07.+What+is+Intelligence+(February+2006) - Get a Free Blog

What is Intelligence? 55
This does not mean he is a bad citizen, but the hostility he inevitably
receives from the insecure people who fear any kind of change, and cling
staunchly for what they believe to be their personal security to the “status
quo”, tends to make him look like one at times, as he expresses his
outrage in unfortunately not sometimes the most diplomatic ways at
having his greater truths and advances mocked by lesser beings, and
moreover his freedom of thought and action therefore curtailed.
For example, in the case of Professor Laithwaite, he had his funding cut
and was even forced to accept financial help from a private citizen who
was an amateur inventor, to continue his research in later life.
For just what sort of a nation and society is it that throws its best
members on the scrap heap? And so thus, surely such beings are entitled
to be outraged to at least some degree.
That is, we find that the thinkers and scientists who don’t “rock the boat”,
don’t challenge their professors and teachers, and thus don’t advance
knowledge or understanding one iota are awarded endless degrees and
honours, and sit at the top table in the prestigious “Royal Society”
dinners, but those who do are “cast out into the wilderness, where there
shall be much weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
But how is it that the average academic can still feel good about
themselves in the light of the true picture which says they will achieve
nothing of any significance throughout their whole academic career?
The answer is, the escape into abstraction gives the illusion of progress.
For example, there was a wonderful British TV comedy series which ran
in the UK during the 1980s which was called “Yes, Minister”, and
developed into an equally if not more successful sequel called “Yes,
Prime Minister” starring British character actor Paul Eddington, also
now, sadly deceased.
Eddington played this basically good intentioned, but rather flawed and
vain political character, who first was a minister, and then in the sequel
was the prime minister of the UK.
Quotes and script fragments from this series can be found at various
places on the Internet, for those who would care to take a look.