The Smarter the Dumber

One of my favorite podcasts hosts always says; "that's so stupid only someone with a masters degree could think of it." He's also fond of saying;"You have to go to graduate school to say something so foolish." As if that "Peak of Mt Stupid" should be moved further down the arc in the image below.

Well, there are times when I agree with him, even though I've gotten my master and I'm in the midst of getting my doctorate.

Tonight I was reading for my Adult Development and Adult Learning book and ran across this passage. It was so convoluted, and so complex I read it twice. I still don't get it, and worse, I kinda don't want to. 

Much of the work focusing on deconstructing the hegemonic meanings from popular culture through critical dialogue facilitated by an adult educator as a critical pedagogue also relies, we argue, on a unitary notion of the self and on a traditional, linear view of the process of adult development; this view is similar to how Mezirow (1995) describes the transformative learning process and the vision of the self . . .

They go on to quote from Mezirow on Transformative Learning (a theory I really quite like) and for the life of me, I don't see the link. In fact, I think they've written a bunch of nonsense words, strung them together to sound smart, then (faux) linked them to Mezirow to give them credibility. 

The passage the quote from Mezirow is:

Transformative learning involves movement from alienation to agency, and "centering," movement from a lack of authenticity, being true to one's self, to authenticity . . . (as adults develop, they) often move to a more mature level of cognitive differentiation involving enhanced awareness of social context, psychological factors, individual and collective goals, and premises. Older adults become more autonomous, socially oriented, and dialectic . . . that are more likely to integrate logic and feelings. They may become increasingly critically reflective of assumptions if this is the mode of their earlier development. 

The Mezirow quote I can kinda get and follow, but that passage that led to it. . . . complete nonsense if you ask me. Only someone who has been told they are smart would think to write that and claim it as interesting writing.