There’s plenty of talk about the rise of anti-intellectualism in North America. It seems more than ever, when it comes to using our grey matter, we’re embracing the lowest common denominator. With folks like Sarah Palin leading the group hug.
Last year, it was reported almost 25 per cent of Americans don’t believe in global warming. Another poll suggested almost 30 per cent of folks in the U.S. hadn’t read a book in the past year. Meanwhile, in Canada, we watch in amazement as our Conservative government stifles scientists in case they say anything smart and/or useful.
All of this made me resolve to raise the bar on my own intellectual activities in 2015. But first, I watched a few episodes of a television program called Dating Naked, as a sort of a mental palate cleanser.
These days, there’s a plethora of naked shows on TV. There’s not only Dating Naked, there’s Buying Naked (a realtor shows homes to nudists), Naked Castaway (a naked guy on a South Pacific island) and Naked and Afraid (nude survivalists try to stay alive in the wild).
Yes, I watched Dating Naked. But it wasn’t for the visuals (the naughty bits are blurred out). No, it was for the unintentionally amusing dialogue.
Here are my favourite Dating Naked quotes. Realizing some might accuse yours truly of pandering to the rise of anti-intellectualism in Canada, I’ve interspersed them with quotes from famous smart people.
The result, I hope, is at least middle-brow.
Dating Naked: Naked woman: “Chuck has a very interesting personality. My first impression of him is he’s naked.”
“The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.” — attributed to Albert Einstein
Dating Naked: Naked man on date: “I was getting a little excited, but I had to cool myself because I was completely naked.”
“This bud of love, by summer’s ripening breath, may prove a beauteous flower the next time we meet.” — William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet
Dating Naked: Naked woman: “I’m a little worried about building a raft naked, because I’m worried about bending over.”
“Don’t waste your life in doubts and fears: spend yourself on the work before you.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
Dating Naked: Naked man: “She kept checking out my package.” Naked woman: “I couldn’t keep my eyes on his face.”
“God created man and, finding him not sufficiently alone, gave him a companion to make him feel his solitude more keenly.” — Paul Valery, French poet
Dating Naked: Naked man: “Michelle is a sophisticated glass of wine. I want to drink it. And afterwards have sex.”
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” — often attributed to Leonardo da Vinci
Dating Naked: Naked man pondering nascent relationship with naked woman: “This is definitely the fastest connection I’ve made with someone.”
“In all chaos there is a cosmos, in all disorder a secret order.” — Carl Jung
Dating Naked: A giggling, naked woman examining a croquet set: “I’m not really a golf person.”
“We should take care not to make the intellect our god; it has, of course, powerful muscles, but no personality.” — Albert Einstein
Dating Naked: Naked woman: “How’s it going?” Naked man: “Just hanging out, I guess.”
“Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself.” — Charlie Chaplin
Dating Naked: Naked man: “Overall, this experience has been fantastic. But I don’t know if I would date naked again.”
“Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes.” — Oscar Wilde
Next week: How to lose those holiday pounds through Prancercise.