Brain vs. brawn. It seems the two are always at odds with one another. You're either smart, or you're brawny. It does no service to the opposition of this stereotype that so many of my brawny Facebook "friends" promote it. Most, if not all of them, seem like they are repelled by anything remotely academic, preferring instead to engage in frivolities that are shallow and simply not worth the time of any thinking person.
I don't necessarily believe all of them are stupid. I just think too many people don't exercise their brains enough, if at all. Physical exercise is tough, yes, but I find mental exercise can be even more exhausting. You can recover from the former in a few days, whereas the latter hits you in your head, and that's where it hurts the most. Further, certain academic concepts just lurk in the chasms of your mind, constantly jabbing at you until you comprehend them fully. Not everyone can become a genius, obviously. When I talk about "brains," I am referring to that thirst to always learn something new, be it a scientific fact or an artistic concept, as should be inherent in any creature that is capable of cognitive functions.
I am not dismissing physical exercise here. To get the body you desire takes a lot of dedication and hard work. As a matter of fact, too many people don't understand nor appreciate the discipline it requires to build muscle. If people see a muscular guy, they often label him as a stupid meat-head without even getting to know him (or his SAT scores).
The media is also none the wiser when it comes to challenging these stereotypes. Think about it: how many brawny geniuses do you see being portrayed in the popular media? The only ones that come to my mind are Bane and Beast. It almost seems taboo to merge the two dimensions into a single individual.
Being the perfectionist that I am, I want both brains and brawns, and, in my quest for both, I will be actively challenging the prevailing idea that you have to choose between one or the other. There are probably brawny guys out there that are also intellectually intimidating. And even if there aren't, I will be the first of such a kind.
I don't necessarily believe all of them are stupid. I just think too many people don't exercise their brains enough, if at all. Physical exercise is tough, yes, but I find mental exercise can be even more exhausting. You can recover from the former in a few days, whereas the latter hits you in your head, and that's where it hurts the most. Further, certain academic concepts just lurk in the chasms of your mind, constantly jabbing at you until you comprehend them fully. Not everyone can become a genius, obviously. When I talk about "brains," I am referring to that thirst to always learn something new, be it a scientific fact or an artistic concept, as should be inherent in any creature that is capable of cognitive functions.
I am not dismissing physical exercise here. To get the body you desire takes a lot of dedication and hard work. As a matter of fact, too many people don't understand nor appreciate the discipline it requires to build muscle. If people see a muscular guy, they often label him as a stupid meat-head without even getting to know him (or his SAT scores).
The media is also none the wiser when it comes to challenging these stereotypes. Think about it: how many brawny geniuses do you see being portrayed in the popular media? The only ones that come to my mind are Bane and Beast. It almost seems taboo to merge the two dimensions into a single individual.
Being the perfectionist that I am, I want both brains and brawns, and, in my quest for both, I will be actively challenging the prevailing idea that you have to choose between one or the other. There are probably brawny guys out there that are also intellectually intimidating. And even if there aren't, I will be the first of such a kind.
