Date: Thu, 9 Jan 2014 17:01:23 +0000
From: Joe
Subject: Dr. Dykers outclasses Brad Page with thoughtful response
Dr. Dykers outclasses Brad Page BIG TIME with thoughtful response
In my January 6th chatlist email, I asked a simple question – “And in what context is it right to basically tell someone that they are stupid and you are smarter than they are because you have four degrees and a doctor behind your name?”
The question was in response to Cindy momopom’s email that Tom West took Jane Forbes’ comment that she was “far better educated than you. Unless you happen to have 5 degrees and Doctor behind your name.” out of context and made her sound like an awful snob.
A big thank you to Doc Dykers for taking the time to provide a thoughtful and well reasoned response to my question.
Brad Page, on the other hand, refused to answer my question. Instead he provided a some sort of convoluted template driven “if you don’t agree with us you’re a hater” screed.
COMPARE AND CONTRAST
Dr. Dykers response = CLASS
Date: Wed, 8 Jan 2014 09:09:44 -0500
From: “John R Dykers”
Subject: Joe’s post; smart or educated?
Joe asked an important question: “And in what context is it right to basically tell someone that they are stupid and you are smarter than they are because you have four degrees and a doctor behind your name?”
We all often misuse the words and confuse the difference between Smart/dumb and ignorant/educated, ignorance/knowledge.
We are all ignorant, just that the level thereof is changed a bit by education which tries to teach us what other people have learned. Out at the edge of knowledge is always ignorance, and when we reach that edge we say “I believe —-“.
Smart/intelligence is the capacity to apply the law of cause and effect in the broadest expanse of time and place and person. This quality enhances our capacity to become educated, but they are not the same thing. There are plenty of smart people who never finished formal schooling at any level, but they know how to figure things out.
There are some folks with lots of degrees who “crossed the stage to pick up their diploma, declared themselves educated, and never read another book or learned anything again” to try to quote Lehrer, the PBS newsman, not Tom Lehrer, the mathematician turned songwriter.
Some folks with degrees also obtained them without learning how to think, and especially those from “diploma mill” institutions. Having knowledge is a good tool for figuring out solutions to new problems, but it ain’t the whole ballgame. Insight and imagination are also required.
John Dykers
Brad Page’s response = ?
Date: Tue, 7 Jan 2014 22:43:14 -0500 (EST)
From: Brad Page
Subject: Re: Joltin’ Joe
Replying to Joe’s comments defending Tom West’s personal attack on Jane Forbes. It really doesn’t do Chathamites concerned about Chatham Park a service to engage in or reply to personal attacks. The attacks have no other purpose than to distract from the issues confronting us. There is always the temptation to mitigate a personal attack by giving the attacker more ammunition. Mr. West and Joe appear to care little for the issues and least of all for the context of Jane Forbes commentary. Her life is her life and it isn’t up for judgment from people who appear to have an agenda that is not clearly stated nor transparent in its intention nor, for that matter, any other reason.
I ask that these gentlemen, in this age of acid comment and extreme positions, conduct themselves with some consideration for the rest of us who are a little appalled at the personal nature of their attacks – and attacks they are. Ms. Forbes would do well to not engage them. From what I see they only mean to harm.
Brad Page