Is There a "Brilliant" Epidemic?

THE"BRILLIANT"EPIDEMIC

by Kewho Min

3 THINGS TO ASKYOURSELF BEFORE YOUCALL SOMETHING ORSOMEONE “BRILLIANT"

Is Everyone (and Everything)Really Brilliant?

IN EUROPE, “BRILLIANT!” IS THECOLLOQUIAL RESPONSE OF

AGREEMENT, THE EXCLAMATION OFSHARED ACCORD. IT’S WHAT YOUSAY WHEN YOU HEAR GOOD NEWS

OR CELEBRATORY ANNOUNCEMENTS—OR ANY OTHER DISCLOSURES THAT

ARE AT LEAST MODERATELYAGREEABLE.


BUT HERE’S WHAT “BRILLIANT” ISNOT: A CATCHALL TERM TODESCRIBE EVERYTHING AND

EVERYONE WHO IS SMART AND/ORTALENTED AND/OR INNOVATIVE.


AS AN ADJECTIVE, “BRILLIANT” HASBECOME ONE OF THE MOSTOVERUSED WORDS WHOSE

FREQUENCY ALONE HAS BEGUN TOUNDERMINE ITS SEMANTIC VALUE.


MY RECOMMENDATION? SELF-INTERVENTION.


YOU CAN PREEMPTYOUR NEXT CALLING-THINGS-BRILLIANT-

THAT-PROBABLY-AREN’T OFFENSE.


JUST ASK YOURSELFTHREE QUESTIONS.


QUESTION #1ASK YOURSELF,“AMI TALKING ABOUT

PRINCE?”


IF THE WEEKS FOLLOWING PRINCE’S DEATH HAVE TAUGHT ME NOTHINGELSE, IT’S THAT PRINCE IS, AMONG COUNTLESS OTHER THINGS, AN

AGREED UPON BENCHMARK FOR BRILLIANCE. SO, IF YOU’RE SECONDSAWAY FROM CALLING SOMEONE OR SOMETHING BRILLIANT AND YOU’RENOT TALKING ABOUT PRINCE OR ONE OF HIS SONGS, THEN THINK AGAIN.

IS THAT SO-CALLED BRILLIANT PERSON OR THING THAT YOU’RE ABOUT TOEXTOL IS NOT AS BRILLIANT AS PRINCE? PROBABLY NOT.


WHY PRINCE, YOU ASK?


QUESTION #2:ASK YOURSELF,“AM

I JUST BEING LAZY?”

TOO OFTEN, PEOPLE SAY BRILLIANT, WHEN THEY MIGHT ACTUALLY MEANEXCELLENT OR SPECIAL OR TERRIFIC OR INSIGHTFUL OR INNOVATIVE ORTOP-NOTCH OR SPOT-ON. MOST HUMAN BEINGS ARE SLUGGARDS WHEN ITCOMES TO CHOOSING THE RIGHT WORDS TO SAY WHAT WE MEAN. DIG A

LITTLE DEEPER INTO THE NOMENCLATURE OF POSITIVE APPRAISAL.


WHY LAZY, YOU ASK?


QUESTION #3: ASK YOURSELF,“HAVE I ALREADYCALLED SOMEONE OR SOMETHINGELSE ‘BRILLIANT’ TODAY OR THIS

WEEK?”


FREQUENCY COUNTS.YOU’RE PROBABLY BEING TOO LIBERAL WITH THE WORD IF

YOU’RE SAYING IT 20 TIMES A DAY AND YOU’RE NOT ATTENDINGA TED CONFERENCE OR A MENSA MEETING. MONITOR FREQUENCYWITH THE GOAL OF BEING MORE SELECTIVE AND SINCERE ABOUT

WHEN YOU USE IT.


SO PLEASE,PEOPLE, TAKE A

BREAK FROMSAYING

‘BRILLIANT.’”

TH EEND

This has been a presentation byKewho Min

Economy & Finance

Is There a "Brilliant" Epidemic?