Comments

You must log in or register to comment.

Gemmabeta t1_iudd5hq wrote

The earliest origin of this idea traces back to this 2000 Straight Dope article, which cites no sources.

https://www.straightdope.com/21342933/what-s-the-origin-of-the-dunce-cap

In fact, the pointy hat has a long history of being used as a symbol of shame, for example the Capirote, which was a mark of humiliation worn by heretics undergoing the auto-da-fe.

469

Saturnalliia t1_iudhd4l wrote

The auto-de what now?

55

DistortoiseLP t1_iuej6h4 wrote

The fun part of a visit by the Inquisition after all the other legal proceedings wrapped up.

6

atomicdustbunny07 t1_iuhvx8w wrote

How can they be expected to read if they can't fit into the buildings (wearing point hats)?

1

its_not_you_its_ye t1_iuend03 wrote

It is worth also noting, though, that while your comment applies to the origin of the tradition of the cap, the term “dunce” does trace back to John Duns Scotus. While he was a noted philosopher in his time, his followers were later seen as outdated thinkers during the Enlightenment, which is how the teen became pejorative.

40

charredutensil t1_iueq7ye wrote

"penitence" is definitely not the first thought I had when I clicked that second link...

6

XShhhDontBiteX t1_iuf99jf wrote

Damn. The Kool Kid’s Klub really ruined pointy hats for everybody.

6

greenvillain t1_iudaxox wrote

But the funnel is going up and away from the head. Shouldn't it go the other way?

91

Hypertension123456 t1_iudaqix wrote

> a sign of high intelligence and wisdom. Philosopher and theologian John Duns Scotus was a proponent of pointy hats as a way to funnel knowledge to the mind

Um, what? That's one of the dumbest ideas ever. I don't think this qualified them as a sign of high intelligence to anyone who wasn't a theologian. It's not like actual scientists from the 1500s ran around in these hats.

46

UnadvertisedAndroid t1_iudv1ja wrote

Exactly. Today OP learned that 1 guy convinced a couple of melonheads to run around in dunce caps thinking it made them look intelligent while everyone else laughed behind their backs.

12

Captain__Spiff t1_iude9g4 wrote

Were originally meant as such, by Scotus himself, not in general

1

amnesiac2323 t1_iudbic6 wrote

Little known fact: The SCOTUS was named after John Duns Scotus

10

Full_Temperature_920 t1_iudu1tl wrote

You'd have to be a fucking dunce to think a dunce cap would make you smarter so imo these were never symbols of intelligence, at least not to any intelligent observer

9

supercyberlurker t1_iueh9v0 wrote

These didn't work because aluminum was insanely expensive in the 1500s. You don't get the funneling effect if you don't block out the mind-control rays. Tinfoil hats don't work though as they actually concentrate the dumbing signals, you have to line the inside of the dunce cap with aluminum foil. Only then do you get the massive jump in learning.

9

prjindigo t1_iudlhpe wrote

They were apparently made in the image of the hats worn by jews back around 100 and conical hats were put on people burned at the stake for heresy etc etc.

Several documentaries on youtube from major sources.

3

HugeDisgustingFreak t1_iueakaq wrote

If you asked me to make up an origin story for the dunce cap I would probably say something like "There was a guy named John Dunce who wore a pointy hat and people thought he was a loser." So this sounds fishy to me.

3

sprkwtrd t1_iuff39u wrote

Duns Scotus ran afoul of church doctrine hundreds of years ago and people are still making up shit about him.

3

South_Data2898 t1_iuem5mw wrote

If you follow a dumbass fad and wear a stupid hat it's not "a sign of high intelligence" it's a sign of being an easy mark.

Just like Mensa.

2

arglarg t1_iufmh8t wrote

Highly intelligent and convinced the science community to wear pointy hats for a century. I like this guy.

2

Styr4c t1_iug9j5p wrote

Every TIL post Ive seen in my feed the past several days was either severely stupid/wrong or incredibly obvious. Has it always been this bad and I never noticed or is this new

2

2KilAMoknbrd t1_iueydxp wrote

Wizards and witches wore 'em for a reason

1

flekkzo t1_iufjuws wrote

That sounds like some grand Wizard KKK level of “smarts”.

1

Captain-Cadabra t1_iufpaib wrote

So it was an ironic insult? Like Bugs Bunny and the use of “Nimrod” as an insult to a hunter?

1

PostyMcPosterson t1_iuhmhiq wrote

I wore a red one once for Halloween along with a civil war jacket. I don’t remember much of that night though.

1

tonyims t1_iuem3sg wrote

The fact that they think a pointy hat will funnel knowledge is proof that it was never a sign of high intelligence

0

HorrificAnalInjuries t1_iudnkmo wrote

So the dunce cap isn't so much as to humiliate the wearer as it was to try to make them smarter, which is why in older cartoons you see the idiot wearing one after they do something stupid

−3

Landlubber77 t1_iudbsgf wrote

It wasn't until the swastika was appropriated by the Nazis that such a shift in the original intent of a symbol was observed.

−12

kaenneth t1_iueymo8 wrote

I think Crosses changing from a tool of death by torture to the main symbol of Christianity beats that.

0

HORACEDEBUSSYJONES t1_iuez51c wrote

NOW THEY ARE REFERRED TO AS BIDEN CAPS

−13

rockbridge13 t1_iuf0olb wrote

Dark Brandon is coming to vaccinate your children and turn them Trans, get off the internet while you still have time to run.

6