THE UNCANNY POWERS OF A SIMPLE MIND

I am sure you're wondering how the picture above relates to the title of this entry and the answer to that is that it doesn't. The picture made me smile which is why I chose it and I am sure it does the same for you. This is an entry about the simple minded, or as they are known in some circles, the very stupid. How do you define stupidity? One definition for stupidity is " A poor ability to learn or profit from experience." I don't like the word stupidity because it's kind of mean, I prefer simple minded.

The thing is that I admire simple minded people because in some ways they have an easier path to inner peace than people with greater cognitive abilities. The very simple minded do not see every possible complication with daily life. A simple minded person often sticks to one particular source of strength to solve their problems. The simple minded individual believes in miracles and often has a misguided and somewhat annoying view of spirituality.

Spirituality has a million definitions for a million people but for the simple minded it usually means " God will solve my problems because the bible said so." I respect other's right to believe but with the simple minded it's almost innocent and childlike. A simple minded person often sticks to one goal and pursues it blindly without any shame whatsoever, to a stoner a simple minded individual is likely to be the equivalent of a chasm.

The very simple minded can almost seem wise in their very simple approach to life. We are all so complicated by nature that making a situation simple almost seems like the act of a wise man or woman.  If you look at a chimpanzee the first thing you think is " this is a monkey" and a monkey is a simple, strong, agile creature. When the monkey does something like identify a circle we all clap without realizing it was a simple act. The human race is full of chimpanzee like creatures that can identify a circle without necessarily having to talk circumference, radius and all that jazz. We chastise the simple for being below par but we really envy them.

It's fair to assume that even the minimalist philosopher is searching for the peace that comes with a perennially blank slate. The simple mind seems to almost extend life, and no, I'm not saying that old people are stupid. Next time you want to criticize the simple remember that you are criticizing the beauty of a calm spirit and yearning for that very sensation.