Do you consider yourself smart?

I changed my major to aerospace engineering because it's something I am actually interested in that I, for the lack of a better term, is something that is "essential". I love art and will always be an artist.  However,  I also want to get involved in something that requires learning a lot. It may sound weird, but I enjoy learning and wish to learn advanced mathematics and sciences. People would often refer to me as the "smart kid" but I'm actually not as "smart" as people think.  I realized I want to change that. The good thing is, unlike high school,  I enjoy studying and learning. 

Anyway enough of my ranting. Do you consider yourself smart and intelligent? Do you actually look forward to studying and learning? 

1. Sort of.

2. Nope, not at all. Would much rather indulge in my hobbies, which is primarily audio. At the moment, I'm trying to get my foot in the door with companys by writing reviews for them(like review samples of products they send me.) I absolutely love doing this to death. I hope to one day work at an audio business, I actually went to breakfast with a company the other day.

Yes I got 133 on that IQ test.

Anyway I do consider myself smart. I have major concentration problems. Really major when it comes to studying. But I learn things very fast and have a good memory. And I can use the knowledge I acquire in a versatile matter. If that's what you consider smart I would definitely change that for more dicipline. I've come to learn that that is much more important than intelligence.

Yes but I consider it a curse of the worst kind and I take measures to try to decrease my intelligence. 

Yes but I consider it a curse of the worst kind and I take measures to try to decrease my intelligence. 

KingKinect

That's a good point; discipline is half the battle. I was always scared of math and questioned myself, but as long as I kept working at it, the better I got, and this requires discipline.

I believe I am "smart", but it's the certain intelligence of an analyst. I'm by no means a mathematician, but I understand the concept of human relations, bases of society, and simple emotions off of certain catalysts. Do I like to learn? No, in fact, it's not one of my strong suits. However, I am continuously learning about people, whether good or bad, it's a habit.

I think I'll just refer to a quote from Plato:

 "Wise men speak because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."

I'm told I'm intelligent, but I'm far from a genius.

 

I think I'll just refer to a quote from Plato:

 

 "Wise men speak because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."

Allicrombie

Excellent another fan of Civilization 4. Tell me I'm wrong :)

 

I think I'll just refer to a quote from Plato:

 

 "Wise men speak because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."

Allicrombie

So I'm a fool?

Yes.

You can lecture me all day and I won't learn a thing, but if I read it I know it forever. Some things I learned in elementary school are revelations to my middle-aged peers. I've actually had to explain why the sky is different with the seasons, and even using visual aides they can't comprehend it.

I don't think it so much that my intellect is superior, I just think most people don't take time to contemplate more than they need to get through the day. A lot of people I know seem to have that 'itenerary' mentality, where they just repeat the same processes over day after day and never really think beyond that (with the obvious exception of fantasizing).

I read. A lot. And mostly non-fiction. So although I said yes above, I think it's more that I just have more information to draw from.

Choosing to exercises your intellect is a choice, some people just don't see the time/reward value in learning things that doesn't directly influence their life.

That being said, Farmer Joe down the street may not be able to read well, but if your tractor breaks he can fix it with a rubber band and some duct tape. I probably seem stupid to him as I can't tell a pressure hose from a water hose.

Yes, but I have some trouble recognizing patterns and symbols, which really messes with my mathematical abilities beyond basic math. Every other subject or problem, though, I'm everybody's "go-to" guy.

I guess the better answer would be everyone else thinks I'm intelligent, but I'm not too concerned with it.

Smartish.

id say im about average intelligence

Smart enough.foxhound_fox

No, I'm not that smart. I consider myself slightly above average intelligence.

I hit my educational limits at taking a first year university calculus course. Could I have passed that calculus class? Maybe, after several tries; much, much studying; and my own tutor. The effort wouldn't have been efficient or worth the reward.

Yes.

You can lecture me all day and I won't learn a thing, but if I read it I know it forever. Some things I learned in elementary school are revelations to my middle-aged peers. I've actually had to explain why the sky is different with the seasons, and even using visual aides they can't comprehend it.

I don't think it so much that my intellect is superior, I just think most people don't take time to contemplate more than they need to get through the day. A lot of people I know seem to have that 'itenerary' mentality, where they just repeat the same processes over day after day and never really think beyond that (with the obvious exception of fantasizing).

I read. A lot. And mostly non-fiction. So although I said yes above, I think it's more that I just have more information to draw from.

Choosing to exercises your intellect is a choice, some people just don't see the time/reward value in learning things that doesn't directly influence their life.

That being said, Farmer Joe down the street may not be able to read well, but if your tractor breaks he can fix it with a rubber band and some duct tape. I probably seem stupid to him as I can't tell a pressure hose from a water hose.

br0kenrabbit

at certain things

 

I think I'll just refer to a quote from Plato:

 

 "Wise men speak because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."

Allicrombie

Lao-tzu said "those who know do not know say, those who say do not know."  Funny how some sentiments seem to reverberate across time.

Anyways, what if an unintelligent person knows that they're unintelligent and says nothing to appear smart?  What if an intelligent person has some pathological need to demonstrate it?  Does this simply mean that the former is smarter than an unintelligent person who tries to cover it up by talking and the latter less intelligent than an intelligent person who speaks only when it seems necessary?  Or is it truly impossible for an intelligent person to speak profusely and an unintelligent person to remain silent?  Are those people merely playing at intelligence and the lack thereof?

Sure.

Not that it matters. Unless you're a doctor or a scientist or something that relies on you being really smart it doesn't matter in a day to day sort of way.

I do the same menial job that people way stupider than me do every day.

Yes I am a genius.

Smarter than the majority but not smarter than the minority.

A true genius admits that he/she knows nothing. Albert Einstein I live by this.MgamerBD

Do you live by this because you are smart or because you want to be perceived as smart?

Also, I wonder if Eintsein was paraphrasing those who expressed similar sentiments previously.

[QUOTE="MgamerBD"]A true genius admits that he/she knows nothing. Albert Einstein I live by this.theone86

Do you live by this because you are smart or because you want to be perceived as smart?

Also, I wonder if Eintsein was paraphrasing those who expressed similar sentiments previously.

A quote like this has to have been said before. I also don't need to be perceived as smart. Never mattered to me. I just know I have an endless curiosity for a lot of things. Which is why I read, learn etc. Just who I am.

Is there anyone here (or anywhere) that considers themselves to be of lower than average intelligence?themajormayor

its possible i actually may be of lower than average intelligence.

[QUOTE="theone86"]

[QUOTE="MgamerBD"]A true genius admits that he/she knows nothing. Albert Einstein I live by this.MgamerBD

Do you live by this because you are smart or because you want to be perceived as smart?

Also, I wonder if Eintsein was paraphrasing those who expressed similar sentiments previously.

A quote like this has to have been said before. I also don't need to be perceived as smart. Never mattered to me. I just know I have an endless curiosity for a lot of things. Which is why I read, learn etc. Just who I am.

Quite true.

As for Einstein, I just wonder about him sometimes.  No doubt he was brilliant, but at times his quotes seem either pilfered or shallow.  I sometimes wonder if his quotes contribute to our collective knowledge or if the collective knowledge of his age contributed to his genius.  Perhaps a little bit of both, after all, aren't we all really the sum of our parts, including our environment?  If he was "standing on the shoulders of giants" does that make him a giant to us or no?  I really view his importance as being a seminal figure within science with such a disposition as he had, that is to say I think science benefits greatly from extolling someone who was able to think outside of the box.  Sometimes, though, I think that people quote Einstein as a sort of appeal to authority.  Not in this instance, but I think I've just developed a bit of an aversion to Einstein quotes. 

[QUOTE="MgamerBD"]

[QUOTE="theone86"]

Do you live by this because you are smart or because you want to be perceived as smart?

Also, I wonder if Eintsein was paraphrasing those who expressed similar sentiments previously.

theone86

A quote like this has to have been said before. I also don't need to be perceived as smart. Never mattered to me. I just know I have an endless curiosity for a lot of things. Which is why I read, learn etc. Just who I am.

Quite true.

As for Einstein, I just wonder about him sometimes.  No doubt he was brilliant, but at times his quotes seem either pilfered or shallow.  I sometimes wonder if his quotes contribute to our collective knowledge or if the collective knowledge of his age contributed to his genius.  Perhaps a little bit of both, after all, aren't we all really the sum of our parts, including our environment?  If he was "standing on the shoulders of giants" does that make him a giant to us or no?  I really view his importance as being a seminal figure within science with such a disposition as he had, that is to say I think science benefits greatly from extolling someone who was able to think outside of the box.  Sometimes, though, I think that people quote Einstein as a sort of appeal to authority.  Not in this instance, but I think I've just developed a bit of an aversion to Einstein quotes. 

I understand completely what you are saying. Honestly, I also cannot see why Einstein is looked at as a god in the world of science. Sure--don't get me wrong--he was a great man and ingenious individual. Yet to me, I believe people toot his horn a little too much. I believe his quotes were of course, quotes from other individuals. Maybe even some were made up to make a man that made the atomic bomb appear in a more postive light. I've also heard a lot of rumors about the man. For example, he wasn't as functioning when dealing with people or other subjects that did not deal with physics. But sadly, we will never know who or what kind of man Einstein truly was. Sure, we can google and read millions of books on the man himself. Yet at the end of the day, "History is written by the victor."

I like to just think of him as a man with higher intelligence in physics and nothing more. Maybe he had one or two good quotes and most likely they were from other individuals and he came to the conclusion to say them himself. But he is only human at the end of the day. Just like the rest of us.

[QUOTE="theone86"]

[QUOTE="MgamerBD"] I live by it because everyday there is something new to learn. Everyday a theory is debunked and a new one is replacing it. I live by it because nothing on this planet is ever 100% and yes I believe Einstein was paraphrasing from a earlier individuals.

A quote like this has to have been said before. I also don't need to be perceived as smart. Never mattered to me. I just know I have an endless curiosity for a lot of things. Which is why I read, learn etc. Just who I am.

MgamerBD

Quite true.

As for Einstein, I just wonder about him sometimes.  No doubt he was brilliant, but at times his quotes seem either pilfered or shallow.  I sometimes wonder if his quotes contribute to our collective knowledge or if the collective knowledge of his age contributed to his genius.  Perhaps a little bit of both, after all, aren't we all really the sum of our parts, including our environment?  If he was "standing on the shoulders of giants" does that make him a giant to us or no?  I really view his importance as being a seminal figure within science with such a disposition as he had, that is to say I think science benefits greatly from extolling someone who was able to think outside of the box.  Sometimes, though, I think that people quote Einstein as a sort of appeal to authority.  Not in this instance, but I think I've just developed a bit of an aversion to Einstein quotes. 

I understand completely what you are saying. Honestly, I also cannot see why Einstein is looked at as a god in the world of science. Sure--don't get me wrong--he was a great man and ingenious individual. Yet to me, I believe people toot his horn a little too much. I believe his quotes were of course, quotes from other individuals. Maybe even some were made up to make a man that made the atomic bomb appear in a more postive light. I've also heard a lot of rumors about the man. For example, he wasn't as functioning when dealing with people or other subjects that did not deal with physics. But sadly, we will never know who or what kind of man Einstein truly was. Sure, we can google and read millions of books on the man himself. Yet at the end of the day, "History is written by the victor."

I like to just think of him as a man with higher intelligence in physics and nothing more. Maybe he had one or two good quotes and most likely they were from other individuals and he came to the conclusion to say them himself. But he is only human at the end of the day. Just like the rest of us.

It would have been cool to be able to pick his brain.  I guess all we have of him are records, which is all we really have of everyone.  I find him to be very interesting,  especially when it comes to the intersation of science and philosophy.  Like I said, I really think the fact that a thinker of his sort (creative, out of the box,) making such a contribution to science is quite important.  At the same time he seemed quite reluctant at times to accept the evidence specifically because of his personal philosophies ("God does not play dice").  He's quite an interesting figure.

Smart people would never have an account on an Internet forum.

no, actually i wish i was a bit smarter.

I'm left handed and I tend to figure out things usually much quicker than most people around me, I also tend to solve problems quicker than most people. But I'm really dumb at some other things, I'm not very observant and tend to forget things pretty quickly. So yeah, some good, some bad :/MeltdownMedia

Satan was left-handed.

Yes I do. As for studying and learning - some of it. :P 

To consider myself smart would be to consider the peers I affiliate myself with as being of inferior or equal intelligence as we can only compare ourselves to those we have relationships with. I like to think I affiliate myself with smart people. I cannot possibly gauge my intelligence without anyone else to compare to.

No.  Everything I put my mind to, no matter how hard I try, I fail at.  I don't know if this is due to ADD or something else, but I suspect it's due to a lack of intelligence.  I simply am unable to focus for any extended period of time.  I failed Algebra three times in a row.  In a row.  How incredibly stupid do you have to be to do that?

I suspect myself to be on the lower spectrum of average intelligence, if that.  I once scored a 125 on an IQ test....I don't know how that ranks though, and even if it's semi-decent, I can't seem to apply it no matter how I try.  And in my view, being able to apply intelligence is what defines it.  So I'm S.O.L.

No

Not really. I wouldn't say I'm stupid or anything, but I'm definitely nothing remarkable.

Although I can't help but think I'm more conscious and insightful than some of my friends.

Slightly more than average, yes.

I love studing and wish i can do more but it is not so easy when you are an adult with a full time job