On Intelligence

Dear Jacob
Smart is a good thing, it's also a dangerous thing.  Knowing too much can get you in trouble, especially if you end up like me or Daddy.
Daddy's problem is that he doesn't understand WHY people choose to be uniformed.  As he sees it, there is a wealth of knowledge out there, who wouldn't take every opportunity to learn at least something... especially the things that are necessary for living in society...
Mumma's issue is that I'm always a little to eager to share what I know with everyone.  Even when I was little, I spent too much time correcting people when they were wrong "actually" was (and is) a word that appears too frequently in my daily vocabulary.  I have some of the same problems as Daddy, but I try to change it by making sure people have all the information they need.  Sometimes this is good, but most people don't like being told that they're wrong, or ill-informed.
So what do you do?  Try not to let it get to you.  Whether uninformed, stupid, or just lazy, there's absolutely nothing you can do to change a person who doesn't want to change.  When people need information and you have it, be polite about sharing it and try really, really hard not to make anyone feel bad for not knowing something. (Yes, I'm still working on that one.)
Also, do everything you can to make sure you're always informed.  Whether it's learning your alphabet and numbers or tackling differential equations and Attic Greek, do the best you can to absorb as much information as you can.  It's a big, wide, world and you can conquer it with your mind, drive, and compassion.
~mumma