First blog, oh my!

This was written last November in a fit of emotion, my mind racing as various news clips, daily experiences and visions can sometimes do. Editing aside, I suppose it's time to just put it out there. I know many have been doing this thing for years now, and are used to the forum. I, however, find it almost excruciatingly painfully fearsome to post this. But I will. It's the first of many thoughts abounding in my psyche (i.e. mind and soul) to be made so, well, public.


Finally, inspiration. The Sunday Times today caused an eruption of self-motivation to start this:
My response to DNA and whether this code of carbon, nitrogen and hydrogen can diffuse or infuse intelligence into our lives and individual selves?? The discussion out there is absolutely infuriating. Our historical, cultural, economic and ego-centric definition of what intelligence is leaves so much to be desired. Racial differences in DNA, okay. Differences in physiology, health, disease-susceptibility, predisposition to such and such, fine. And perhaps perhaps ways of thinking and communicating those synaptic calculations, thoughts, feelings, ideas, wants, desires, needs, cares, all culturally and environmentally as well as historically and yes, evolutionarily-based, well, can we please stop placing value on so many aspects of humanity?

I believe I was subjected to an I.Q. test around the age of 5 or 6. Did it test my cognitive skills? yes, and did it test my abilities to visualize and piece together puzzles? I remember so, and did the person administering the test time me as I did so? I do not know, but probably. Does speed matter anyways? In the world created upon an economic stronghold that has long been ruling the planet, yes. Am I now evaluated and pushed to regurgitate information handed to me in varying formats, dependent upon a lecturer's (i.e. professor's) skills and tested on my ability to handle the stress that accompanies such 'midterms', awarded a grade that may determine the 'success' of my future and placed in a pool of students, rank and file? Absolutely.

Since when did an I.Q. test or college exam probe one's ability to think about the community? Or to share? Or to place a hand out and react empathetically? Is this a facet of intelligence?
Whose DNA expresses the most ability to cultivate and pass on these kinds of skills? And really, who cares whether it is in our genetic material or not? How about oral history in play and rhythm, song and dance as a way to communicate or express thoughts, seasonal needs, or might I say it--intelligence?

When, folks, do we lay down the ego and just let ourselves be?