Stubbornness: A Sign of Stupidity or Intelligence?

In the provided quotations, Montaigne and Yevtushenko consider the topic of stubbornness, a personality trait loathed by some and revered by others. Montaigne posits that headstrong adherence to one’s beliefs is a sign of stupidity, while Yevtushenko argues that tenacity is actually a sign of intelligence. While both viewpoints are correct to some degree, evidence points towards the idea that stubbornness truly is indicative of intelligence.

Steadfastness in maintaining one’s ideals, even in the face of looming adversity, is an occasion in which stubbornness displays one’s intelligence. Rosa Parks exemplifies this version of stubbornness. A key figure in last century’s civil rights movement, Parks became famous for refusing to give up

her bus seat for a white man. Even though it was considered good etiquette at the time for an African American to sit at the back of buses, she believed otherwise. Immediately, Parks was jailed for her defiance, but her actions set off a wave of bus boycotts that provided a newfound impetus to the civil rights movement. As can be seen, Rosa Parks’ uncompromising nature was indicative of her social acumen. Her stubbornness was symbolic of the African Americans’ unwillingness to submit to racism. On a more pragmatic note, her actions energized and concentrated the civil rights movement. Rosa Parks’ strong-willed nature proves that stubbornness is also found in people who employ carefully calculated judgment.
Be that as it may, some cases of stubbornness apparently signify stupidity when a stubborn individual becomes bonded to his or her viewpoint, refusing to listen to others and resulting in dire consequences. One instance of this type of stubbornness is seen in the Bible story of the Plagues of Egypt. The pigheaded pharaoh of Egypt denied Moses’ pleas to free the Israelites from slavery, so as punishment, God sent down ten plagues, such as replacing the water with blood, inflicting the Egyptians with warts, and killing each Egyptian family’s firstborn son, that devastated the nation. After each of the first nine plagues infected the population, the pharaoh inflexibly withheld his internment of the Israelites, but after the tenth plague, in which his own firstborn son was eliminated, he capitulated to God’s will. The pharaoh’s surrender only took place after Egypt had been decimated by nine other plagues. His obstinate attitude in refusing to release the Israelites after much prodding resulted in a grim outcome. Had the pharaoh relaxed his obstinacy, his nation may not have entered the ruin that it did. Nevertheless, he blatantly disregarded the needs of his own people in deciding what to do with the Israelites, resulting in a morbid demise. The pharaoh’s stubbornness, since he ignored the consequences of his actions, was demonstrative of his foolishness.
Despite the conflict between the prior arguments presented, in reality, true stubbornness betokens intelligence because to truly be stubborn, one must have considered all other options before deciding to commit to one’s original choice.

In other words, one cannot truly be stubborn until it has been determined that being stubborn is the best option. Otherwise, adhering to one’s beliefs would just be arbitrary and without a basis. For instance, Rosa Parks remained stubborn by remaining in her seat because it was the most utilitarian response; the black community benefited as a result. On the other hand, the pharaoh was not really stubborn because he impulsively kept the Israelites under his control. He failed to consider other factors, such as the degradation of his kingdom that came about from his obstinacy. Furthermore, the pharaoh even faltered in his ability to maintain his opinions—he eventually submitted to Moses’ petitioning and God’s wrath. Accurate forms of stubbornness, such as that of Rosa Parks, exemplify a broad intellect, while their baseless counterparts, such as that of the pharaoh, falsely indicate that stubbornness is a sign of stupidity. Only true, well-founded tenacity can signify greater

intelligence.
Whether calling someone stubborn is a compliment or an insult is often left to the recipient of such a characterization. Nevertheless, evidence seems to show that an unbending personality is indicative of higher reasoning. Rosa Parks stubbornly remained seated because it provided an enormous advantage for black Americans, while the pharaoh blindly retained control over the Israelites for no good reason. True and tasteful stubbornness stipulates an unmatched willingness to uncover the truth; the truly stubborn will not stop being stubborn until he or she is satisfied.