Part one:
Even though it seems like a no-skills-required job, working at TJ Maxx requires that I use critical thinking all the time. Just for the sake of setting the scene, my official title is "Customer Service Coordinator," which is just another way of saying that I am directly in charge of all customer service situations during my increasingly-infrequent shifts. Without fail, I always encounter a customer who is upset with me for whatever reason, and I need to think about not only company policy, but the customer's wishes, how far I'm willing to bend the rules for her (all of the angry customers I've encountered are women. Maybe men don't care that much?), how long it will take me, and a thousand other inconsequential things. So basically, any social or professional situation in which I should use extreme caution/tact requires me to think critically.
Just the other day, - today, actually - I had an insatiable urge to make a comment in my political science class, and, without thinking about the pertinence of my comment, I heard myself blurt out one of the most unintelligible, irrelevant things I've said in at least three days. Needless to say, I felt like a moron. That, and my urge to speak in class was satisfied, and will probably stay on the down-low for at least a few weeks.
Actually, I lied. Last night, I went out to a going-away dinner for a coworker, and, in front of everyone, I proceeded to make an asinine comment, just for the sake of having something to say. I didn't say anything offensive, nor did I say anything unintelligent, I just ... made myself look dumb. I'm stuck with my coworkers for a lot longer than the extent of this semester, so I suppose that one was the bigger blunder.
Part two:
I have ambiguous feelings towards the term "intellectualism." Is it just the practice thinking a lot, or maybe being, like, hella smart? Either way, I think it's a pretty spineless word, with no real resonance, at least in my minds eye (ear?).
When I think of the word "intellectual," however, I can't help but think of it being used in a jeering way, to poke at someone who is not just intelligent, but haughty or arrogant as well. That being said, I wouldn't mind being called an intellectual for a few reasons - first and foremost, I like being called smart. Second, I can't help but picturing some tobacco-spittin', refrigerator-in-the-front-yard hick (I'm slowly realizing that I have a hard time being P.C., so no offense to anyone who may consider themselves hicks. I've met plenty of lovely people who, come to find out, happened to have a rusted-out kitchen appliance in their yard.) pettily slinging the word at the end of a wordfight (that s/he probably lost) with the man in Birkenstocks driving the Volvo. Anyway, in my mind, "intellectual" has a negative connotation, even though I personally don't perceive it to be anything less than a compliment. If thinking a lot, driving a luxurious Scandinavian car, and wearing sensible shoes is wrong, then I don't want to be right.
I really like the words "logic" and "reason." If there is anything that is more satisfying than taking a problem and systematically dissecting it to come to a conclusion, then I can't think of it. I wish I had some stupid, too-specific image in my mind that I could use to halfway articulate how I feel about these words, but I don't. The concepts of logic and reason are too vast for me to even begin to pinpoint them. Long story short: logic and reason have overwhelmingly positive correlations.
Edit: Just to clarify, I don't believe that one's SES has anything to do with one's capability to be smart, charming, and just a great, fun person. I don't care what you have in your lawn, where you store your appliances, or if you have a penchant for Skoal. I don't mean to offend anyone, I'm just drawing on (what I hope are) archetypal images of non-smart, non-critically-thinking people.
