More about "Stupid"

I just wanted to write a response to Justine's comments on my last post, and elaborate on what I thought about Diesel's "Be Stupid" campaign.

Justine made a good point about the word “stupid” being used for another media campaign, but in a totally different context. The Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion and Sport also have sort of PSA’s (public service announcements) about why quitting is “stupid” and have their own stupid.ca website. I remember seeing these commercials on TV and print ads on the bus, and like she said, they do “equate smoking with the traditional sense of the word, to be dumb, dimwitted, mentally slow, not bright”. However, I wonder how successful this campaign is? I know teen smoking is a lot lower than it used to be, but in my opinion, the think the typical ads the government uses to dissuade teens from smoking were never very effective. I think the stupid.ca campaign is typical of government PSAs that use simple language and follow the “traditional” fear tactics. Did you visit their website? It actually isn’t its own website, but linked to through the Ontario government’s site. Its actual link is:  http://www.mhp.gov.on.ca/en/youth/stupid/index.asp, and in my opinion, the site is not that interesting to navigate through, check it out. 

What I think Diesel is trying to do (whether it appeals to you personally or not) is be different, and change the definition of the word. Stupid is a loaded word in English (and many other languages as well) and typically has a negative connotation. It has many meanings, and can be used as a noun, adjective or adverb but according to Dictionary.com, stupid can be defined as “lacking in common sense, perception, or normal intelligence” and “trivial, silly, or frivolous” as well as what I think you were referring to: “having dull mental responses; slow-witted”. I think with so many meanings, there is a lot you can mean by when you say the word, as Diesel pointed out in their “Stupid Philosophy”.

Like Justine pointed out, people typically equate “Stupid” with the “having dull mental responses; slow-witted” definition, as show by the guys who participated in the “Jackass” TV show and movies (they also have their own video game too by the way). However, according to IMDB (the Internet Movie Data Base) Jackass: The Movie grossed $11,125,224, Jackass Number Two grossed $18,755,517 and Jackass 3D Grossed $117,224,271, all in the USA alone. That means their movies alone grossed over $147 million dollars, from ticket sales alone, not to mention video rentals and merchandise for a relatively low budget films. 

Would making these movies be equated with “lacking in common sense, perception, or normal intelligence”? Maybe physically, but not from a financial perspective! I think this would fit perfectly with what Diesel said: “Smart may have the brains…but stupid has the balls”. Johnny Knoxville and his friends were willing to do “stupid things” (ie. Because of their “dull mental responses”) on film to entertain their fans and it paid off. I’m sure they love what they do, and I think this is their way of pursuing a “regret free life”. 

  

Justine also made the point that “stupid is the definitive path to a life full of regret, isn’t it? When you make bad, stupid decisions, you regret them, no?” but I wouldn’t agree. Of course you could do things that are “stupid” because you are “slow-witted” but I think you learn from all your mistakes. There’s a reason for the saying “whatever doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger” because you learn to a.) not make the same mistake again or b.) how to do things better next time or c.) grow from the experience and become a stronger person because of it. I don’t think you should chose to do things you will regret later, but once they are done, I think regret is a waste of time. 

I think some decisions I’ve made are “stupid” (ie. “Silly”) like when I decided not to take Math 12 in high school because “I didn’t want to have a degree/career where I would ever need Math 12” because, sure I ended up having to take it as a prerequisite for one of my 3^rd year courses at University, and it was a pain. But because of that, I had to take the Math 12 equivalent course at the local college (Camosun) and it was quite the experience. No regrets there. And I know in my life, I’ve made some decisions that are “stupid” (ie. “lacking in common sense”) like living with one of my boyfriends in university after dating for only 6 months, but I learned a lot, and would never want to “take it back”. 

So although Diesel only created this campaign to sell jeans etc., I do support their “stupid” campaign and believe they have some words to live by. That being said as “stupid” does have so many meanings that I think one has to be careful not to just take them at their word that being “stupid” (ie. “slow-witted”) is “cool”, like Brittany S. Pears on Glee. It is important to be intelligent, and learn, but by doing it in a “stupid” way, (ie. “lacking in common sense, perception, or normal intelligence”) is ok with me. Don’t do things because you worry about what people will think about you, do them because you want to, even if its “stupid”. 

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*Please note that I have not been paid by Diesel to write this post, and neither do I own, or ever plan to own anything made by Diesel. Unless one day I do. In which case it has nothing to do with this "stupid" (ie. trivial, silly, or frivolous) post.