“Made by a bunch of nobodies.

SMART IS DUMB AND DUMB IS SMART

Many times, my companions have told me, “Kaya muna, ikaw pa!”,
“Kaalam sa imo ya, ikaw na eh!”, “Damu ka gid ya may nabal-an nu?” These
lines, I often heard myself, seems too good to be spot-on and sometimes
stimulating. The statements appear like it has been a facade of encouragement
and appreciation from the people telling it. The way it came out from their
mouths trigger like drugs on my brain and began to inflict as I become a
believer of what I have heard. I may sound vain here, but yes, this has been part
of my life as I grew up into the person I believe I am. Who cares right? See, that’s
the thing there, no one is interested in what you feel until they’ve seen you
grappling with it. So what makes it a hurdle?

Lately, I noticed that a lot ostracize those who think outside the box and
exclaim, “Ikaw na mayad eh!” Rather than engaging a person who has
something interesting to say, their ideas are regarded as a menace, as if the
person were launching insults instead of asserting the facts. The provoked party
feels that the person with a unique insight is making them feel, naïve, so if the
discussion goes on, they will even say: “Bundol na ko gani… sige na.” At that
instance, a meaningful tête-à-tête is suddenly considered invasive. This takes
place not only in the expanse of school but even in the realm of social media.

It then poses me a lot of queries why do others perceive it that way, or is it

just a natural psychological defense of a person who is incapable to think
critically? Or their dexterity to reason is too superficial? Or else they just can’t
fathom it at all.

Once, I have seen a typical opinion article posted online that questions
the status quo. Its comment section was swamped by feedbacks which
frequently contain comments that the author is prejudiced, over-educated, and
too analytical. It is extremely distressing that some people reached that point –
the point where they target the personal well-being of an individual just
because it does not conform to their nonsensical dogma. They even are unable
to picture that what they are doing exposes the real them, on how they are
incompetent to think coherently and easily get affronted when they don’t
understand or are alien with the topic at hand.
 The same thing occurs in the school, I’ve witnessed a lot who simply mock
critical thought. They would usually reply to us with, “Damo ka gid may
nabalan!” when they hear someone share a deep thought or raise questions
about a topic. Why not engage the person and learn? Why do they have to
avoid discussions that require them to think, do their research, or question beliefs
they’ve long held?

Others would also allege us of plagiarism because they judge it too

implausible for us to have done it alone. “Ah, sa internet niya man na gani gin
ilog.” This is the sad truth behind the words, “Mga maalam naman na sila.”

Still, it does not end there, because meeting a higher set of standards is
more of a challenge. You have to achieve it so you’ll fit into their benchmarks or
else hear another defaming, “Maalam ka kag, indi ka sina kabalo.”

Being Filipino is weird because when you're dumb you're made fun of but
when you're smart you're made fun of. Being Filipino is weird because when you
can't speak English very well, you're stupid, but when you speak English too well
"nasa pilipinas ka mag tagalog ka!"

The even more ridiculous thing, however, is that you can’t be dumb
either. If you can’t speak English properly, you’re automatically uneducated. If
you didn’t come from a prestigious university, you have to work harder to prove
yourself. And if you ask a question that everyone in the room knows the answer
to, you’re looked at like an idiot (or you feel like one, anyway).

The Philippine society is, indeed, an odd place to be part of. For some
godforsaken reason, our society makes it seem like being smart is an
embarrassing thing. Like we need to hide our intelligence and keep our mouths
shut to fit in and save ourselves from an onslaught of mockery.

The truth is most of us would deny it if anyone asked and we might not
even be conscious of it, but we all do smart shame. No matter what school we
came from, no matter what degree we hold and no matter our upbringing,
we’re all guilty of it.

Perhaps you have heard this before, but smart-shaming or anti-

intellectualism, as described as the aversion and mistrust of intellectual pursuits, is
now becoming contagious like a virus gradually infecting every single close-
minded individual, unnoticeable. Right now, there is a thriving trend of
chastening those who take time to learn more and share their knowledge with
others. As if intelligence is now a liability and scratching beneath the surface is
toxic, refuting ideas that go against the grain seems to be more common than
being intrigued enough to look further. They will also box you in a room where
your thoughts became vague and theirs exposed yet flimsy. Those who present
a typical way of thinking are perceived as unconventional, deemed a threat to
normality, and are considered outsiders with little empathy from the rest of the
population. This is the root cause of the idea that those who have alternative
viewpoints or are part of counterculture are elitist, arrogant, and aloof.

Instead of insulting someone for using a term they don’t know or for asking
a question they never thought of, why not look up concepts that are foreign to
them, instead of dismissing them as irrelevant and remarking, “Wow, deep!” why
not ask about new concept that leaves them stumped instead of mocking its
origin and sarcastically saying, “Eh di wow!” why not appreciate the person’s
idea and just thanked him for revealing another side of the story rather stating,
“Ikaw na mayad!” why not trust the capability of the person to do things instead
of accusing, “Ga ilog man lang na siya!”

Freedom – especially intellectual freedom – is scary. It is easy to assume

that any kind of intelligent discourse is elitist and unnecessary so they won’t have
to question things they might blindly adhere to, lest they determine that the
truths they hold on to are false.

I understand the lack of hope that furthering one’s knowledge will lead
anywhere. But that would be a hypocrite as if only elites have the right to speak,
think, discuss, or question. This kind of customary thinking downgrades those who
perceive their social status as lower to a state of apathy and complacency. The
point is, accept intellectual discourse and not detach mental awareness about
the issue.

Let’s quit the smart-shaming and instead encourage intelligent

conversation. If it makes you insecure to be unfamiliar with topics and concepts,
remember that it’s easy looking them up online and asking questions to
enlighten yourselves, instead of believing that knowledge is this scary thing
meant for other people. It is not discriminating; it’s true for everyone’s taking.

Thomas Edison once said, “Restlessness is discontent and discontent is the

first necessity of progress.” If they settle for less with what they are given and
refuse to ask questions and if they condemn those who do, then they suffer
retrograde progression while everyone leaves them behind. Their failure then
becomes no one’s fault but their own. So, think twice the next time you hear or
say, “Kaya muna, ikaw pa!”, “Kaalam sa imo ya, ikaw na eh!”, “Damu ka gid ya
may nabal-an nu?” or you’ll end up resembling naïve.