#27 - INTELLIGENCE V. INDEPENDENCE

Though often mistaken for one another, they are undeniably separate traits. I shall call thesis one "intelligence". Intelligence is merely the ability to take puzzle pieces and put them together. Then I shall call thesis two "independence". Independence is deciding whether to put them together or not.

Thus, even in the same society, it is possible for two independent people to come to vastly different conclusion, even if they have the same intelligence. This is because they reason using both the discursive and experiential knowledge they have at hand, meaning they could either be good or evil depending on what they were fed. 

This is in contrast with what I shall call antithesis two "stupidity", the opposite of thesis two. This is when surrenders their critical thinking skills to assume the dogma of whoever happens to be dominant in their society. It is possible for one to be intelligent and stupid in the senses which I have defined. 

One can have the intellectual ability to come to truths and solutions, but simply refuse to use it out of stupidity. On the other hand one can have, what I shall call antithesis one "retardation", yet still be independent and try their best to find the truth. 

Stupidity is more often than independence because it is a more effective survival strategy. If society disagrees on the most basic fundamentals, then it becomes hard to organize and is thus vulnerable to invaders. Not to mention that you have a very high chance of being wrong and evil in the pursuit of independence, thus the more reliable solution is to absolve your thinking to social dogma.

But this kind of survival sacrifices one's honor, to live kneeling. It is far more virtuous to seek the truth, even if it requires giving up one's life. Even if you reach the wrong conclusion, there is honor in striving to make the impossible possible, and thus is a far more noble route. To be blind, deaf, and dumb is the ultimate loss. Though both of them are ignorant, the former tries while the latter gives up.

Do not misinterpret me as justifying immorality, far from it. In fact, independence is necessary to combat immorality if one's society is plagued with it. But rather, my point is that being honest with both others and yourself is one step in salvation. 

Although there are truths which we can understand, there are truths we can never understand, and for those we put our trust in God. If you think someone has an answer to a question that you don't, then either you can find that answer or that person is lying. Virtue is also necessary, I have discussed in earlier entries precisely what I mean by virtue, but in summary it is teleological respect enforced via stoic virtues. Patience is also needed, in that being hasty can seal one's fate even if the answer to their predicament could have been solved with time.

Faith, virtue, honesty, and patience... All that one needs to escape a terrifying doom.