When I was a kid, during the climax of the first space era, we revered scientists engineers, and other highly educated people.

Being very very smart was looked up to.

Yes, very smart people might be referred to as nerds, but there was always an element of high respect there.

However, common sense and folk knowledge have always been valued in the United States, and a tension has always existed.

We can see another time. In history, just before the Civil War, when ignorance became prized much like it is today. I’m speaking of the know-nothing party and the know-nothing movement.

I feel that we are very much living in a similar era today.

I don’t know how to break out of it, but we face so many challenges that require complex education and study.

We have to figure out how to break free of the chains of valuing ignorance.