How to be a Dunce

Fools Training Part One

Five fingers correlates to the five FOOL archetypes

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• Pinky finger first—the gift of the Dunce is Humility.

• Then ring finger—the gift of the Jester is Playfulness.

• Then middle finger—the gift of the Clown is the Shadow.

• Then the ring finger—the gift of the Joker is Confidence in Countering.

• Finally the thumb—the gift of the Bard is Loving the Whole.

Storytellers are fools.

We storytellers live at once within and outside the hierarchical power structure of most developed societies. We get to do both. Storytellers and fools work for the community leader and the group while being encouraged to step out of the system and “tell the truth”.

We start with the DUNCE - the “simple fool”.

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The dunce is the simpleton, the lazy child, the misbehaving kid in class that is sent to sit in the corner. In fairy tales, they are represented as the third child who is “stupid” and chastised by the rest of the family. While the clever older sons or daughters are exclusively focused on success (and miss important details along the way) the fairy tale third child is big hearted, open and present in every moment. Instead of walking arrogantly past “the old man in the woods”, they sit with him, offer him some lunch, and wonder if the old one needs some help.  And they are rewarded.

In fairy tales, this act of innocent generosity is rewarded with gifts that yield great power that will bring the third child riches, fame and love.  The remarkable thing is that they don't abuse the power given to them - they remain humble, empathetic and in true service. This is the power and archetype of the third child, the simple fool, the dunce. This is Bilbo Baggins, Cinderella and Forrest Gump. Innocent, humble and ultimately very very powerful and effective.

The dunce is also a rebel.

Not an intentional rebel, but one that does not properly follow the rules. They listen to birds, they go on adventures, they speak when others know they are supposed to be quiet. And they are punished. They are given a demeaning hat to wear and put in the corner. This is done with the aim to humiliate.  Humus.  Humility.

The word “dunce” comes from an intention to humiliate John Duns Scotis, the Rennaisance humanist and intellectual.¹  Scotis believed in the uniquivoty of existence—that all individuals are at once a part of all existence, while maintaining a “haecceity” or “thisness”. They are everything while also being themselves. This is a form of non-dual consciousness. We are all made of same stuff but there is something unique about each thing within it.

Well, the rest of the Renaissance world thought he was being stupid.

They thought him a simpleton for thinking this. And even though new physics and most eastern consciousness is in agreement with Jon Duse Scotis, he was called a fool. And his name Duns, was transformed into Dunce.

We connect the Dunce with the pinky finger in that it represents the humble antenna to the spiritual world.² It is the smallest finger, the “least useful” while also being the one deeply connected to what is actually important.

Let’s learn how to access and strengthen your Dunce.