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Shangri-La, issue 5, March-April 1948
Page 10
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NULL-I what to do about it. By Al Ashley Introduction I or NulI-I stand for Non-Intelligent. This condition may be due to heredity, accident, or other cause. Even if it has been brought about by plain energetic determination, it is an unfortunate state of affairs—as you well know by this time. It is to a consideration of remedial measures for this situation that the following chapters are dedicated. CHAPTER I; To Be or Not To Be "Raise your I.Q. in my mental gymnasium. Weekly workouts." —Classified ad. L. A. Paper This would be nice, if possible. But psychologists have determined otherwise. If you are Null-I, you are stuck with it. There only remains the question of what to do about it. Several possibilities suggest themselves. (a) Go off to some secluded spot and shoot yourself. While the author favors this solution he is constrained from promulgating it by the politicians and other exploiters who consider it a great waste. (b) Retire to a corner, finger your lips, and make faces at the world. While this realistic solution is suitable for more agravated cases, the sensitive Null-I finds it ego-deflating and detrimental to dignity. (c) Resort to some effective form of camouflage. It is with the varied ramifications of this last resort that we will now deal. CHAPTER II: The Humorist "Probably the most tedious bore on earth is the man who feels it incumbent upon him always to be facetious and to turn everything into a joke." ---J. Fiske. Many a Null-I has attempted to solve his problem through deprecating his lack by ridicule of intelligence and perpetual facetiousness. This method must necessarily be unsuccessful, however, for the camouflage operates in reverse. It is analogous to the ostrich hiding its head in the sand. Avoid this by all means. CHAPTER III: The Wit "The essence of wit consists in a partial and incomplete view of whatever it touches." ---Holmes. Related in many ways to the method described in the previous chapter is the attempt to hide non-intelligence behind a dazzling display of wit. Unfortunately, its characteristics of partialness and incompleteness are a dead give-away to the condition of the intellect behind it. Being the chief recipient of the dazzlement, the poor with again becomes the vicim of reverse camouflage. CHAPTER IV: Flight All the solutions so far considered are attempts to run away. The Null-I tries to escape the need to appear intelligent in order to adapt himself into a society of intelligent persons. Pretending intelligence does not exist or is unimportant, ignores reality. Avoiding serious discussion with intelligent people by whatever means must always result in discovery for the Null-I. As the problem cannot be escaped it must be met head-on. - 10 - (Con'td. on Page 16)
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NULL-I what to do about it. By Al Ashley Introduction I or NulI-I stand for Non-Intelligent. This condition may be due to heredity, accident, or other cause. Even if it has been brought about by plain energetic determination, it is an unfortunate state of affairs—as you well know by this time. It is to a consideration of remedial measures for this situation that the following chapters are dedicated. CHAPTER I; To Be or Not To Be "Raise your I.Q. in my mental gymnasium. Weekly workouts." —Classified ad. L. A. Paper This would be nice, if possible. But psychologists have determined otherwise. If you are Null-I, you are stuck with it. There only remains the question of what to do about it. Several possibilities suggest themselves. (a) Go off to some secluded spot and shoot yourself. While the author favors this solution he is constrained from promulgating it by the politicians and other exploiters who consider it a great waste. (b) Retire to a corner, finger your lips, and make faces at the world. While this realistic solution is suitable for more agravated cases, the sensitive Null-I finds it ego-deflating and detrimental to dignity. (c) Resort to some effective form of camouflage. It is with the varied ramifications of this last resort that we will now deal. CHAPTER II: The Humorist "Probably the most tedious bore on earth is the man who feels it incumbent upon him always to be facetious and to turn everything into a joke." ---J. Fiske. Many a Null-I has attempted to solve his problem through deprecating his lack by ridicule of intelligence and perpetual facetiousness. This method must necessarily be unsuccessful, however, for the camouflage operates in reverse. It is analogous to the ostrich hiding its head in the sand. Avoid this by all means. CHAPTER III: The Wit "The essence of wit consists in a partial and incomplete view of whatever it touches." ---Holmes. Related in many ways to the method described in the previous chapter is the attempt to hide non-intelligence behind a dazzling display of wit. Unfortunately, its characteristics of partialness and incompleteness are a dead give-away to the condition of the intellect behind it. Being the chief recipient of the dazzlement, the poor with again becomes the vicim of reverse camouflage. CHAPTER IV: Flight All the solutions so far considered are attempts to run away. The Null-I tries to escape the need to appear intelligent in order to adapt himself into a society of intelligent persons. Pretending intelligence does not exist or is unimportant, ignores reality. Avoiding serious discussion with intelligent people by whatever means must always result in discovery for the Null-I. As the problem cannot be escaped it must be met head-on. - 10 - (Con'td. on Page 16)
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