Sara M’s An Epidemic of Stupidity is a clever, well thought out piece of writing. It speaks honestly about a rapidly spreading issue; the ever-present portrayal of stupidity as a quality in girls deemed attractive by males as a whole. The article gives this problem the attention it deserves.

Girls who are pretty or popular are seen as less than intelligent on such a regular basis that is now considered a cliché, or even a running joke or gag. As the article points out, television shows such as Jersey Shore are particularly guilty of this. Girls that act intelligent are sometimes mocked for it, rather than applauded. All this is leading some girls to believe that being vapid and shallow is equivalent, or at least a key component of, being found attractive by boys. The way I see it, this diminshes the efforts of women since the 19th century; efforts made in order to be acknowledged as equal with men in terms of capability and intelligence. I feel that we are moving backwards instead of forwards; going to great lengths to attract the attention of a boy as opposed to, or even to the detriment of, a good education and a successful life.

I believe that the message An Epidemic of Stupidity is sending is one that is not only relatable, but necessary. This issue is one that we see every day, but don’t always realize the importance of. Lowering one’s standards in order to be more “beautiful” is a dangerous mindset that will be hard to alter. However, An Epidemic of Stupidity is a defined step forward.