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Is intelligence overrated?

R

Riprorin

Banned
Provided that you have some minimal level intelligence it seems that there are a lot of other factors that determine success such as integrity, honesty, dedication, drive, desire to succeed and common sense.

It just seems that we glorify intelligence when there are many other factors which define a human being.
 
I think so.
I know many intelligent people that couldn't think their way out of a paper bag unless given the exact steps required to do so. It seems like computer science and other "numbers" people are like that. They'll breeze through any problem you give them until you actually have to make them use logic or common sense. Then you're dealing with someone resembling an idiot savant.
 
Depends on occupation. A lot of people, while doing certain things, show their true intelligence and it pays off big time... the less intelligent are left behind because they couldn't think of it first through logical reasoning. Another big factor when gauging intelligence in the workplace is experience. That's why many employers rather have seasoned veterans on their teams.

Outside of work, I don't think true intelligence counts for all that much...
 
Originally posted by: amnesiac
I think so.
I know many intelligent people that couldn't think their way out of a paper bag unless given the exact steps required to do so. It seems like computer science and other "numbers" people are like that. They'll breeze through any problem you give them until you actually have to make them use logic or common sense. Then you're dealing with someone resembling an idiot savant.
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Einstein was like that I've heard.
 
Originally posted by: Riprorin
Provided that you have some minimal level intelligence it seems that there are a lot of other factors that determine success such as integrity, honesty, dedication, drive, desire to succeed and common sense.

It just seems that we glorify intelligence when there are many other factors which define a human being.
Click to expand...

1) Success has to be defined. If you're talking "monetary" success, I think intelligence has VERY little influence on it. College professors, for instance--often VERY intelligent and the good researchers are often highly motivated, but most don't make a great deal of money (of course, they're also not all moral or honest). A big heaping pile of luck has a lot to do with it. Connections, family members, too. And, in some unfortunate circumstances, the willingness to do immoral/improper things to move up the corporate ladder (i.e. redoing the corporate retirement fund to give more money to the company but less benefits to the employees, stabbing a colleague in the back to get the nod for the promotion, etc).

Now, if you're talking about being a happy human being, I think the properties you listed are VERY important. WEll, I shouldn't say happy--because there are all too many people who are successful and have immoral business practices but they are quite happy. Possibly well-adjusted. I'm not sure. But what I can say is that those things--integrity, honesty, dedication--are something necessary for me to feel happy with myself and to keep me sleeping well at night.


EDIT: A side note: we also glorify beauty, athletic ability, monetary success.... I don't think intelligence is any more overrated than these. And on the grand scale of things, anything the average person does is irrelevant besides 1) being productive to society and 2) producing children that are productive to society. 🙂
 
There are many different kinds of intelligence, people may excel in some and not others, i.e.

language, communication
artistic/creative
mathematics
spacial
relational, understanding oneself
relational, understanding others and the world around you
musical
mechanical
leadership?

<FONT size=2>It just seems that we glorify intelligence when there are many other factors which define a human being.
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It depends on how you define a human being. Usually our capitalist culture defines a person as a success if they make alot of money or are successful in their business, however others may consider someone a success if they have strong positive personal attributes. Integrity, honesty...etc. will not make you a successful nuclear phycisist or musician if you don't have intelligence in those areas, altho they may make you a successful husband and father which might be considered a greater achievement to some.</FONT>
 
I am by far NOT the smartest man on the block but I am pretty intelligent I guess. To intelligent for the most part I think. It takes the fun out of life most of the time. 🙁
 
Originally posted by: IamDavid
I am by far the smartest man on the block but I am pretty intelligent I guess. To intelligent for the most part I think. It takes the fun out of life most of the time. 🙁
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yah, i'm to intelligent also
 
Its a combination of traits that makes you successful. Are you saying Bill Gates got to where he is because he is a moron. Then again, look at GWB. He got where he is because of connections.
 
Originally posted by: theNEOone
Originally posted by: IamDavid
I am by far the smartest man on the block but I am pretty intelligent I guess. To intelligent for the most part I think. It takes the fun out of life most of the time. 🙁
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yah, i'm to intelligent also
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lol, forgot the word not... opps, guess I'm NOT that intelligent after all. lol
 
Originally posted by: IamDavid
I am by far the smartest man on the block but I am pretty intelligent I guess. To intelligent for the most part I think. It takes the fun out of life most of the time. 🙁
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No one is too intelligent, just perhaps not intelligent in all areas that are important or necessary to succeed in a specific area. Interpersonal skills is an intelligence, but if someone's intelligence only lies in being able to solve the theory of relativity (i.e mathematical), that person may live a very lonely life.
 
Look at Jimmy Carter versus Ronald Reagan. Carter was probably more intelligent than Reagan, but Reagan was far more effective. Reagan had a broad vision which ultimately changed the course of history while Carter micromanaged to the point of scheduling tennis matches.

 
Originally posted by: Riprorin
Look at Jimmy Carter versus Ronald Reagan. Carter was probably more intelligent than Reagan, but Reagan was far more effective. Reagan had a broad vision which ultimately changed the course of history while Carter micromanaged to the point of scheduling tennis matches.
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Of course, a president is frequently only as good as his aides/advisors (one of the few things that I think has kept GW afloat... although I'm not exactly happy with some of the things he's done). I think "blaming" or "attributing" actions to presidents is usually a bit silly--after all, they cannot institute a law (they can only veto what Congress sends to them...). Also, they can fall "victim" to bad timing--just as Carter and George Bush did (they were "blamed" with recessions that were clearly global). In politics, publicity is everything...
 
You can tell that intelligence is a useless trait just from the fact that there are, apparently at any rate, quite a few people who are intelligent and vote Republican.


And if you've ever read any of Einstein?s writings on life generally, you would know that he was a genius in every dimension especially his capacity to feel.

Which brings us to the secret of life. It isn't what you think that matters, but how well you can contact who you really are through your feelings. When you see a baby giggling and laughing with delight you see embryonic form what you were intended to become.
 
Originally posted by: Moonbeam
You can tell that intelligence is a useless trait just from the fact that there are, apparently at any rate, quite a few people who are intelligent and vote Republican.


And if you've ever read any of Einstein?s writings on life generally, you would know that he was a genius in every dimension especially his capacity to feel.

Which brings us to the secret of life. It isn't what you think that matters, but how well you can contact who you really are through your feelings. When you see a baby giggling and laughing with delight you see embryonic form what you were intended to become.
Click to expand...

Too bad The Matrix isn't real.

Or.....

is it?
 
Originally posted by: Moonbeam
Which brings us to the secret of life. It isn't what you think that matters, but how well you can contact who you really are through your feelings. When you see a baby giggling and laughing with delight you see embryonic form what you were intended to become.
Click to expand...


In some senses, I agree with you totally. I personally think the IDEAL life is one where you 1) contribute positively to society, whether through beneficial work or well-adjusted children and 2) one where you enjoy yourself. 1 without 2 can be positively miserable... and 2 without 1 can lead to lots of problems for everyone else.
 
Originally posted by: Riprorin
Look at Jimmy Carter versus Ronald Reagan. Carter was probably more intelligent than Reagan, but Reagan was far more effective. Reagan had a broad vision which ultimately changed the course of history while Carter micromanaged to the point of scheduling tennis matches.
Click to expand...

It doesn't make sense to contrast intelligence with integrity and honesty etc. and bring up Reagan as an example, as he was neither. Sure he was generally likeable but not very "intelligent" and also not very honest, as he was responsible for illegally and deceitfully trading arms for hostages. The word "effective" (which wasn't in your original discussion) is solely a matter of opinion and correlated to one's self-interest in each respective issue.
 
My personal take on Reagan was that he was half brain dead and lacked the capacity for self reflection. It's reported that he almost never seemed to have any awarness of himself. That's a really powerful attribute in a polititian because it equates, visually, to profound self confidence. Since what people don't have and are attracted to like moths to a flame, is self confidence, they flock like sheep to any source that implies it. There the vicariously partake of the delusion. All this happens, naturally, because we are not who we are supposed to be, that baby I mentioned earlier.
 
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