Intelligent vs Stupid

While reading the editorial section of "The Telegraph" a few days back I noticed an interesting quotation under the "Scripsi" section - "The problem with the world is that the intelligent people are full of doubts, while the stupid ones are full of confidence. - Charles Bukowski."

I took some time to think about this statement and to give it some meaning. It could be easy to misunderstand what Charles was trying to say. I mean, we may interpret it as "all people who have doubts are intelligent and all people with confidence are stupid!"

But I don't think the meaning intended was this. Else I would be confidently termed "stupid" by the intelligent folks (they would have doubts over my intelligence)!

Although being intelligent does not mean lacking confidence, I kind of agreed with the "doubts" part. People who are intelligent (who can think and apply facts and logic, and balances the right amount of intuition perhaps) do end up having doubts about different subjects. The intelligent are not bound to believe everything that is shown or said, they would have doubts and therefore would want to verify before believing. For example, if you tell me that the ministers of our state are lying (or are truthful); I would not believe you on face-value. I would have doubts that need to be cleared with evidence, only then would I be able to take a stand.

Unlike the stupid, who confidently accept whatever comes their way. I look at the many "shared" stories in Facebook and wonder why that was shared in the first place! There are so many stories that are fake, one little search in the internet and it will tell you the truth. At least you get an idea of what is going on! But no, the stupid are confident that whatever is being shared must be the truth!

So when a man you know comes to you and says that if you invest money with his company you will become "Richie Rich" you believe him? Many people have, as news suggests. Many amongst them also believe that they will get their money back even after the owner of the company has siphoned off all the money and has made headlines in the media (I am leaving out the details of political involvement here).

From day to day life to the far more serious political situation in the country, the intelligent always "doubt" and verify before believing. The stupid continue to argue illogically and with "confidence" and may end up voting the wrong people to power (sometimes, unknowingly, they may vote the right people to power as well)! The balance is not right, it seems, and I now wonder if the tides will ever turn towards the "doubtful" way.