In response to my petulant, headache-ridden post about feeling stupid, I received generous notes from reader-friends who didn't try to make me feel better so much as offer the recognition that feeling dumb is a regular element of communal learning. I think you should read Sheila's smart commentary about staff meetings (scroll down to the comments on the January 24 post) as well Nick's surprising comparison here:

As for me, all I know is that I know nothing, for when I don't know what justice is, I'll hardly know whether it is a kind of virtue or not, or whether a person who has it is happy or unhappy.

Thought of this Socratic line when I read your blog.

I truly think that feeling dumb/ignorant is the only honest state of a curious mind. It why I enjoy analyzing the capital markets--they make you feel dumb every day, even when you are making money. The supposition that someone always knows more than you do is the anchor every good trader tosses out of the boat every morning--and hopes that it catches somewhere solid.

Reading poems is like being a Wall Street trader! Think of that! Aren't you amazed?