When it comes to the Thought of the Day and Question of the Day, today’s musings are all about intelligence—and how it can slip through our fingers as we grow older. Let’s dive into this honest and slightly self-deprecating conversation about how we learn, unlearn, and rediscover our childlike smarts.
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🧠 Thought of the Day: “How is it that little children are so intelligent and men so stupid? It must be education that does it.” — Alexandre Dumas
This quote hits me like a pie in the face every time I read it. Because, let’s be honest, we start out in life asking “why?” a thousand times a day—our heads brimming with curiosity and a complete disregard for looking foolish. And then… we grow up. We get polite. We worry about what’s “smart” or “stupid” instead of just diving into wonder.
Maybe that’s the cruel trick of education: it’s supposed to make us wise, but sometimes it just makes us wary. The more we learn, the more afraid we are of being wrong. (If you’re anything like me, you’ve had that moment where you’re nodding along in a conversation and then googling what the heck they were talking about afterward.)
This reminds me of a post I wrote called “Conversations with the Dead: The Secret to Life No One Talks About”. In it, I talk about There’s a quiet wisdom in listening to voices that no longer speak and how lessons come from moments of genuine curiosity. Maybe that’s what Dumas was getting at: education is only a tool, not the finish line.
So today, I’m trying to lean back into that childlike wonder. To ask “why?” without worrying if the answer will make me look smart. And to be okay with the idea that sometimes, I’m the grown-up who’s still just figuring it out.
🤔 Question of the Day: What is something that makes you feel stupid?
Honestly? My kids. Nothing makes me feel dumber than the endless stream of questions they hit me with—especially the ones that come out of nowhere while I’m half-asleep and just trying to remember how to tie my shoes. “Why is the sky blue?” “How do fish breathe underwater?” “What does infinity smell like?” (Okay, that last one might have been a dream, but you get the idea.)
It’s humbling in the best possible way. My kids remind me that there’s so much I don’t know—and that admitting I don’t have all the answers is actually the smartest thing I can do. And if you’re a parent or just someone who’s ever been grilled by a four-year-old philosopher, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
This also brings me back to a post I wrote about schooling stopping your learning. It’s a reminder that curiosity is what keeps us alive, even if it also keeps us humble.
So what’s the question you’ve been asked recently that had you stumped? Drop it in the comments below—because we’re all in this together, one “I have no idea, kiddo” at a time.
💬 Let’s Keep This Conversation Going
Feeling smart today? Or hilariously clueless? Let me know what makes you feel like the grown-up who’s still figuring it all out. And if you haven’t yet, join the daily email here to get your daily Thought of the Day and Question of the Day delivered right to your inbox.