free and can be downloaded here, either because you are a teacher, because you wish to pass it on to a teacher or just because you'd like to see what happens when my writing combines with "Watch Your Head" creator Cory Thomas's illustrations. This was the first time I've partnered with Cory on a project and it was certainly painless. I think his work lifts this piece well above the norm: His clean lines, ability to depict body language and facial expressions and his abilities as a colorist were exactly what the thing needed, and what is so often missing from texts. Download the PDFs and have a look.
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