During the interview between ,interviewer, Jon Stewart and ,interviewee, Mike Huckabee it becomes obvious early that the two are on opposite sides of the spectrum. Obvious even to people like me who have yet to find interest in following political characters. Although I've began to become more politically informed, an important aspect in the world today. During the interview there was one particular thing Hukabee speculated that I found myself agreeing with. He said "being well educated is different then being smart." I would even go farther in saying knowledge is different then being intelligent. To me knowledge is nearly synonymous to well educated, meaning "you sure know a lot of "facts"" but don't necessarily know how to apply them in an intelligent way. I also would avoid the word smart because of its inherent broadness, I feel that intelligent is much more to the point.
Later in the interview Jon Stewart references an excerpt from Huckabees's book "God, Guns, Grits, and Gravy" when Huckabee talks about Beyonce and her horrible influence on younger children. This particular instance I just completely disagree with Huckabee. Forgetting the fact that Huckabee was hypocritical when he did nearly the same thing he is condemning, I still disagree with his point. Take Beyonce from an outside view, this is what I see, I see a beautiful women with a long time husband and she has essentially built a corporation around herself. She taught thousands of young women in this male dominated society to be confident with there beauty and that they can more than make prosperous lives for themselves, they can thrive. I'm confused why he didn't choose to talk about someone more like Miley Cyrus who has entirely built her career by making herself, in my opinion, a disgusting sex symbol. Whether she is intelligent because she knows that this road will make her filthy rich or she's just that gross, I believe the latter of the two. She is the definition of a bad example no matter what the reason for her actions, but Beyonce has never taught girls to be anything but confident in their own skin. Just because when men see a women dancing in tight clothes their mind drifts to sexual temptations does not mean that was what was intended by the artist. Beyonce emanates confidence which is so key in a world that will constantly shoot you down.
Link to the Interview:
http://www.salon.com/2015/01/20/jon_stewart_confronts_mike_huckabee_over_hypocritical_beyonce_remarks/
Generalizations are dangerous. I agree that well-educated is different from being smart; however, there can be an overlap: you can be smart and well-educated. Huckabee and Stewart don't define their terms (and they really don't have time to on this kind of program), but it could be that someone becomes more intelligent through education--or less intelligent for the same reason. It's complicated--glad you chose this conversation to prompt your own thinking.
ReplyDeleteI agree completely on the fact that the way people dress may be perceived as provocative, but in no way is that intentional or means that's how they act, there are way more drug abusing celebrities that are worse influences for sure. Selling something you have is better than building something on yourself that you not, what your trying to be perceived as. Beyonce is not just beautiful she has brains to, that's something that every pageant girl should know not to take for granted. http://pitchfork.com/news/53563-read-beyonces-essay-on-gender-equality/
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