ATTN Roger: I need a vaccine, right now!

[P3nT4gR4m]

Roger I've been looking at stupid people again. I know you told me not to cos it makes them uneasy and they might lynch me but sometimes I can't help it. I find myself staring and wondering why they're like that and why I'm not and then I wonder if they know they're stupid and that makes me wonder if I'm stupid and just haven't realised it and that's a fucking stupid thought to be having. And that's when I realised something Roger. Something that scared the living shit out of me.

I'd been going around all this time figuring I was smart and I was surrounded by all these dumb fucks and, annoying as that might be, it was bearable. At least I'm smart, right? But that's when it came to me Roger - people aren't stupid and people aren't smart. No. Stupid is a motherfucking virus! Stupid is like a cough your brain makes when something irritating gets inside it. Even smart people think stupid thoughts occasionally. The difference between stupid and smart people is how much coughing they do. A genius might be analogous to someone occasionally clearing their throat whereas the idiot is the equivalent of someone with bronchitis, unable to think anything smart because his brain is bent over, hacking up the phlegm of a terminal stupid infection.

And if that's the case, Roger, I'm worried I might catch it. I remember, years ago, when I first heard about it, I caught a nasty dose of Quantum Stupidity. It was during the initial stages of the pandemic when there was so much of it about and so little scientific vaccine that even non-stupids were falling in their droves with the implications that if we just thought about reality it would change. I had that fucking infection for months, Roger, and I'm pretty sure my mental immunity took a hit with it. I'm scared that if another really infectious strain of stupid had come along at the same time, in my weakened state, it might have become terminal.

Now that I can see it, Roger, it's everywhere I look. Mutated strains invading otherwise healthy minds and, as more and more immune systems are broken down, more and more people become hosts, carrying hundreds, maybe even thousands of deadly strains, eventually there'll only be a few of us left standing, amid an ocean of stupidity, the last sane minds, wondering if there's anything clever left to think. Is that a stupid thought, Roger? Is my fever already on it's way?

[Captain Utopia]

I think most people catch it sooner or later. Many strains don't have serious side effects, some even provide benefits, and most are actively encouraged by our social structures.

Create a society which rewards intelligent long-term thinking, and you'll find your vaccine. This isn't rocket science, people.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

I think most people catch it sooner or later. Many strains don't have serious side effects, some even provide benefits, and most are actively encouraged by our social structures.

Create a society which rewards intelligent long-term thinking, and you'll find your vaccine. This isn't rocket science, people.

It isn't?  Oh, good, then perhaps you can tell me, in real terms and achievable steps, how to create that society?

[Requia ☣]

1: Burn down the current crop

That might not work, but they'll probably do it for me soon enough.

[Cainad (dec.)]

I think most people catch it sooner or later. Many strains don't have serious side effects, some even provide benefits, and most are actively encouraged by our social structures.

Create a society which rewards intelligent long-term thinking, and you'll find your vaccine. This isn't rocket science, people.

You're right. It's much, much harder. By a factor of six and a half billion monkeys.

[Captain Utopia]

I think most people catch it sooner or later. Many strains don't have serious side effects, some even provide benefits, and most are actively encouraged by our social structures.

Create a society which rewards intelligent long-term thinking, and you'll find your vaccine. This isn't rocket science, people.

It isn't?  Oh, good, then perhaps you can tell me, in real terms and achievable steps, how to create that society?

Sorry to disappoint - I don't have the smarts to do that.  Shouting "land-ahoy" and actually figuring out how to steer the ship in that direction are entirely different skill-sets.  Communicating ideas to people and encouraging their consideration is something which comes much easier to other people than it does to me.  Case in point - the apparently over-cocky "rocket science" line.

But when I think I've got it all figured out I'll be sure to let you know.

[Captain Utopia]

I think most people catch it sooner or later. Many strains don't have serious side effects, some even provide benefits, and most are actively encouraged by our social structures.

Create a society which rewards intelligent long-term thinking, and you'll find your vaccine. This isn't rocket science, people.

You're right. It's much, much harder. By a factor of six and a half billion monkeys.

I agree. But does that mean that the greater problem is not the stupidity itself, but creating a platform to communicate to a planet-wide audience, in order to then combat it?

[Cainad (dec.)]

I think most people catch it sooner or later. Many strains don't have serious side effects, some even provide benefits, and most are actively encouraged by our social structures.

Create a society which rewards intelligent long-term thinking, and you'll find your vaccine. This isn't rocket science, people.

You're right. It's much, much harder. By a factor of six and a half billion monkeys.

I agree. But does that mean that the greater problem is not the stupidity itself, but creating a platform to communicate to a planet-wide audience, in order to then combat it?

Yes.

[BabylonHoruv]

I think most people catch it sooner or later. Many strains don't have serious side effects, some even provide benefits, and most are actively encouraged by our social structures.

Create a society which rewards intelligent long-term thinking, and you'll find your vaccine. This isn't rocket science, people.

You're right. It's much, much harder. By a factor of six and a half billion monkeys.

I agree. But does that mean that the greater problem is not the stupidity itself, but creating a platform to communicate to a planet-wide audience, in order to then combat it?

No,  every stupid person is stupid in their own unique way.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

I think most people catch it sooner or later. Many strains don't have serious side effects, some even provide benefits, and most are actively encouraged by our social structures.

Create a society which rewards intelligent long-term thinking, and you'll find your vaccine. This isn't rocket science, people.

It isn't?  Oh, good, then perhaps you can tell me, in real terms and achievable steps, how to create that society?

Sorry to disappoint - I don't have the smarts to do that.  Shouting "land-ahoy" and actually figuring out how to steer the ship in that direction are entirely different skill-sets.  Communicating ideas to people and encouraging their consideration is something which comes much easier to other people than it does to me.  Case in point - the apparently over-cocky "rocket science" line.

But when I think I've got it all figured out I'll be sure to let you know.

Figured you'd say that.  It's always easy, until you have to actually DO something.  I mean, something other than tell other people how "easy" it is, in a really fucking condescending way.

[Captain Utopia]

It was a comment directed at the whole world, not anyone in particular here, and certainly not the OP.

I was shooting the shit amongst people I'm friendly with, not preparing a thesis to defend.

You can't find any deserving targets for your rage today?

[The Good Reverend Roger]

It was a comment directed at the whole world, not anyone in particular here, and certainly not the OP.

I was shooting the shit amongst people I'm friendly with, not preparing a thesis to defend.

You can't find any deserving targets for your rage today?

No.  I've been working on the project all day, and the only people around me are the Cabal. 

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Well, there's Cavehamster, but he's buggered off.

[Captain Utopia]

Ah, fair enough, feel free to carry on then 

And I forgot to give a to the OP, but I really liked it.. I'd be happy to see this split off from my first reply in order to give the thread another chance.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Roger I've been looking at stupid people again. I know you told me not to cos it makes them uneasy and they might lynch me but sometimes I can't help it. I find myself staring and wondering why they're like that and why I'm not and then I wonder if they know they're stupid and that makes me wonder if I'm stupid and just haven't realised it and that's a fucking stupid thought to be having. And that's when I realised something Roger. Something that scared the living shit out of me.

I'd been going around all this time figuring I was smart and I was surrounded by all these dumb fucks and, annoying as that might be, it was bearable. At least I'm smart, right? But that's when it came to me Roger - people aren't stupid and people aren't smart. No. Stupid is a motherfucking virus! Stupid is like a cough your brain makes when something irritating gets inside it. Even smart people think stupid thoughts occasionally. The difference between stupid and smart people is how much coughing they do. A genius might be analogous to someone occasionally clearing their throat whereas the idiot is the equivalent of someone with bronchitis, unable to think anything smart because his brain is bent over, hacking up the phlegm of a terminal stupid infection.

And if that's the case, Roger, I'm worried I might catch it. I remember, years ago, when I first heard about it, I caught a nasty dose of Quantum Stupidity. It was during the initial stages of the pandemic when there was so much of it about and so little scientific vaccine that even non-stupids were falling in their droves with the implications that if we just thought about reality it would change. I had that fucking infection for months, Roger, and I'm pretty sure my mental immunity took a hit with it. I'm scared that if another really infectious strain of stupid had come along at the same time, in my weakened state, it might have become terminal.

Now that I can see it, Roger, it's everywhere I look. Mutated strains invading otherwise healthy minds and, as more and more immune systems are broken down, more and more people become hosts, carrying hundreds, maybe even thousands of deadly strains, eventually there'll only be a few of us left standing, amid an ocean of stupidity, the last sane minds, wondering if there's anything clever left to think. Is that a stupid thought, Roger? Is my fever already on it's way?

Stupidity is contagious, and death is hereditary (if previous generations of your family have died, you'll probably die, too).

There's no escaping either one.