Continuing the topic of stupidity, which has caused some discussion among my friends, I propose to think about what intelligence is, and who is an intelligent person. Somehow we distinguish this, right? Do we put something as a basis? It seems to me that the main criterion of intelligence is the ability to independently think about what is happening, to make one’s own judgments. Moreover, do this based on some fundamental (as they used to say, universal) values. And intelligence is not knowledge. Nowadays there are as many “smart fools” as you like - people stuffed with knowledge, like a Christmas cupcake with raisins and candied fruits. They flaunt them, sprinkle cliches and “with a learned air of an expert” talk about this or that subject - and you see: there is no thought there, there is only a childish fear of being incompetent and a childish desire to make an impression. By the way, about children. Children in whom their narcissistic parents shove in various knowledge and skills for their supposed future success and competitiveness, evoke my sincere sympathy: they have so much fear of any defeat, they have so little freedom and spontaneity, they are so dependent on the impression they make that they just want cry! In my opinion, the best way to raise children is to teach them to think, and out loud. Learn not to be afraid to express your thoughts and share your doubts. You need to ask them questions, like: why do you feel this, and what do you think about it, and what do you think, why did you do this, and why did he react to it this way, etc. It is necessary to show that there are different points of view on the same things, but there are also unshakable values, there are concepts of Good and Evil, there are Laws of human communication. What did the poet say? “Let your mind be good, and your heart be smart!” “And knowledge will come when needed: a thinking person will look for it, because he will need it, just as a plant needs nourishment and water. But this will be completely different knowledge - not for boasting and demonstrating one’s superiority over others, but for one’s personal development, for the joy of knowledge and understanding.