The brain-attic

His ignorance was as remarkable as his knowledge. Of contemporary literature, philosophy and politics he appeared to know next to nothing. [] My surprise reached a climax, however, when I found incidentally that he was ignorant of the Copernican Theory and of the composition of the Solar System. That any civilized human being in this nineteenth century should not be aware that the earth traveled round the sun appeared to be to me such an extraordinary fact that I could hardly realize it.

“You appear to be astonished,” he said, smiling at my expression of surprise. [] “You see,” he explained, “I consider that a man’s brain originally is like a little empty attic, and you have to stock it with such furniture as you choose. [] Now the skillful workman is very careful indeed as to what he takes into his brain-attic. He will have nothing but the tools which may help him in doing his work, but of these he has a large assortment, and all in the most perfect order. [] It is of the highest importance, therefore, not to have useless facts elbowing out the useful ones.”

“But the Solar System!” I protested.

“What the deuce is it to me?” he interrupted impatiently; “you say that we go round the sun. If we went round the moon it would not make a pennyworth of difference to me or to my work.”

~

“Could there be a political aspect to this?”

“An excellent question” Samakro agreed. “Let me give you a simple answer: no.”

Laknym frowned. “No, sir?”

“No,” Samakro repeated. [] “The truth, Laknym, is that I’ve been Thrawn’s first officer since he came aboard. I’ve watched him in battles, in preparation for battles, in the aftermath of battles, and dealing with Aristocra and senior officers.”

He looked back at Laknym. “And I have never—never—seen anyone as utterly incompetent at politics as he is.”

~

Although the reasons for their selective ignorance are intrinsically distinct —a deliberate choice to disregard some subjects vs. the inability to understand social constructs— I find it staggeringly fascinating that these two great minds would not or could not master tasks uncomplicated for an ordinary man.

[Photo: phenomenal pin by @ritarussiandoll_pins, on a design by @nekostarberry]