I'm going to have to take issue with Rep. Omar about whether Nancy and who-ever-that-Randy-guy-is being stupid. I see a couple of problems: (1) The possession of skills and education, a critical component of being "smart", is a major determinant of class in America, and the focus of a lot of resentment. If you can get the people who have been called stupid, or who are afraid they're stupid, to vote for you you've got a solid majority. I think the Republicans understand that- look at how Trump or W talk. (2) Ever since I read Stephen J. Gould's "The Mismeasure of Man" I've distrusted the usefulness of the whole smart-stupid divide. In this case, I don't think the Republican politicians are dumb. For example, they are very good at manipulating their constituents, which takes some intellectual skill. They just don't care about reality. To dismiss them as stupid, rather than lying and intellectually lazy, gives them too much credit.
I was more praising her for trashing him as an irrelevant side show, not for attacking anybody’s intellect. That said, pointing out their stupidity as an explanation for their hypocrisy is fun, too. It’s not so much about class and disloyalty.
I am concerned that "smartness" or "stupidity" can be markers for class, or even form their own class, not quite the same. In the 80's people were talking about the future division in the country not being between rich and por, but information-rich and information poor. I think there's a lot to that.
I want to be very clear that I still admire the bejeezus out of Re. Omar. Also, it's very difficult to get away from the smart-dumb dichotomy. Just try it for a few days. I do think it's useful, when people are embracing something obviously unreasonable, to ask why; they may have motivations apart from simple inability to reason.
I'm going to have to take issue with Rep. Omar about whether Nancy and who-ever-that-Randy-guy-is being stupid. I see a couple of problems: (1) The possession of skills and education, a critical component of being "smart", is a major determinant of class in America, and the focus of a lot of resentment. If you can get the people who have been called stupid, or who are afraid they're stupid, to vote for you you've got a solid majority. I think the Republicans understand that- look at how Trump or W talk. (2) Ever since I read Stephen J. Gould's "The Mismeasure of Man" I've distrusted the usefulness of the whole smart-stupid divide. In this case, I don't think the Republican politicians are dumb. For example, they are very good at manipulating their constituents, which takes some intellectual skill. They just don't care about reality. To dismiss them as stupid, rather than lying and intellectually lazy, gives them too much credit.
I was more praising her for trashing him as an irrelevant side show, not for attacking anybody’s intellect. That said, pointing out their stupidity as an explanation for their hypocrisy is fun, too. It’s not so much about class and disloyalty.
I am concerned that "smartness" or "stupidity" can be markers for class, or even form their own class, not quite the same. In the 80's people were talking about the future division in the country not being between rich and por, but information-rich and information poor. I think there's a lot to that.
I want to be very clear that I still admire the bejeezus out of Re. Omar. Also, it's very difficult to get away from the smart-dumb dichotomy. Just try it for a few days. I do think it's useful, when people are embracing something obviously unreasonable, to ask why; they may have motivations apart from simple inability to reason.