Is there really a point to knowing everything?
I know I’m not stupid, but did you watch Mattea Roach on Jeopardy? I was spell-bound while she immediately hit her buzzer with the correct answer to many more questions than I can imagine ever having learned about. There she was, immediately recalling the name of a teeny island that I never heard of, dates of events so old they predate our ancestors’ ancestors. From the air, she easily pulled names of third and fourth cousins of the ninth reigning queen of a country that’s been extinct for several lifetimes. How in the world did she do it?
I know our brains are supposed to have been the first computers, but come on! It doesn’t mean we don’t forget things. It doesn’t mean we all can analyze formulas and recall everything we’ve ever learned for the rest of our lives. Contestants like Mattea have fascinated me from the first time I realized how few questions I can answer on Jeopardy while it is child’s-play to them.
I would love to talk to the parents of these wonder-women and -men. How did they raise such smart people? Did they have implants inserted in their children at birth? Did they constantly play music as they raised their children? I’ve read that music stimulates the young brain, especially while they sleep. There may be truth to that, as my granddaughter’s mother played soft music every night while Cadence slept and believe me, she is one smart cookie. My parents, on the other hand, liked a quiet house, so musical notes rarely bounced off our walls. When
I became aware of the Beatles, back in the ’60s, I got a record player, built a collection of 33 1/3s, and played music in my room with the door closed, but I think it was too late for me. So, here I am, not the brightest light bulb in my husband’s garage, but I get by.
“Getting by” would not be acceptable to people like Mattea. To excel beyond supposed human capabilities is more her speed. Is there a limit to how much information a human being can retain forever? I’ve read that the only reason animals don’t outsmart us is because our brain to body ratio is greater than those of whales, elephants, all animals for that matter.
YET, on the other hand, what do brainiacs do with all that knowledge reverberating within their skull? Is there really a need to know everything? Is one lifetime enough to put all that knowledge to good use? Too bad people can’t share their intelligence with the rest of us lesser souls. I’m sure Mattea could give me one-third of her intelligence and never miss it. But what a difference it would make to me. What would you with, say, five times more intelligence and memory capability than you have now? Invent a cure for cancer? Figure out how to get to the end of the wild blue yonder? Look beyond yourself to the needs of others and instantly know what they need and how to supply it? Maybe not only present our opinions, but instantly present facts (real facts, not made-up ones) on which we base our opinions?
On the other hand, does the world really need us all to know everything at the drop of a question? There are places for us sitting on the lower rungs. Maybe high intelligence doesn’t equal patience, empathy, and generosity. Now, I’m not suggesting high intelligence equals lack of humanity — that certainly would be outweighed by caring people in the medical field, teaching, and yes, even in politics. What I’m saying is, aren’t our needs fulfilled by moms and dads, manual laborers, helpful neighbors, leaders of faith just as important as our highly successful scientists, archeologists, law interpreters?
Well, I’ve talked myself into it. Now I can watch Mattea as she casually recalls the fourth amendment to Estonia’s constitution and not be jealous. She has her role in life, and I have mine. Who’s to say her role is more important than mine, or yours? I guess the bottom line is to do our best, whatever that might be. Never harm, only love, share, and assist.