Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I absolutely do think that there are many kinds of intelligence. Obviously most people feel this way, as evidenced by how the question was phrased in the first place.
Okay okay I see what you're saying now. I just hear people classify others as "intelligent" or "unintelligent" and I take that to mean slow learner = unintelligent and fast learner = intelligent.
Okay okay I see what you're saying now. I just hear people classify others as "intelligent" or "unintelligent" and I take that to mean slow learner = unintelligent and fast learner = intelligent.
Sure, people have this way of slinging snap judgments at others that are incredibly ill-considered and often inaccurate.
It's like how anyone driving slower than you on the road is "some kind of idiot" and anyone driving faster than you is "some kind of maniac." It's all relative, and there are no absolutes.
My IQ has tested out between 135-145. I'm almost always the smartest person in the room.
And its a curse in my personal life. Wives have left me over "always being wrong". Last one told me she wanted someone dumber then her for the next guy. Current one is probably in the 130 range, and occasionally corrects me, which is pretty awesome.
Additionally a high IQ doesn't mean you make good choices. Its not a guarantee for success in life-although I have had some its been tough. It doesnt make you more motivated-in fact often the opposite.
A personal question that you don't have to answer...
Do you use any kind of hormonal birth control (I assume you are female from your name)...?
Because I felt the same way, with regard to emotions, when under the influence of Depo Provera. When I went off of that stuff, all of my emotions, including joy and enthusiasm that had been dampened for years, came back.
Again, you don't have to say anything here, but if you are using that stuff, any hormone based birth control, research the side effects. Depo in particular is pretty nasty stuff. If not, then, well...yanno...nevermind.
No birth control besides condoms.. that's the odd part of it.. I've always had this block or lack of emotions. I can feel passionate, even angry at times.. concern, like/dislike, interest or curiosity. But love, joy, hate, animosity, attachment or sadness (the extremes of emotions) I can't get. I haven't even cried in years, even though I've encountered situations that would've made other people completely break down..
It's like nothing is there and never has been. I really, honestly do not care either way.. it's not an act, it's not depression or repression. Otherwise, my life is quite normal.. albeit the people who are in my life think of me as rather cold-hearted and harsh because I don't express fuzzy feelings to anyone.. I can't because I have no idea what they are.
Whenever they express them towards me (even a positive emotion like love), it makes me so strangely irritated that I usually end the relationship and never want to talk to them again! I literally cannot understand it. Sometimes I have to force myself to "show" an emotion because it's socially needed in that moment, though I don't feel it and sometimes I wish I could care, but I simply don't.
I've rejected the "pretty" female persona and embraced the "nerdy intellectual." While I care about health and hygiene, yes, I don't go out of my way for beauty. My clothing is chosen with regard to some semi-obscure cult interest in the hopes of inciting conversations with others who might notice. I pick up intellectual obsessions and teach myself stuff. Now I know I'm just as prone to "dummy mistakes" and gaps in my knowledge in certain areas, as anyone. I certainly do not "know it all." But what smarts I have are my favorite thing about me.
I have no idea my IQ and I'm skeptical about measurements of intelligence via tests, so I'm not that interested.
I have been trying to talk myself into pursuing more formal education, but I am perpetually pursuing informal education (reading & researching various topics.)
I have far more common sense and "street smarts" (at least situational awareness and ways to keep myself safe and functional) than most people I know. I make decent life choices. I give good advice. It's a particular gift that I am an excellent judge of character and I understand other people well. I usually have a better grasp on the motivations and behavior of others and a good "gut" on who to trust and who not to trust.
As I mentioned, it affects my behavior and self presentation in the sense that I brush off and dismiss compliments on my appearance that are supposed to be high flattery. I guess, since I'm female, I'm supposed to WANT to be considered pretty...and when I "psh, thanks, ok whatever" at those sorts of comments people actually argue sometimes, like if I don't get all blushy and happy about it I must have low self esteem...I've had to explain myself to way too many people about this. I really just don't care. I would rather nerd out on the topic of how awesome certain cephalopods are, or talk about a cool documentary about citizen journalism in China, or discuss books or sci fi or Monty Python... It also affects my confidence, my choices in friends and activities, my preference for sobriety, and any number of other things about my life.
IQ is simply your ability to swim in strange waters
Whenever the question of one's intelligence comes up on internet forums, just about everyone seems to have a genius IQ. A reminder to those folks, your parents will be home soon so you better clean the kitchen table.
Last edited by TreeBeard; 01-06-2015 at 08:25 PM..
I don't like my IQ because I'm ahead of most people but not smart enough to really crush it intellectually.
I went to undergrad at a 2nd tier college and dominated, but went to grad school at MIT and was really out gunned. My line of work is sort of for C listers and A listers, so I feel super bored if I'm on a C-list job but scrambling on an A-list jobs. As far as I can tell, the intellectual levels of work have suffered the same trends as the economic levels. There is a tiny amount of cool stuff to do for the super talented, a lot of scut work for the average, but nothing to do for the B+ people.
I've rejected the "pretty" female persona and embraced the "nerdy intellectual." While I care about health and hygiene, yes, I don't go out of my way for beauty. My clothing is chosen with regard to some semi-obscure cult interest in the hopes of inciting conversations with others who might notice. I pick up intellectual obsessions and teach myself stuff. Now I know I'm just as prone to "dummy mistakes" and gaps in my knowledge in certain areas, as anyone. I certainly do not "know it all." But what smarts I have are my favorite thing about me.
I have no idea my IQ and I'm skeptical about measurements of intelligence via tests, so I'm not that interested.
I have been trying to talk myself into pursuing more formal education, but I am perpetually pursuing informal education (reading & researching various topics.)
I have far more common sense and "street smarts" (at least situational awareness and ways to keep myself safe and functional) than most people I know. I make decent life choices. I give good advice. It's a particular gift that I am an excellent judge of character and I understand other people well. I usually have a better grasp on the motivations and behavior of others and a good "gut" on who to trust and who not to trust.
As I mentioned, it affects my behavior and self presentation in the sense that I brush off and dismiss compliments on my appearance that are supposed to be high flattery. I guess, since I'm female, I'm supposed to WANT to be considered pretty...and when I "psh, thanks, ok whatever" at those sorts of comments people actually argue sometimes, like if I don't get all blushy and happy about it I must have low self esteem...I've had to explain myself to way too many people about this. I really just don't care. I would rather nerd out on the topic of how awesome certain cephalopods are, or talk about a cool documentary about citizen journalism in China, or discuss books or sci fi or Monty Python... It also affects my confidence, my choices in friends and activities, my preference for sobriety, and any number of other things about my life.
This sounds a lot like me when I was a teenager. Later, though, I started college, my mom died, and, gradually, from watching TV, taking communication classes, observing my classmates, and enduring scathing criticism by students and teachers at my job, I realized how little of a "woman" I actually was. Now, I'm the exact opposite. I really like clothes and am into my appearance. I don't have a talent for styling myself, though, so you would probably never know that I like fashion so much. It's all about non-verbal communication, though, and that's where I have a lot of weak points. I found out about a month ago that I have Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asperger's Syndrome) so social things don't come easily to me. It's probably not as bad as it sounds. I can connect; I just have an odd way of doing it. I also become obsessed pretty easily.
I am smart, not exceptionally brilliant by any means, but I surround myself with people I consider smart in different ways. Some are not as smart, others are much much smarter. I am always learning and anytime someone offers to teach me a skill or get me started on a new hobby, I take them up on it. I have friends who are doctors, and never could have got through their schooling. My best friend is a software engineer, what he does amazes me and what I do amazes him. I feel we are equally smart, but he claims as an engineer of material items I have a broader base of intellect. To me his command of what I see as random letters and numbers seems like something my brain just will never be able to do at his level. It's all relative.
As a former military man I am street smart bordering on OCD when it comes to risk management, and difficult or dangerous situations. I have a plan Z for everything I do. It exhausts my poor wife to be married to me I think. She has reserved her self to just letting me plan everything. The one time she planned a trip to Victoria BC, she messed up the ferry schedule, and we got stuck in Canada and couldn't make it back to work on time. From that time on she just handed me the reigns. I can fight if I need to but I can also read a situation well enough to know whether I should use diplomacy, force or if I should run. I was almost stabbed in Turkey in my younger years. Stupid young servicemen antics. Luckily, cooler heads prevailed.
I have made good financial and relationship decisions. My kids are great, my career toolbox is pretty full and prosperous. I have no regrets. I say if you have no regrets and are happy with life then you must have been pretty smart regardless of an ability to book learn. Some of the wisest people I have ever known have had less than high school education. I have known some learned people who made some really dumb decisions. And I have known dumb people who have hit rock bottom and found redemption. We all die, and 99.99% us won't be remembered by anyone four generations from now.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
