Merriam-Webster: slow of mind
Oxford English Dictionary (oh, hallowed ground): wanting in or slow of mental perception; lacking ordinary activity of mind;
slow-witted, dull
Three definitions of the word 'stupid.' Today, I wish
to suggest to you that stupidity is not a state of mind to be displeased with. I
wish to suggest to you that stupidity can be a form of intelligence. I do not
wish to engage in wordplay although that it is the game I’ve chosen to play; my
thesis will be that dullness of mind and happiness might have some sort of
relation to one another.
When we were young, that was the talk. 'He’s stupid,' 'he’s
slow.' Now we all grew up from that time and nowadays I’d be hard-pressed to hear the word 'stupid' used in every day conversation. Sometimes saying 'stupid' can
be a conversation-ender: it sounds casual and unsophisticated; there are other
phrases like 'give him a little time. He'll figure it out' or 'his mind works
in different ways.' That’s good language and it’s PC (politically correct)
language, but those statements by themselves can also be very dull and
unspecific indeed.
The medical profession along with scientists has
created terms like 'Asperger's' and 'autism' and 'down syndrome.' These are
useful labels; they help doctors and parents help their children. In fifth
grade, an autistic boy was introduced to my class. For some reason, the teacher
allowed him to basically play computer games most of the time instead of
engaging with the rest of the class. I didn't understand it at the time. But I
had the opportunity to play computer games with that autistic boy a few times
and I also escorted him to the principal’s office once. He was kind but at
times impatient; he was hard to relate to but sometimes so deserving of
empathy; he was simple in desire but complex in expression.
I realized that Aaron (I actually forgot his name
because it was so long ago) was a lot like me. I was impatient at times…I tried
to be kind… I was hard to relate to… and I thought myself simple yet complex. I
actually did very well in fifth grade. I remember finishing all the math
worksheets at least five minutes before anyone else and spending my free time
in class practicing my handwriting (I really wanted neat handwriting) and
reading an encyclopedia (nerd, huh?). I loved reading, but I always considered
myself a little slow.
I loved reading and I wanted to get better at it. So I
did. I read a lot, or tried to in my middle and high school years. And I read
fast. I honestly don't know if I had met a faster reader than one of my friends
whom I met freshman year of college. But you know what? No matter what reading
technique you use, if you read at a fast pace, you WILL miss details. Sometimes
you’ll miss the most beautiful details in the world. I know from experience:
from reading books for English class and totally bypassing the most meaningful
scenes.
I now consider myself a slow reader who is also slow in thought. Now, I'm not
saying that society has structures in place that inhibit slow-minded people. My
point is that slow-mindedness is a virtue. Not that autistic people are slow,
because we all know of autistic teens expressing their latent potential in
music or math or other fields. Not that individuals with Asperger's cannot be
smart. Not that those with Down syndrome should be selectively wiped out
through genetic testing during pregnancy.
I understand it’s not so simple. Chromosomal disorder
tests during pregnancy were probably created for a good purpose. And my
position on abortion is complex; I consider myself both pro-life and pro-choice
and/or neither (just ask me in person if you’re curious how I defend it
philosophically). I know I’m not in a position to talk or write about this; all
I can say is that perhaps, those with ‘slow-mindedness’ know a lot about
happiness.
I am stupid and I am not afraid to admit it. I am dull
at times and dull-witted at times. I miss things my friends notice; I lack
ordinary activity of mind; sometimes, I do not act reasonably.
I AM STUPID.
I AM STUPID.
Why is that such a bad thing? Why are individuals
afraid to admit it? AS IF we could distinguish ourselves (the normal people)
from those with mental differences. AS IF that were possible or even just; as
though we were not all stupid with regard to the subject matters of biology,
chemisty, physics, English, mathematics, foreign languages, and psychology (I
just imagine being in Japan this summer and being very slow-in-tongue indeed).
In the word of the Black-Eyed Peas,
GET STARTED, GET
STUPID.
