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I think this line of reasoning requires clearer definition of words.
The way the narrator uses the word [i]stupidity[/i] refers to a lack of nous or emotional intelligence.
Emotional intelligence starts with a willingness to feel, acknowledge and understand our own inner emotions. This leads to insight into how and why we behave as we do. It allows us to recognise the emotions of others and respond to them with empathy and kindness.
We need emotional intelligence in order to develop our understand of harmful, harmless and beneficial behaviours and thus lead an ethical life.
There are at least six kinds of intelligence: logical, visual-spatial, technical, proprioceptive, mathematical/musical, creative and emotional. Intellect, which predominantly analytical, can include a combination of types.
Lack of emotional intelligence is usually due to parents who have low EI.
When we're very young, our caregivers teach words in association with what we perceive and experience. Thus we learn to generalise a colour like yellow from butter, dandelion flowers, canaries, etc.
If a parent mirrors and names our emotion, we learn how it feels and how to give that feeling a name. Happy, calm, excited, amazed, sad, fearful, angry, jealous and so on.
If a parent forbids a specific emotion, such as displays of anger, and refuses to address the cause appropriately, that child will grow up repressing the emotion, often so successfully that they have no idea when they're feeling it. This means they will also have trouble recognising and dealing appropriately with anger in others.
At the extreme end of the spectrum, this can lead to zero empathy and not caring about the feelings and needs of others. It is, in essence, a failure of emotional growth and maturity. At its worst, some of these people can be "evil", that is, sociopathic and extremely harmful.
But almost all of us experience at least some failings in our emotional intelligence, especially if we ourselves are momentarily in a bad state and trying to deal with something difficult.
The way the narrator uses the word [i]stupidity[/i] refers to a lack of nous or emotional intelligence.
Emotional intelligence starts with a willingness to feel, acknowledge and understand our own inner emotions. This leads to insight into how and why we behave as we do. It allows us to recognise the emotions of others and respond to them with empathy and kindness.
We need emotional intelligence in order to develop our understand of harmful, harmless and beneficial behaviours and thus lead an ethical life.
There are at least six kinds of intelligence: logical, visual-spatial, technical, proprioceptive, mathematical/musical, creative and emotional. Intellect, which predominantly analytical, can include a combination of types.
Lack of emotional intelligence is usually due to parents who have low EI.
When we're very young, our caregivers teach words in association with what we perceive and experience. Thus we learn to generalise a colour like yellow from butter, dandelion flowers, canaries, etc.
If a parent mirrors and names our emotion, we learn how it feels and how to give that feeling a name. Happy, calm, excited, amazed, sad, fearful, angry, jealous and so on.
If a parent forbids a specific emotion, such as displays of anger, and refuses to address the cause appropriately, that child will grow up repressing the emotion, often so successfully that they have no idea when they're feeling it. This means they will also have trouble recognising and dealing appropriately with anger in others.
At the extreme end of the spectrum, this can lead to zero empathy and not caring about the feelings and needs of others. It is, in essence, a failure of emotional growth and maturity. At its worst, some of these people can be "evil", that is, sociopathic and extremely harmful.
But almost all of us experience at least some failings in our emotional intelligence, especially if we ourselves are momentarily in a bad state and trying to deal with something difficult.