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Perceived Intellect — Part of An Expanded Review of Justin Baldoni’s ‘Man Enough’
Justin Baldoni sifts through how to find a healthy balance between expressing one’s intelligence helpfully…versus using one’s intelligence to oppress people
Intellect has been a valued trait…for members of some demographics, in some contexts. It’s something I’ve struggled with, my entire life. As a kid, I was tragically unaware of how I would come off like a know-it-all to my peers; for that, I suffered as a social leper. On the other hand, my classmates would often take advantage of my “book smart” skills for their own personal gain.
In Chapter 3 of his book Man Enough, Justin Baldoni talks about his own sense of doubt over how intelligent he might appear to others. He delineates the very different standards society has for intellect from people who are considered masculine and people who are considered feminine. This binary stigma reverberates across our social fabric.
This is Part 3 of an eleven-part series examining Baldoni’s book.
