Thursday 28 August 2008

On "not getting it".


It's a common cultural tone these days. It is supposed to make you sit up and pay attention.

"I didn't get it!"

With such a cry, the toddler slams down his spoon, sending bits of meal everywhere, as he asserts his rights to refuse to eat the porridge set in front of him.

Yet, there is a surprising twist to this story. You see, it isn't a toddler but a fully grown adult who is adopting this posture.

"I didn't get it!" he barks. "Therefore you must be wrong in trying to speak to me!"

"I didn't get it!" -- he emits again. Therefore you haven't managed to scale the mountain of my intelligence, to communicate to me!"

It may be true that the teacher lacks the fortitude to get the message across. However, the challenge of conveying information to an inborn genius who's never going to "get it" anyway, is hardly an activity of an enobling sort.

Motherhood may be conventionally considered a low status job -- but at least the mother has an inherent interest in conveying what she knows to her own flesh and blood. The school teacher is one step removed from this level of motivation. Pay her a certain amount of money, and she might seek to assure that your progeny "gets it". However, if some of the geniuses fall by the wayside due to a lack of application or ability, she may well turn a blind eye. After all she is only being paid an average wage to make sure your children "get it".

An internet acquaintance who you hardly know is even less in a position to care whether or not their interlocutor's "get it". Sure, they may want to impart their ideas and knowledge. But don't be under any illusion that they are absolutely driven to make sure you "get it". Surely they have other things on their mind. Also,  they may already know that not everybody out there has the drive, ability or strength of imagination to "get it".

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Cultural barriers to objectivity