Duh

Scott Hardie | August 9, 2006
A German scientist is progressing through testing phases of the world's first anti-stupidity drug. Commence joking.

I bet Floyd Landis wishes he had taken this drug before the race instead.

Aaron Shurtleff | August 9, 2006
Wasn't there a previous study that showed that the less intelligent you were, the more likely you were to completely not realize you are not so intelligent? Wouldn't that imply that the people who really need this pill are unlikely to realize they need it?

And plus, isn't it good to lose a bit of short term memory? Who'd want to be cluttered up on a long term basis with all of the day-to-day junk? Not me! I'll stay happily ignorant and bad with names!

Scott Hardie | August 9, 2006
I've always heard that ignorance is bliss, but that to me sounds like the same flawed thinking behind The White Man's Burden. Money can't buy happiness, but doesn't it help? Because obviously, poor people are ecstatic.

I'm going to have to start a drug-testing regimen if I find out any of you have taken this pill before guessing a goo. (Sorry, I'll stop the lame Landis jokes already.)

Jackie Mason | August 9, 2006
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Jackie Mason | August 10, 2006
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Jackie Mason | August 10, 2006
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Amy Austin | August 10, 2006
I like how it tells you that it works on fruit flies and mice. I can just picture fruit flies reading literature in their little jars, and mice playing with chemistry sets. :-)

I was having a laugh extrapolating that one too, Jackie! ;-D

Scott Hardie | August 11, 2006
Yes, but can they answer several questions about the periodic table in an online quiz?

Aaron Shurtleff | August 11, 2006
You don't need pills to do that! :P And I get your reference! :)

John E Gunter | August 11, 2006
Funny Scott! I'll resist the urge to jump in with more! I'm sure it's enough that I just made these comments! ;-)

Michael Paul Cote | August 11, 2006
Are we revisiting "Flowers for Algernon" here?

Kris Weberg | August 12, 2006
Who was it who said that you can't buy happiness, but you can sure rent it?

At any rate, I seriously doubt an anti-stupidity drug will be much help in fighting ignorance. In my experience, the problem isn't that people are incapable of learning things or thinking them through so much as that they don't want to learn things or consider them carefully. For example, everyone's gotten the frustrating experience of trying to help that friend (or perhaps client/customer?) who is pefectly literate and capable of following directions, but did't read the instruction manual or the terms of use because "they know how to do it already" or "they'll figure it out for themselves.

That's not stupidity, or even inattention, that's something else entirely.

Amy Austin | August 13, 2006
Pride/laziness. Hubris.

Jackie Mason | August 13, 2006
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