CONVENTIONAL WISDOM

When we're young we begin to speak by mimicking the words we hear our parents say (Our first word: Bastard). This is not truly speaking. By the time we reach maturity we express thoughts and opinions on the world around us by repeating the thoughts and opinions expressed by others. This is not truly thinking. Today I bought coffee at a small cafe' in CobbleHill, Brooklyn. Being an independent cafe', and being located in CobbleHill, Brooklyn, it was naturally filled with very self satisfied (White) people feeling and thinking deep feelings (deep in their bowels) and thoughts brought on by caffeine highs. On my way out I heard this blessed little piece of wisdom - "Everything I need to know about life I learned in Kindergarten." - followed by this equally blessed little piece of agreement - "That's so true." (It's possible that both of those women spend their days napping, crying and eating glue.) My first reaction was to remember a lesson I learned in Kindergarten about sharing. My classmates and I learned about the very first Thanksgiving. We were taught that Pilgrims and Indians were the best of friends and the tradition of thanksgiving was first practiced as a sort of get-to-know-your-neighbor community dinner celebrating diversity and sharing food, and traditions. I've never heard a Pilgrim or an Indian deny this. Actually I don't think I've ever seen an American Indian in person. (Maybe...). Come to think of it, we never did learn where those little red rascals got off to. Maybe a farm somewhere where they have lots of room to run and play and exist. I guess we did learn a lot in Kindergarten.
Maybe what the first women meant to say was "I haven't learned anything about life since Kindergarten." That's possible. But, it's too late. I'd bet my life (Oh Foxwoods! That's where we've seen one!!) the second girl repeated that thought at least a hundred times before the day ended (Probably blogged it, twittered it and put it as her facebook status too). It's out there now and we're stuck with it like a recurring cold sore. (Hey, there's a lesson we've learned since Kindergarten.) ...Shut it.