IN the excessively popular movie, “Forest Gump,” he says “Stupid is as stupid does.” Actually maybe he does not. I think that he does. However, the movie bored and disappointed me so much that I do not remember details. I have tried to remove it from my memory. However, as I need it now to comment on something, he said it.
Forest Gump is a variation on “The American Dream.” In so much as I understand it, this means to succeed by honest and honorable means. It means that opportunities are available for those who are willing to work for their dreams. Virtue will be rewarded. This means that the “hero” in such instances is someone to admire and imitate. His life and effort are to serve as examples for “the youth of our nation.” Why we all seem to provide examples only for youth is something I do not understand. The grown-up is more likely to be more capable of significant harm. Thus controlling him by good example is a more important goal.
Maybe the reason is that “we” (collectively, Americans) are simply stupid. Maybe Forest is the new hero for our times, in the same way that David Crocket, Washington and Thomas Edison were presented as examples for other times. Forest succeeds, despite being stupid (and not merely being “slow”), by luck and coincidence. Many young boys wanted to be another David Crocket, who became an official hero. Does ANYONE want to be mentally defective, even if luck goes along with the condition? Does any parent want his child to be confined to “special ed” classes forever?
Officially the answer would be no. However, it seems that stupidity is now an accepted American characteristic. At least I think that it is. Convincing evidence can be shown by the standard American political campaign. I offer only one bit of that evidence. It is “negative campaigning.” By this I mean the type of presentation that attacks the opponent. This is in contrast to the type that presents a case as to why “I am better.”
According to most experts (and experts can be stupid too!), negative campaigning does not work. That is it loses voters. Follow the “reasoning” (sic). A voter says the following. “I like Tom’s position on taxes, abortion, international trade, the use of the military, foreign aid and immigration. However, because he said that his opponent, Mike, is ‘inadequate,’ I shall have to change my vote. Darn it! I really wanted Tom to win.”
Are Americans really that stupid? If the experts are right then, yes, Americans are mostly idiots. If the experts are wrong then they are idiots for having such stupid experts. If additional data were needed then simply look at whom they elect, and reelect, and reelect. As Forest would probably say, purely by coincidence, of course, “Stupid is as stupid votes.”
Books by the author, mostly humorous in cause and effect, are available on Amazon and Lulu. com.
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