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# The Intellectual Virtues: A Glossary
- URL: https://www.waterisforcowards.com/the-virtues/
- Published: 2026-10-23T01:27:33.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-26T23:33:22.000Z
- Author: Editor
- Tags: The Virtues, Features, #Import 2026-10-23 01:35

*Don't believe the lies.* 

**Curiosity**  
*The lie:* learning something for its own sake.  
*The truth:* correctly guessing what the person in charge wants to be asked, and then asking it*.*

**Critical Thinking**  
*The lie:* independently interrogating claims; refusing the options on the table; questioning the frame of the person in charge, knowing it’s probably going to lead to a low grade.   
*The truth:* reproducing the teacher’s own critique back to her or making sure any disagreement with her falls within a permitted range of dissenting opinions. 

**Creativity**  
*The lie:* thinking originally; producing something unexpected that an authority figure either won’t like or recognize.  
*The truth:* contributing something that a rubric declares surprising or original, never threatens your grade, and approved by a person in power who you hope will write your letter of recommendation someday.

**Deep Understanding**  
*The lie:* actively exploring and using knowledge in new ways; seeking lasting and meaningful comprehension.  
*The truth:* excelling at timed and anxiety-inducing assessments that measure how many things you can list about a subject.

**Intellectual Risk-Taking**  
*The lie:* taking *actual* intellectual risks.  
*The truth:* challenging yourself and the person in charge in a way that earns you an award for “School’s Most Courageous Thinker."