We construct the history of our wisdom
only by burying our foolishness in the endnotes.
From a very good essay sparked by the Gaza aid boat raids…
Chosen, but Not Special
By MICHAEL CHABON
NY Times | June 4, 2010“GAZA Flotilla Drives Israel Into a Sea of Stupidity” declared the Israeli daily Haaretz on Monday, as though announcing the discovery of some hitherto unknown body of water. Citizens of other nations have long since resigned themselves, of course, to sailing those crowded waters, but for Israelis — and, indeed, for Jews everywhere — this felt like headline news.
Of all the anthropomorphic hat-wearing cartoon bears who consistently overestimate their own intelligence, Yogi Bear is probably the one that deserves his own film the most. (image: hecklerspray.com - click for link)
We ALL see ourselves as clever, insightful, good drivers, more virtuous, smarter-than-the-average-bear … or in words of The News from Lake Woebegone: “… where all the children are above average.”
Chabon makes the point well that this overestimation is, at best, rooted in selective attention and memory. It reminds me of the in-group/out-group discussion we had last year about the sources of conflict …
It really is worth reading. Michael Chabon writes so well and you’ve got to admit the Israelis really know how to tell themselves off!
I’m glad you enjoyed it too.
He had me at this line:
“This is nonsense, of course [the idea of above average problem-solving ability and wisdom on the part of the Jews] — nonsense to which, I hasten to assure Mr. Goldberg, I have always avidly subscribed.”
… which neatly drives back to my “innate Superiority complex” argument.