Semi-Charmed Life

Are You Serious?

No, really. Are you?

Some of the industry's most prominent women said they believe Polanski, who faces a sentence as low as probation and as high as 16 months in prison for pleading guilty to having sex with a minor, should be freed. "My personal thoughts are let the guy go," said Peg Yorkin, founder of the Feminist Majority Foundation. "It's bad a person was raped. But that was so many years ago. The guy has been through so much in his life. It's crazy to arrest him now. Let it go. The government could spend its money on other things."

In Roman Polanski case, is it Hollywood vs. Middle America?

That someone could even say that with a straight face boggles my mind.

And Hollywood? Disgusting. You are not above the law. Those that labeling this as populist outrage have it wrong. This isn't about the people versus the elite, this is about right and wrong and it's very clear what's what to any rational law abiding citizen.

The biggest joke of it all is probably Woody Allen signing a petition demanding justice for Roman Polanski. A man who married the adopted daughter of his former girlfriend. Yea, I'm sure Woody Allen's moral compass is pointing in the right direction.

Education Makes You Stupid

The only thing worst than arguing with someone stupid is arguing with someone that is highly educated who is convinced of his own superior position. Maybe the word stupid might be a tad harsh. Ignorant? Uninformed? Whatever you want to call it, at least that person has a chance of at least opening his mind to a new set of ideas.

But if you try to argue with someone who has been formally educated in something, be prepared for the most condescending conversation ever. The degree of superiority and condescension is directly proportional to the level of education and fancy professional titles held.

People believe they can't possibly be wrong because they paid a lot of money for a good education. The problem with institutional education is that it often indoctrinates people with a specific set of ideas. There is no question that what's taught in school is the truth. We are taught "this is the way the world works" and we come out really believing that this is the way the world works.

Personally, I don't like debating with people. I've never been good at it. But more than that, I also believe that it is impossible to change someone's mind. People have to come to their own conclusions. Doing that starts with an open mind, then to research and then finally they can reach whatever conclusion they wish. "Research" meaning reading, which I am convinced not enough people do enough of.

Another reason why I don't like debating is because debating is ugly by nature. Usually it consists of two sides who are entirely convinced of their own arguments. Once you become entrenched in a position, your mind commits itself to it and in doing so shuts itself off to  any other possibilities. The mind does not like contradiction.

Debates are presented as a "discussion" of an issue, but how can you reasonably expect two opposing sides of an issue to reasonably "discuss" anything? Their mission is to prove the other side wrong, not to promote discussion and awareness.

Taking a stand or being firm on an issue is a quality that is very respected in America. I admire people who have conviction, but sometimes conviction is a double edged sword. And no, I don't seriously think education necessarily makes you stupid, but people have to be ever vigilant in what they think they know. Economists and historians are example of people who are often bright individuals that rarely ever deviate from what they believe to be the truth. Try to argue with them and you will bet met with a response that basically amounts to "listen buddy, I've studied this shit for years, and I can tell you for a fact that you don't know shit."

Anyway, this was something I had on my mind. I was going to write about it last time, but at that moment I was frustrated by the same thing but in a different world. It goes to show that this "holier than thou" attitude is not just in academics.