Hard to Believe? What does it mean?

This is a true story—really!

On January 1^st I stumbled upon this display at the entry to the shopping area in departures at Ben Gurion Air Port. The figures in the display are even bigger than life size and so this “exhibit” very hard to miss. I stood staring in disbelief for several minutes. Mystified, I asked myself over and over what is their real message? Diesel is a successful multimillion-dollar business—what do they know that I don’t understand?

I have been reading “A Whole New Mind” by Daniel Pink with my RHSOE CoP. Pink believes that the “keys to the kingdom are changing hands” and that our society that has been dominated left brain (analytical) thinking is moving into a new era that will value and be dominated by right brain (emotional) thinking. Perhaps the folks at Diesel agree with Pink’s read of the declining appeal and influence of left brain thinking and values. Like Pink, it seems that Diesel feels that rebelling against left brain thinking (driven by knowledge and analysis) means valuing emotion, creativity, and play.

I do believe though that Pink would be mortified, though maybe not surprised by this ad display that shouts; "SMART CRITQUES, STUPID CREATES”. “SMART LISTENS TO THE HEAD, STUPID LISTENS TO THE HEART” and “STUPID IS GOOD FOR YOU”, “SMART HAS BRAINS, STUPID HAS BALLS”, “STUPID IS FEARLESS”, and my personal favorite, “TRUST STUPID”.

As a Jewish educator I am struggling with how to make sense of all this. What does Diesel know that I don’t? What lessons can we draw from this jarring approach as we do our avodat kodesh (sacred work)?