You’re not running for vice president

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Story time. Years ago, the darling husband and I were watching the news. It was in 2008, John McCain was running for president with Sarah Palin as his running mate.

Remember when she was the dumbest politician? I don’t remember which of the many foolish things she said prompted this conversation, sadly. But it was probably something to do with geography because geography isn’t my strength. Palin gave some stupid answer, and the darling husband mocked her.

And that stung. Because, as I told him, I didn’t know the answer to that question either.

“Yeah,” he said. “But you’re not running for vice president. You don’t have to know that.”

All these years later, that comment still comforts me. Because, you see, I don’t always think so much of myself, intelligence-wise. It’s easy to think you’re dumb when you’re told your whole childhood that women, God love us, just aren’t that smart. So even now, after working over ten years in a tech profession and publishing ten books, I tend to doubt myself. When I don’t know something, anything, I feel like that’s a personal failing. Even weird, obscure things that most people don’t know.

So I wanted to share some thoughts on this with you today.

You don’t need to feel stupid for not knowing things.

There are so many things to know in this world. No matter how much you think you know, there is so much more to learn that we will just not know it all.

And that’s normal. You can’t possibly know things about everything. You’re going to have things you’re really good at, and things you’re not so good at. Like I said, I’m not good with geography. Or physical dimensions. Oh, and I can’t remember dates unless someone makes a musical about it.

This doesn’t make me dumb. It just means that these are not things that I know because frankly, they don’t interest me.

But I can tell you every lyric to most songs I’ve ever heard. I know a lot about history if it interests me. I can talk on and on about the history of the horror genre, especially if it’s about George Romero. I can tell you a little bit about a lot of things. And I do not think that people who cannot answer those things are stupid. It just means that those things don’t necessarily interest them.

If you don’t know things, it never means you’re stupid. It just means you don’t know that thing.

You don’t need to know everything to expect other people to know things.

That being said, you are allowed to expect people who claim to be experts to know what they are talking about. Politicians are a good example. I don’t know how to feed and care for the homeless. I don’t know how to fix roads, lower grocery prices or increase people’s pay. I don’t have answers for those things, so I’m not a politician. But that doesn’t mean I can’t expect the politicians that I elect to have answers to these difficult questions. That’s what they’re supposed to know.

We are allowed to expect our doctors to know how to help us heal. We are allowed to expect teachers to know their subject. We are allowed to expect the local librarian to be able to help us find the books we need.

And if we’re talking about politicians, we should hold them accountable when they don’t have the answers for those things. That’s their job.

You can always learn something new.

Finally, if you find something that you don’t know, but you want to know, then you can learn it. You can always learn new things. No matter how old you are, or how young. No matter if something seems daunting, difficult, or confusing. No matter if it will take you time to learn that thing. If you want to learn it, if it gives you joy to learn, then you should put in the time for yourself.

I am 37 years old, and I recently got a violin. I haven’t held a violin since 5th grade. But I’m going to get it repaired and learn how to play it. Right now I’m a little intimidated by the whole thing. I don’t remember the cords. I cannot read sheet music.

But I am not a professional violinist. I am not expected to know. I am not stupid for not knowing. But I can learn.

I hope that you carry this with you like I do. On the days you feel dumb, when you feel like you never have the right answer. Or when something new you’re trying to learn is daunting. Remember, you’re not running for vice president. And if you do want to run for vice president, or do something else hard, you can probably learn what you need.