Value of intelligence or what do they lack?

[Deleted]

I know a great deal of people who are tremendously intelligent. Their grades are outstanding and they posses an astonishing amount of scientifical knowledge...
But almost all of them are ... stupid:
- their opinions are shallow
- they cant stand poetry
- they refuse to understand art
- they are racist, spoiled or mean

Theyll most likely end up with a well pair job, 1 wife and 2 kids. Go on vacation a few times a life and live in the biggest
, emptiest, house they can afford. While raising the next generation of 'thems'.

What is wrong with them? Is there something wrong with them? What is preventing them from fully using their mental capabilities? Are they truly intelligent....?

How confusing it all seems...

[Deleted]

Intelligence isn't a fixed value. There are so many different faces to it. I've met plumbers that were EXTREMELY quick of mind and smart but couldn't understand some basic things.
Or as you said it yourself, extremely flat degree holders.

[Deleted]

I know a great deal of people who are tremendously intelligent. Their grades are outstanding and they posses an astonishing amount of scientifical knowledge...
But almost all of them are ... stupid:
- their opinions are shallow
- they cant stand poetry
- they refuse to understand art
- they are racist, spoiled or mean

Theyll most likely end up with a well pair job, 1 wife and 2 kids. Go on vacation a few times a life and live in the biggest
, emptiest, house they can afford. While raising the next generation of 'thems'.

What is wrong with them? Is there something wrong with them? What is preventing them from fully using their mental capabilities?

The bolded apply to me, but I am only racist because of experience. I like to think I am a success, I am happy, have traveled to 100+ countries and earn more money than most people. Am I successful for these reasons? No. I am successful because I have found my life partner who has stuck with me through thick and thin for 8 years, he even earns so much more than me that I can retire today and still live the good life.

The moral of the story is....Success is how you define it, in my case it is how happy you are with your life.

[Badpaladin]

Have you considered that maybe it's not them? Often times in a "everyone else is...." scenario, it's not really what everyone else is doing.

[Spectral]

I've met a lot of people that invent reasons like these to compensate for the inferiority complex they feel from engaging someone that's just plain smarter than they are.

[Garnier Fructis]

"Their opinions are shallow" is a rather vague statement. Opinions on what topics? Are those opinions really shallow or do they only appear to be shallow (perhaps they've put a lot of thought into it)? What does it mean to be shallow anyways?

[zorkuus]

- they cant stand poetry

I don't see how this would make someone stupid. It's like saying a person is stupid because they can't stand a particular genre of music.

[Spectral]

"Their opinions are shallow" is a rather vague statement. Opinions on what topics? Are those opinions really shallow or do they only appear to be shallow (perhaps they've put a lot of thought into it)? What does it mean to be shallow anyways?

I've noticed quote a few people with woo-based ideas about that world that think philosophical naturalists are "shallow". I'm going to guess the OP holds that idea.

[Drekker17]

I don't see how being shallow, not liking poetry or understanding art is a sign of stupidity, but ok.

I notice a lot of people that do really well in school and are very good at math and science, typically are very left-brained. This isn't surprising as the left brain usually is better at organizing, math, science, does not value creativity as much (so that's why they aren't poetry or art lovers), is more into cold hard logic (which is why they may appear mean and unemotional).

Most people may think shallow or mean, but they have stronger right-brains so they know better when or how to say things, so they don't appear mean.

[Deleted]

None of those things make someone stupid. Likewise amazing grades doesn't make someone super intelligent. It's not that simple.

- their opinions are shallow
Opinion are personal so you can't say an opinion is wrong. It's too individualistic for that. You may not agree but having simple, shallow or few opinions doesn't make someone smart or clever.

- they cant stand poetry
I don't get most poetry. I have favorite poems but most of it leaves me cold. That though is with most things. Books, music and anything else someone can have an opinion or taste in. My grandfather listens to no music what so ever yet is quite possibly the best engineer I've ever met. Is he stupid? No he isn't he's just different.

- they refuse to understand art
I don't get art most of the time. I'm colourblind so miss a lot of what art has to offer. I can look at a classic and appreciate the skill required. I however don't look at a painting and often ponder the underlying metaphor. I tend to take art at face value.

- they are racist, spoiled or mean
You can't help some people so don't waste your time.

[Catta]

I don't see how this would make someone stupid. It's like saying a person is stupid because they can't stand a particular genre of music.

Some people simply cannot fathom the intricate workings of Skrillex's art.

[Wiyld]

Maybe its because the world does not in fact work the way the vapid emotionally driven whiners like to claim it does?

Maybe its because the world can in fact many times be broken down into black and white generalizations that when coolly analyzed allow for success?

You would be amazed when you can accomplish when every decision you make isn't constantly clouded by fear of offending someone.

[Bigbamboozal]

Intelligence is like four wheel drive, it's not going to make you unstoppable, it just sort of tends to get you stuck in more remote places.

[Catta]

None of those things make someone stupid. Likewise amazing grades doesn't make someone super intelligent. It's not that simple.

- their opinions are shallow
Opinion are personal so you can't say an opinion is wrong. It's too individualistic for that. You may not agree but having simple, shallow or simple few opinions doesn't make someone smart or clever.

Well you can say an opinion is wrong when said opinion clashes with actual fact.

[Deleted]

Funny fact. I remember my old schoolmates, a girl and a guy. Always had high grades. Guess what, now at 30 years old, the girl is unemployed and living with a guy who owns some little crappy firm, and the guy is married, has 2 girls and a crappy paying job as a teller at a bank. Wow, that hard work and study sure helped.

Me, I slacked all through school and highschool and now I'm sorta rich and only working like half a month, and playing video games the rest of the time and don't want anything more.

School performance says absolutely dick squat.

[Deleted]

I don't see how this would make someone stupid. It's like saying a person is stupid because they can't stand a particular genre of music.

Indeed, big deal if you cannot stand poetry. I have A Dsc and do not understand poetry at all, I don't think that makes me stupid.

---------- Post added 2013-03-08 at 11:49 PM ----------

Funny fact. I remember my old schoolmates, a girl and a guy. Always had high grades. Guess what, now at 30 years old, the girl is unemployed and living with a guy who owns some little crappy firm, and the guy is married, has 2 girls and a crappy paying job as a teller at a bank. Wow, that hard work and study sure helped.

Me, I slacked all through school and highschool and now I'm sorta rich and only working like half a month, and playing video games the rest of the time and don't want anything more.

School performance says absolutely dick squat.

I did dick though school too, but it meant I had to redo it as an adult at MY EXPENSE. The moral of the story is..... Do it when you are younger and it is free and/or cheaper.

[Badpaladin]

School performance says absolutely dick squat.

Except for in cases where it does.

[The One Percent]

Intelligence is interesting in how a person can be extremely smart in a certain facet and completely fail in another. A master carpenter has a different kind of intelligence than a computer programmer, for example.

[Bigbamboozal]

Except for in cases where it does.

Yah....except when we get people in with a masters degree who do not have the practical knowledge to properly use a BROOM. I kid you not. And no, they don't even have the 'we're swiffer kids' thing to fall back on.

[Deleted]

I've met a lot of people that invent reasons like these to compensate for the inferiority complex they feel from engaging someone that's just plain smarter than they are.

My friend does this a lot. He can't stand being beat in exams, which is terrible for him considering he isn't exactly the sharpest tool in the box, if you catch my drift.
I admit. I like to think I'm a scientist, as I'm doing A-levels in Physics, chemistry and mathematics. I don't understand poetry, and I hate art. That's my opinion, and according to your logic that's a 'bad' thing apparently?