Suzanne O Wrote:
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As for your view that Jane will be just as gullible in the future, I'm not sure where you get that from, but I'm sure she will continue to meet people with optimism and think the best of them until given a reason not to, because that is her nature, but I don't think that has anything to do with intelligence, and don't think that's unreasonable or foolish way to live your life.
That is an excellent way of putting it. There seems to be a subtle and pervasive idea that cynicism and skepticism correlate with intelligence, and that openness and trust in the purity of other's motives is a sign of naivety and gullibility. This is not necessarily true. I've been turning this idea over in my mind a lot lately - I've a tendency towards sarcasm that I'm not entirely proud of - and whilst I think a certain amount of curiosity and enquiry is necessary, that a cynical and skeptical world-view can distort the truth, and often does not lead to clarity of thought or intention. Inter-personal relations might be more meaningful and transparent (and lead to less misinterpretation, arguments and damaging interactions) if the Jane Bennet method was applied.
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As for your view that Jane will be just as gullible in the future, I'm not sure where you get that from, but I'm sure she will continue to meet people with optimism and think the best of them until given a reason not to, because that is her nature, but I don't think that has anything to do with intelligence, and don't think that's unreasonable or foolish way to live your life.
That is an excellent way of putting it. There seems to be a subtle and pervasive idea that cynicism and skepticism correlate with intelligence, and that openness and trust in the purity of other's motives is a sign of naivety and gullibility. This is not necessarily true. I've been turning this idea over in my mind a lot lately - I've a tendency towards sarcasm that I'm not entirely proud of - and whilst I think a certain amount of curiosity and enquiry is necessary, that a cynical and skeptical world-view can distort the truth, and often does not lead to clarity of thought or intention. Inter-personal relations might be more meaningful and transparent (and lead to less misinterpretation, arguments and damaging interactions) if the Jane Bennet method was applied.