I was heavily imbibed one night many years ago and received an email from a Republican friend forwarding disinformation about how messed up something was with some leading Democrat. What she described was indeed messed up, but simply forwarding the same misinformation yet again really set me off that night. “She’s smarter than this,” I thought to myself.

In my drunken state, I sent out an email to a group of friends and associates begging to know where were the “free thinkers” in the world, those who could think for themselves and not blindly believe everything that fit their narrative. What I sent out was probably kind of nonsensical. I was roundly laughed at and ridiculed for days and weeks afterward. I regretted having sent what I did, especially to so many people.

The thing is however that I often wonder the same thing today. Sometimes it seems like the whole world is a giant lab for Dunning-Kruger. And really, in an age of such hubris and narcissism, how could it not be? It is a strange irony that many of my favorite people today are those who don’t consider themselves very smart. They listen, and ask questions. They want to discuss things. They have a beginner’s mind. It reminds me of an old quote that the world would be a lot better place if more people learned to say the four words, “I do not know.” Maybe then we could begin our explorations together.

Sorry for rambling.

John