In Defense of Intelligemence: A Polemical Discourse on Self-Mediocritization (and Tuesday Open Thread)

Hi kids.  I apologize for the even-more-aggressive-than-usual tone of tonight’s Open Thread, but I have Grievances.

The readers, commenters and authors (be all of them!) of this site are a weird lot, with interests ranging from football to cooking, obscure history to tawdry reality shows, alcohol to other, stronger types of alcohol.  The distinguishing characteristic of this population is its intelligence. I would call this the smartest sports-and-dick-jokes website on the net, at least since the Society for American Baseball Research removed that video of Bill James telling his version of the Aristocrats

“So Tim Raines is on second, shitting in the shortstop’s mouth…”

Our lamented predecessor KSK is famously described in Wikipedia as “high-minded vulgarity,” and if there’s a legacy we carried away, it’s that- a commitment to being the cleverest horrible human beings we can be.

That is why I am here.

That is almost certainly why you are here, unless your quest for porn had you stumble over one of the AVN Award posts.  (No, seriously- based on site analytics, it happens A LOT).

We don’t break news. We don’t conduct in-depth statistical analysis, unless you’re using that as a euphemism for the Temptation Island threesome recaps.

We exploit passion about sports as a common frame of reference to try to make each other piss ourselves laughing.  It’s an intellectual exercise that keeps us sharp.  It gives us an outlet for the internal thoughts that our friends and families would either not understand at all or consider reprehensible.  It is a sense of belonging in a world that too often presents as stupid, uncaring or beyond unjust.  And while we can’t fix those things, this site ensures that we are not alone in thinking that way.

I bring this up because the wave of anti-intellectualism that rose before Trump and crested with anti-vaxxers is forcing us to walk small. No one wants to hear from the smartest person in the room anymore.  It’s always been a streak in American culture (although it receded a bit during the Space Race), in part because the underlying principle of democracy is that the opinion of a smart person who has informed themselves about the issues is entitled to no more weight than that of the dumbest, least-informed member of the community. America is suspicious of the Smart Person, because they might be pulling something over on us- and if there is anything intolerable to the American Character, it’s the thought of being a Sucker.

I would wager every one of you reading this has had to intentionally underplay your own intelligence to make someone else feel better about themselves.

Dumbing down your language.  Downplaying your knowledge or accomplishments.  Making yourself smaller so that someone else feels bigger.

And I’m fucking tired of it.  Are strong people obliged to pretend they can’t lift something? Are great chefs supposed to intentionally underseason? Do tall people go through life hunching over so that the rest of us don’t feel so small?

I’m actually asking that last one. I’m 5’9″ and have never, ever been tall for my age.  It’s a totally foreign concept.

So it’s time.  Be you.  Don’t be a dick and let your intelligence be your sole and defining source of self-esteem, or consider yourself Better than someone else. But give yourself room to breathe.  Let your brilliant freak flag fly, even if it’s only in our comment section below.  I don’t care if you don’t think your jokes are funny.  For fuck’s sake, one of our regular commenter’s shtick is just to call things “Rockin!” and it’s FUCKING HILARIOUS.  This is a safe space.

Be proud.

Be you.

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The Right Reverend Electric Mayhem
Feared conqueror; scholar; poet; revered holy man; professional raconteur; soldier of fortune; aloof yet thorough lover; bandit; blazing gypsy speedboat. I have been called some of these things.
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BeefReeferLives

Never underestimate the power of shunning and social ridicule to stifle creative thought.

yeah right

One of the things that led me here in the first place and obviously keeps all of us here is the intellect and the exchanges of like thought.

I think the key thing over the last two years has been the intellect, the support and most of all the empathy during this unbelievably horrible shared experience and I want to thank each and every one of you for being there for your support, your guidance and most of all just being a kind and open ear to those of us who’ve needed support and just a good, if imaginary friend.

I love you all so much for that.

SonOfSpam

Love the post. Might even say AMEN REVEREND.

Used to downplay all the time in grade school/high school; at first, out of empathy, later to be less unpopular. (Didn’t work)

Then I discovered alcohol and didn’t have to pretend to be stupid. The cause of, and solution to, all our problems.

This community is great for all the reasons Rev elucidated. ELUCIDATED I SAY YOU COCKBITES.

Doktor Zymm

Anti-intellectualism makes me sad more than anything. People don’t end up like that if they had good teachers and a supportive home environment.

Redshirt

Its fixed. Don’t bother asking why its offense only and not defense or special teams, because it beyond the minuscule nature of your minds to comprehend.

THE NFL HAS FIXED RACISM AND SEXISM!!!

Rooney Rule: The NFL says teams must hire a minority or female offensive coach – CNN

Doktor Zymm

That’s what happens when white men start all their comments with “no offense but”

Brick Meathook

yes, but we get paid more.

Last edited 2 years ago by Brick Meathook
Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

One thing I love about the salmon burgers they sell at Costco is that they are basically foolproof.

Game Time Decision

Challenge accepted

Game Time Decision

As a taller person, I’m too old to slouch to make others feel whatever about themselves. Not that I ever did slouch.

BrettFavresColonoscopy

The Bears signed Trevor Simien, so look out, NFC North!

Redshirt

The Red Rifle has gone Rouge. Andy Dalton has gone to the New Orleans Saints.

Last edited 2 years ago by Redshirt
Dunstan

Were the jerseys grey?

BrettFavresColonoscopy

Probably against their will though

ballsofsteelandfury

Can we brag about our dick size?

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Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

Ooh, let’s! A new girlfriend once complained that she thought I might be too girthy for her, turns out she just had a UTI.

ballsofsteelandfury

That’s fucking hilarious!

Dunstan

We have video footage of RTD’s reaction:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_pi8yBaooQ

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

I love that song so very, very much.

Dunstan

I mean, I’m more partial to this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xs-UEqJ85KE

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

Yeah, that’s the best one. #2 for me is either the UTI song or the Santa Ana one. I don’t think people who have never lived in SoCal can ever appreciate the Santa Ana one, though.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=J5XdQ5q2PIA

ballsofsteelandfury

Ok, I think I need to catch up on this show.

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

It’s ever so much fun. It’s actually an appropriate topic for this post because the creativity involved is off the charts.

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

Like, I’m grinning right now thinking of the “West Covina” opening number.

ballsofsteelandfury

Ok, I REALLY need to watch this show!

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

Yeah, the creator is pretty terrific.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=e1IxOS4VzKM

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

This is new to me and it is glorious.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ucmsunDs3jE

Dunstan

It’s one of those shows that I would have to be in a particular mood for — it can be really cringey at times, which I have a limited tolerance for — but yeah, lots of great stuff. The songs are brilliant.

Dunstan

Can’t go wrong with A Buttload of Cats.

Have you seen this article? A lot of the links are broken now, unfortunately. Also, I guess, spoilers for those who haven’t watched the series.

https://www.vulture.com/2018/02/crazy-ex-girlfriend-best-songs-ranked.html

ballsofsteelandfury

That is amazing!

TheRevanchist

This deserves a banner treatment.

And it reminds me of when a girlfriend I had back in college had strep throat.

So did Lil’ Revanchist after that.

Redshirt

“Inches”?! Ah..ah… I mean “Me too!”

BrettFavresColonoscopy

Be you. Unless you’re a Nazi shitbag in which case keep that shit to yourself and get fucked.

Sharkbait
Last edited 2 years ago by Sharkbait
Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

Oh! I just got another vaccine power-up. That’s one J&J, and now two Modernas. I guess I have to get a good night’s sleep before I can throw bouncing fireballs, so I’ll be sure to get to bed by 10 tonight!

Sharkbait

They really need to do the super Mario power up sound effect when you get a vax.

Dunstan

Damnit, you’re now one Moderna ahead of me. We used to be vaccine brothers!

rockingdog

That’s Rocking

Game Time Decision

I have an AZ and then 2 Pfizer but wanted a Moderna for the last one, to have one of each that’s available up here. But took whatever I could and didn’t care about the brand.

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

But took whatever I could and didn’t care about the brand.

You sound like Andy Reid’s ancestor Jeremiah Reid, a notorious cattle rustler.

Sharkbait

Holy fuck. Well written Rev.

rockingdog

Found a funny;

if you win 100,000 tickets at chuck e. cheese, they let you behead one of the animatronics

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

For some reason this makes me think of Apocalypse Now but instead of Marlon Brando dropping a human head in Charlie Sheen’s lap it’s the head of a gigantic rat.

/also, who the hell came up with the idea of having a rat be the mascot for a pizza joint?

NotShogunButShogun

He founded atari. Good ideas, shit execution.

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

Can’t spell “atari” without “rat” I guess.

Brick Meathook

I don’t want to sound like a know-it-all but it was Martin Sheen’s lap.

ballsofsteelandfury

Don’t hide your intelligence.

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

You were right to correct me. I don’t even have the excuse of having been drunk.

I’ll remedy that ASAP.

Senor Weaselo

I have played enough Five Nights at Freddy’s to say FUCK no.

/One death’s worth

Gumbygirl

Gumby made a topographical model of the area of the moon they landed on, for the school science fair. He had everything to scale, and labeled. A teacher came up to his dad later, and said he would have won if he hadn’t “made up silly names” for everything, like the Sea of Tranquility. Um….

rockingdog

Hahahaha
That’s Rocking

scotchnaut

“If not for Eugene Melnyk the Senators would not be in Ottawa.”

/I’ll leave it at that.

herodotus450

I heard he was Ukranian. And now all of a sudden Russia is trying to unwind their invasion…

Redshirt

Agreed. Personally, I don’t actively show off my smarts, but that’s because being picked on in Jr. High so much gave me an introverted personality. You can’t be picked on if you hide in the background. Plus, it does allow me to surprise people or allow them to underestimate me.

Plus, those who say they are the smartest person in the room, aren’t.

WCS

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Gumbygirl

.

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King Hippo

Sheeit fahr, this fella done made some sense!

/also loved that Bill James joke, and that you found the PERFECT picture to go with it

herodotus450

Indubitably.

WCS

Damn it, he’s right!
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WE ARE SMRT!!