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An example would be the last time I got a haircut. The barber was yammering on about politics and current events (to all within ear shot). He's a good guy and means well, but he is so completely clueless on basic facts, to try to actually engage him in a real discussion would grind the entire joint to a halt.
Same thing happens a lot of places, and rather than even bother anymore, I find it easier to just keep it light.
I guess I'm the bad guy lol, I should really take more time to argue points of facts with everyone. Because it matters or makes a difference... like on forums for example..
Agreed... It isn't like some other people are starting from a position of intelligence, they're starting from a flawed baseline set of assumptions on a topic, and the more in depth they go as you engage them in conversation isn't going to magically fix those underlying problems.
I get it. You can try to reason with people, show them where they are wrong, why they are wrong... but most of the time, those people are unwilling to concede their viewpoints, even in the face of overwhelming facts and logic.
"You can't fix stupid," sums it up nicely.
Occasionally you get sucked into a discussion on the internet with these people, and of course, you never end up changing their mind, real life isn't any different.
I personally have a rule. I don't post about things I have no knowledge about. Internet discussions would run a whole lot smoother if everyone did the same.
Sometimes it can prudent to protect your intelligence. Like when you say something off the cuff in the company break room and someone else gets credit for bringing it up at staff meeting like it was their great idea.
I have spent a greater part of my lifetime (I'm 66 now) trying not to let my "geek" show. I have given up and just go with it. People will like me - or not like me - based on my entire personality and not on whether I'm smarter than they IF I don't rub it in their faces. I don't often have major philosophical discussions except with my partner. He's actually got a higher IQ than I.
And I definitely hold it against people who jump into a conversation such as this with misspelled words and poor grammar who are putting down the OP at the same time - see page 1.
I don't know whether this would qualify as being more intelligent, but my best friend only reads the occasional romance book and I"m not sure if she graduated from high school. (I have been an avid reader since I was young and went on to 1 year of secondary after graduating high school)
I believe as a result, her vocabulary is very limited to simple words and terms compared to mine. BTW, she can run circles around me with arithmetic.
I find it easier to talk with her at her level, not only because I'd have to explain a large word or meaning to her (she asks), but because I wouldn't want her to feel embarrassed at not knowing what I'm talking about.
A lot of intelligence 'hiding' depends on what is being discussed with whom. It's also not polite nor socially endearing to come across as a know it all and a lot of folks don't really want to know, either. So, whatever will keep the discussion going in a comfortable manner should work fine, although not always. If you're intelligent, you'll know when to show off.
Do you find yourself hiding your intelligence from others in real life? I do it all the time, it's just easier to play along in certain settings. For me, it's mostly in situations where I am out in retail or dining. Sometimes however, it's with acquaintances or even family. When I was younger, I'd discuss in depth (anywhere, anytime) the finer nuances of any topic. Now? I just drool and make the very comment that's expected of me and play rube.
"Yup, I'm as dumb and/or uninformed as you are. I'm normal! Let's go ahead and bond over our collective dumbassery!"
It's a whole lot easier. But still, there is a nagging sensation that made me bother to even post this thread.
You also?
No, because I don't look down on everyone I see. Some of these 'rubes' could teach me a thing or two.
Mr. Maryland: When I was in the second or third grade, we had a language test on a Friday, the teacher would correct the papers over the week-end.
On Monday she was about to announce the results, but she went on and on about one person got the highest grade, (98 out of 100), she said no one else even got close to that, she went on so long, I thought, "Come on who is the smart ass?" When she announced my name, I was so embarrassed, I never wanted to 'stand out from the crowd' again. It was years before I recognized I had evoked my emotions with my own thoughts.
I always managed a passing grade, but never excelled after that. What a terrible mistake I made.
Not since we escaped Mississippi. The most horrible thing about that place is the shame placed on intelligence (and knowledge) used for anything other than making money or fooling with football. The crime is bad. The drivers are horrible. Wild boars are tearing up the countryside, and poisonous snakes are abundant. There's a tornado seemingly every fifteen minutes, and the heat is unbearable, four months of the year. Poverty abounds, obesity is epidemic, and the state leads the nation in virtually every 'bad' category.
But the worst part, by far, is that you have to hide your intelligence. My husband and children begged me to relocate. I resisted. But now that we're in an IQ mecca, it's so wonderful. All that pressure to hide intelligence, and to SURRENDER INTELLIGENCE, is gone.
Do you find yourself hiding your intelligence from others in real life? I do it all the time, it's just easier to play along in certain settings. For me, it's mostly in situations where I am out in retail or dining. Sometimes however, it's with acquaintances or even family. When I was younger, I'd discuss in depth (anywhere, anytime) the finer nuances of any topic. Now? I just drool and make the very comment that's expected of me and play rube.
"Yup, I'm as dumb and/or uninformed as you are. I'm normal! Let's go ahead and bond over our collective dumbassery!"
It's a whole lot easier. But still, there is a nagging sensation that made me bother to even post this thread.
You also?
Years ago when our high school annual came out with my picture on the page with the top 5% of the class, one person came up to me and said, "I didn't know you were smart." I considered it one of the biggest compliments I had ever received. I ended up a reference librarian and was told by a co-worker that I was very approachable. It is possible to help people without making them feel inferior. They are probably better at making a cake than I am. Most anybody is better at spelling than I am.
Another story: My 8th grade homeroom teacher taught a little outside the box. When it came time to choose class officers, instead of having an election he went around the room and asked us to write down the person in the room we would most like to have help us with our homework. I came out first and he told the class I was their new president. I would never have been elected president in any other type of election. I think God has gifted me in helping people without affecting their self esteem.
Last edited by NCN; 01-08-2016 at 01:27 PM..
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