To all suffering semi-intellectuals out there

[zenlikeintense]

I was doing my morning "paper" routine and found an absolutely fabulous David Brooks opinion piece (I like it when he writes about anything EXCEPT politics).

Anyway, if you're sick of blank stares while you spout off your genius at social events, this one is for you:

Comments

[timrousbeastie]

this is absolutely fabulous. thanks for sharing!

[mattcaron]

Actually, I welcome it.

At least when I am dismissive of people talking about the latest youtube video as talking about tripe, I get a sheepish grin and some faux-ashamedness. When I lambaste pseudo-intellectuals for quoting Nietzsche in an only-slightly-related fashion to the conversation at hand, yet failing real critical analysis and further, lacking any original thoughts on the matter, they argue quite vociferously that they don't actually need to think, as greater people than they have already done so. All they need to do is memorize what these greats have done, and they too will become great.

This is, of course, in stark contrast to those who actually do think, yet absorbing the works of others in order to fire the mind and expose them to new ideas. The problem is that the line between them is often razor thin.

[zenlikeintense]

When I lambaste pseudo-intellectuals for quoting Nietzsche in an only-slightly-related fashion to the conversation at handThere was a guy like this spewing nonsense at a local bar, but he wasn't in my party, so I just tried to ignore him ... until he said something horribly WRONG about Foucault (one of a few philosophers I can actually say I've lovingly studied in depth) and I casually turned around to gently correct him. I have NO idea why people need to pretend to be brilliant when they have a beer in hand, but it happens all too often

[mattcaron]

I have NO idea why people need to pretend to be brilliant when they have a beer in hand, but it happens all too often.

Perhaps he was trying to impress someone at the table?

I find that I try and be sociable whilst drinking. Normally I'm just a bastard.

I usually don't agree with any accepted "line of thinking", but not out of a sense of rebellion.

Of course. Rebellion for rebellion's sake is equally foolish.

Instead, I believe that any type of sincere "thinking things through" leads to one of a nearly infinite amount of intellectual deviations from the curve

I think partly at issue is the fact that many people are uncomfortable admitting of the not knowing. Thus, they need to be absolutely certain of things. Personally, while certainty is comforting, the older I get the more uncertain about many things I become. I have come to accept this.

Have you ever read Heidegger's "What Is Called Thinking"?

I have not, but it looks interesting. I have added it to my Amazon queue.

P.S. I ran into Mike St. P at Dan Isenbergh's wedding