Of all the stupid things!

Today, I'm celebrating Dunce Day!

Today is the anniversary of the November 8, 1308 death of Duns Scotus, a medieval scholar who was responsible for the introduction of the words "dunce" and "dunce cap" into the English language. As it turns out, the dunce cap comes from this 13th-century philosopher named John Duns Scotus, who, not surprisingly, was born in Duns, Scotland. This medieval scholar believed that cone-shaped hats actually increased learning potential. Here's the theory: knowledge is centralized at the apex and would flow from the point of the cap, down and into the mind of the wearer, making that person smarter. He was widely praised in his day, but eventually fell out of intellectual favor. His "duns cap" was a pretty obvious target of ridicule and came to symbolize stupidity. So, the logic of the dunce cap was that it would make slow pupils learn better, but it was later used to humiliate the wearer and motivate students to try harder.

Have you ever done something that you later felt was totally stupid? Maybe I'm the only one, but I've certainly had my share of acts or remarks where I'd like to make a short click back in time or request a quick do-over. They say practice makes perfect and some us just need a little extra rehearsal time to fine-tune things. I wish that John Duns Scotus' theory had been proven correct. I'd be the first in line at Target to pick up one of those caps to keep handy after a momentary lapse in my better judgment. :)

However, I'm especially thankful for my family and friends today who are forgiving of those times when I could have been a little smarter... could have 'bitten my tongue' before speaking... and could have made a better decision. It's those great family and friends who don't stick you in a corner in time-out, wearing a dunce cap, but rather often celebrate your uniqueness and are always ready to give a do-over!

After watching the CMA Awards earlier in the evening, a perfect song comes to mind on the day that we celebrate Dunce Day! Enjoy!

Song: Stupid Boy by Keith Urban , uploaded to YouTube by abbytink

(Image credit)