We all agree that knowledge is power. However, some people seem to view being highly intelligent as a negative trait. Smart-shaming is an anti-intellectual act in which someone’s mocking for who is someone smarter than others. We reject people you think and speak outside the box, and say, “ikaw na matalino, sige” (“Fine, you’re the smart one”). Have you heard this before? It’s a frequent reaction to a unique idea in the middle of a normal conversation, Sison (2015). Are you one of those people who make negative comments and expression to those who are critical thinkers?
There’s been a lot of talk about toxic Filipino habits recently. It restricts people’s freedom of expression that many intelligent people hide the fact that they can share information for fear of being labeled as “a know-it-all”. According to Isaac Asimov, “anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and culture life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that ‘ignorance is just as good as your knowledge”. Yes, indeed. It creates a negative perception of brilliant people to further on the first reason, being smart shamed creates a negative stereotype of smart people; they are regarded as people who have no life and only study, which leads to them being perceived as strange. In the other hand, it hinders achievement because smart people are terrified of being judged and scold so they give up on their goals. They would stop attempting to achieve something if their efforts made them seem awful. Instead, then engaging with someone who has fascinating to say, their ideas are viewed as a danger, as if they were slinging insults rather than facts. The person who has been insulted believes that the persons who has a unique viewpoint is making them feel dumb, and if the conversation continues, they may even say… “Bobo na ako, sige na”, (“So I’m the fool, okay?”). It makes us believe we won’t be able to achieve many individuals criticize other for being brilliants because they believe the smart ones are attempting to rub their faces that they are superior to us, and as a result, we fear we’ll never be good enough to be like them.
As a general rule of thumb, we should realize that words are powerful, and it can seriously affect someone’s life. When people try to insult you by calling you “woke”, don’t be offended. You don’t even have to respond. You just have to appreciate the fact that they know, they acknowledge; and they believe that you are the smarter one in the conversation. Because, when people can no longer use logic to argue with you, they just resort to smart-shaming and that’s how they make you win by default. In addition, they want to go up and accomplished something. People shame smart people because they are jealous or feel unqualified to strive higher, yet his plainly has harmful consequences for us. Let’s stop dishonoring the bright and the brilliant one and allow them to shine as they were meant to.
Links that might add some ideas: https://www.rappler.com/voices/imho/smart-shaming/
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