I remember, or rather, historical accounts and analysis paint a very different picture: once upon a time, knowledge was a sanctuary. People approached it with almost religious respect, speaking in hushed tones, listening with reverent attention. An educated man was not just an informed individual, he was a beacon in the darkness, a guide in an uncertain world. His word did not depend on ephemeral metrics like "likes" or views, but on the intrinsic weight of truth that he carried with him. It was an authority based on substance, not superficiality.
Today, this image is faded to almost disappear. No one seems interested anymore in "what you know," but rather in "how convincing you are," in "how confident you appear." Visibility has replaced validity. Social data and the dynamics of digital platforms show us a clear trend: the amount of exposure has become more relevant than the quality of the content. Are we really convinced that quantity can replace the quality of knowledge? Is it not perhaps a dangerous self-deception that is slowly but inevitably leading us astray?
When Ignorance Wears a Gala Dress
The most disconcerting transformation is perhaps that of ignorance itself. Once upon a time, ignorance was a condition to be hidden, a shame. Today, it has lost all shame.
She got up, put on an evening gown, took the microphone and proclaimed herself the "voice of the people". It's no longer a problem that people don't know; the real drama is that they don't want to know.
Because, let's face it, it's infinitely easier to swim in shallow waters. There's no threat of depth that forces you to reflect, nor the silence that invites critical thinking, nor the mirror that reflects uncomfortable truths. This intellectual comfort has become the norm, and the data on engagement with complex content compared to extremely simplified content confirms this every day. Isn't it perhaps one of the greatest tragedies of our time that the pursuit of ease has eclipsed the search for truth?
The Price of Depth
In this scenario, the intelligent often find themselves silent. Not for lack of arguments, but because they don't have to translate complexity into a language that, by its very nature, is an insult to reason. Today we don't seek clarity, we seek simplification pushed to absurdity, a reduction that distorts the original concept.
If you are too deep, you are labeled "inaccessible". If you dare to speak the truth without filters, you are "inflexible" or even "arrogant". If you know, you are "presumptuous". It is no longer a matter of who holds the knowledge, but of who inspires trust, and trust, ironically, is given to those who do not disturb.
To those who do not ask for effort, who do not pose uncomfortable questions, to those who are, as a wise man said, "free from the burden of knowledge." The data on public preferences for "light" and "reassuring" content compared to those that stimulate critical thinking is evident.
The Tyranny of the Silent (or Loud?) Majority
Once upon a time, the role of the intelligent was to teach the stupid, to elevate the level of debate and understanding. Today, the dynamic has reversed: the stupid teach the intelligent to be silent. And they do not do so through dialectical confrontation or a discussion based on facts. They do it simply because they have the majority.
But the majority is not synonymous with truth. The deafening noise does not mean meaning, and the simple presence, however pervasive, does not equate to value. Should we really accept that volume overrides value, that quantity eclipses reason? This is a crucial question that we should ask ourselves every day, as we witness the triumph of quantity over quality.
The Real Danger: Respected Stupidity
That's why, in my opinion, we could be living in the most dangerous of all times.
Not because information is lacking, but because stupidity no longer tries to be hidden, it does not feel shame, but on the contrary, demands to be respected, promoted and even protected.
When stupidity not only causes immeasurable damage, but is also celebrated and defended as a legitimate form of expression, instead of being denounced and repressed, then the very foundation of our society is at risk. Until when will we allow this trend to drag us into the abyss of self-satisfied and arrogant ignorance? The answer to this question will determine our future, and perhaps, our own intellectual and social survival.