I've been thinking about posts and this one has been sitting in my mind, so maybe putting it out there will finally put the topic to rest. Or not.
Minirant coming up.
Ignorance and stupidity. And by stupidity I mean people capable of learning but chosing not to.
I've dealt with this my entire life and usually eventually let it go, especially in the sciences. There is no point, but what I didn't encounter in the past and it's caused by the internet is the aggression with which people need to tell me their opinion.
The smaller example is a lovely Italian family that invited us to dinner. Deeply religious strict catholics. Warm and welcoming, while waiting for everything to be ready and refusing help, the husband was searching for background television. MTV was the "sound of the devil." *shrugs*. Tom and Jerry was picked.
There was no interest of any kind in my work. I accepted it and we talked mostly about them. More channel surfing and when a channel had a wonderful modernized show on gregorian chants, I suggested we leave it on. The wife exclaimed "OMG what is that? It sounds like the devil".
I laughed and thought they were joking. They're deeply religious, Jesus imagery throughout their home, they know every meal that goes with every holiday. They attend mass and services.
I've used gregorian chants for studying and when I need to focus since I came across them and find them very soothing, especially in Latin. Couldn't tell you what hymn I'm listening to at any given time.
They listened and watched for a bit. "It's devil music" the wife exclaimed. At this point I asked you don't know what this is? She shook her head. Monks singing hymns in Latin? Blank stare. It's kind of your history roman catholic monks? Nothing. I realize the maybe their church doesn't use them but they listen to music and have never asked themselves what it is?!?
How does this happen? How do people restrict their knowledge so much?
This is but one anecdote and it's saddening, maddening when it comes to basic science or politics or many of the arts that many people don't have any curiosity about.
I LOVE Gregorian Chants!!! And Yes, you can't Fix Stupid. And, a lot of Churchy folk know nothing at all about so much of what one would expect the Faithful to actually know and be aware of. After all, the Evangelicals think that Donnie Two Dolls is the 2nd coming of Christ and was ordained by God... and is a Godly Man... so, how far out in Left Field and the Twilight Zone is THAT nonsense?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteCodex I like it too. I don't get it Bo. They are genuinely nice people and don't recognize their music? A subgroup of
DeleteEvangelicals believe all kinds of things, they always have. World is weird.
I've started and deleted three comments to this. The devout live narrow and ignorant lives, rejecting everything that they aren't given or told in church. There was a young adult woman who came to yoga class for almost a year maybe. She had been homeschooled, was religious, so that tells you a lot right there. This class that I go to in rural red religious Texas does not promote any of the spiritual practices yoga is associated with and Abby always ends each class with a Jesus prayer which I could do without but it's the only game in town. Anyway, one class this young woman had become alarmed that she had been doing yoga as a friend of hers was horrified, that it was devil worship. Even though we all assured her it was not, just a series of positions for stretching , balance, and strength she never came back. People believe what they want to believe or what they are told to believe without ever questioning it.
ReplyDeleteCodex Seriously?
DeleteSun salutation summons the demon?
People's beliefs need to stay at home.