What does it actually mean to be well-educated, anyway? I sometimes scoff to myself when I see or hear a misuse of grammar or spelling. I admit, I have caught myself flabbergasted when confronted with someone who hasn't seen or read something I think is vital. I have been caught off guard upon the realization that someone doesn't know a fact or tidbit, can't recall an author, or hasn't heard of someone or something. But does that mean that particular person isn't just as educated, just as intelligent?
Sometimes, more often than I care to admit, I need to remember that there is no definition of "well-educated". A most humbling experience for me is to talk cars. Even beyond what happens under the hood, I struggle in conversations about makes and models of cars, current and classic. I can't rewire a house. I don't know the first thing about plumbing. I can't sit and read through the great philosophers (get to the point already!). I can't mend the human body. I can't write computer code. I can't create beautiful and intricate works of art. I can't do a great number of things.
But I can do a great number more, and many times I can do things, see things, think things, others can't or don't. So is one better than another? I see the only vital part of being "educated" is the ability to critically think and reason, synthesize information, and evaluate concepts. How do you define "smart"?
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