May 9, 2006

i’m so smart

It is often said that a little bit of knowledge is dangerous. What about a little bit of knowledge on a lot of different topics?

I’ve often prided myself in my innate ability to carry on a conversation with anybody. This talent has helped to make my job easier, and my life more eclectic. I find joy in a wide variety of topics, but I’m not really educated thoroughly in any one topic and this is beginning to concern me.

Is it possible to be intelligent and still be stupid? Can it be that I’ve spent so much time learning minor bits of information about vastly disparate topics that I’ve damaged my ability to truly be knowledgeable about anything?

For instance, this I know:

  • A friend of mine has sex with a mechanic in exchange for repair work on the car.
  • I can quote mechanical details like tonnage and passenger capacity about the majority of the great ocean liners built before the Second World War.
  • I have enough knowledge about HTML to write a page, but not enough knowledge to actually put that page online. (Thanks John)
  • I know enough about fixing cars to know when a mechanic is trying to rape me without a courtesy reach around ™, yet not enough to fix things myself.
  • I know enough about my industry to come across as intelligent and educated to a potential client, but not enough to truly explain how things work without calling the operations department for help.
  • I understand the concept of exercise and even know what to do, but when I step into a gym I cannot see past the shiny glistening bodies of the hot muscle men working out to actually do the exercises required.

    • The above examples barely scratch the surface of my shortcomings and yet I’ve managed to “maintain” the appearances that I’m a smart person all this time. I wonder if I’m truly smart or just really good at faking it. I know it’s possible to play dumb, but can you play smart?