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What counts as smart?

Started by Kenneth Price74 · · 👁 4 views · 42 replies

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Participants Kenneth Price74Chris Fisher3nimblepilot29AAustin Carter6Kenneth Peterson5Lisa Barnes3Jerry Hughes55bluebison70James Martin6Ryan Wood6Casey Wilson4Elizabeth Ruiz65Amy Thomas5wiredmaker18bluetiger13swiftcobra15Linda Nguyen19Jonathan Sullivan3Gary Martinez2Matthew Jackson69electricstag91Donna Thompson2Rachel Hall9
Kenneth Price74 Kenneth Price74 Active MemberOP
61 messages
joined Oct 2007
#1 ·
I find myself reflecting on Einstein's theory regarding the infinite nature of human stupidity.
So, who exactly qualifies as intelligent? And does anyone truly possess genuine intellect?
Chris Fisher3 Chris Fisher3 Member
25 messages
joined Nov 2007
#2 ·
ewho, can someone please give me a straight definition of what "wisdom" actually is? You can be smart as hell and still be a complete idiot—they aren't the same thing. Take Hitler, for example. The guy was clearly intelligent, but we all know the wreckage he left behind, so there's no way he was actually wise. So, what does it even mean to be wise?
I've been stuck on this loop for a while now...
Wisdom is totally subjective. To one person you're a genius, to another you're a moron. And who's right? The person calling you stupid or the one calling you brilliant? It all just depends on the context, I guess.
Personally, I think people are idiots if they judge others based on looks or how much money they have—or if they're just straight-up ruthless or spend their whole lives talking trash about everyone for no reason.
Yet, some people would look at those exact types and call them "smart"...
nimblepilot29 nimblepilot29 Member
49 messages
joined Oct 2006
#3 ·
I suspect that when people attempt to gauge "intelligence," they tend to apply vastly different metrics depending on who they're looking at.
It seems some individuals, much like those you mentioned, have a completely skewed perception of who qualifies as brilliant versus who is merely foolish, often setting themselves apart from the rest.
My prevailing theory—which I find myself articulating quite frequently—is that there simply isn't a singular, universal definition of what constitutes intelligence.

Some people narrow the scope down to mere utility and cold logic, while others insist it's rooted in empathy or deep, contemplative thought.

Personally, I believe true intelligence is found in wisdom, and a wise person is someone who strikes that perfect, delicate balance between reason and intuition, ensuring their actions aren't driven solely by selfish impulses.

Well, I suppose I've said plenty, yet somehow managed to say nothing at all...😛
nimblepilot29 nimblepilot29 Member
49 messages
joined Oct 2006
#4 ·
Kenneth Price74 said:I find myself reflecting on Einstein's theory regarding the infinite nature of human stupidity.
So, who exactly qualifies as intelligent? And does anyone truly possess genuine intellect?

You really ought to look at the context he was speaking in before making any kind of judgment.
A Anonymous Veteran
3.6K messages
joined May 2005
#5 ·
Everyone thinks they’re a genius in their own eyes, and nobody wants to admit they don't get something because being called "stupid" is such a huge insult these days...

Honestly, you should just be able to say, "Man, I'm lost, can you walk me through this?" But sadly, thanks to modern culture, it feels like everyone has swallowed an entire encyclopedia. Everyone acts like an expert on everything. It's wild, isn't it?

I swear, I nearly die laughing whenever I hear people acting like that...
Austin Carter6 Austin Carter6 Newcomer
8 messages
joined Jan 2008
#6 ·
I guess you could say being smart is really just about what you show off through all that stuff you've learned... intelligence builds up over time, but how far that "smartness" actually takes you? Well, that probably depends mostly on your raw IQ and how much heart you put into things
wisdom is basically just what you pick up when you use that smarts to navigate real-world experiences 🤔
Kenneth Peterson5 Kenneth Peterson5 Active Member
124 messages
joined Nov 2007
#7 ·
Wisdom? That’s just knowledge you actually bothered to earn through experience.
Intelligence is more like the raw horsepower—your ability to grab that info and actually do something useful with it.
Lisa Barnes3 Lisa Barnes3 Member
22 messages
joined Oct 2007
#8 ·
Anonymous said:Everyone thinks they’re a genius in their own eyes, and nobody wants to admit they don't get something because being called "stupid" is such a huge insult these days...

Honestly, you should just be able to say, "Man, I'm lost, can you walk me through this?" But sadly, thanks to modern culture, it feels like everyone has swallowed an entire encyclopedia. Everyone acts like an expert on everything. It's wild, isn't it?

I swear, I nearly die laughing whenever I hear people acting like that...

offt:insult😂
ont: we're all idiots—just live with it!
Jerry Hughes55 Jerry Hughes55 Newcomer
3 messages
joined Nov 2007
#9 ·
Kenneth Price74 said:I find myself reflecting on Einstein's theory regarding the infinite nature of human stupidity.
So, who exactly qualifies as intelligent? And does anyone truly possess genuine intellect?

Look, let me comfort you—I'm definitely smart.🙂
bluebison70 bluebison70 Active Member
50 messages
joined Nov 2007
#10 ·
Chris Fisher3 said:ewho, can someone please give me a straight definition of what "wisdom" actually is? You can be smart as hell and still be a complete idiot—they aren't the same thing. Take Hitler, for example. The guy was clearly intelligent, but we all know the wreckage he left behind, so there's no way he was actually wise. So, what does it even mean to be wise?
I've been stuck on this loop for a while now...
Wisdom is totally subjective. To one person you're a genius, to another you're a moron. And who's right? The person calling you stupid or the one calling you brilliant? It all just depends on the context, I guess.
Personally, I think people are idiots if they judge others based on looks or how much money they have—or if they're just straight-up ruthless or spend their whole lives talking trash about everyone for no reason.
Yet, some people would look at those exact types and call them "smart"...


I don't think that's a fair way to put it. Hitler was actually a very intelligent man. He was humane. He really loved people and animals. He was a vegetarian. He wasn't a womanizer, nor was he an alcoholic or a drug addict.
James Martin6 James Martin6 Newcomer
1 message
joined Nov 2007
#11 ·
Kenneth Peterson5 said:Wisdom? That’s just knowledge you actually bothered to earn through experience.
Intelligence is more like the raw horsepower—your ability to grab that info and actually do something useful with it.

I'm with them on this one.
nimblepilot29 nimblepilot29 Member
49 messages
joined Oct 2006
#12 ·
The logical conclusion here is that someone lacking basic intelligence simply cannot possess any form of exceptional brilliance...
Ryan Wood6 Ryan Wood6 Newcomer
4 messages
joined Nov 2007
#13 ·
In my book, nobody is actually "smart." It’s really just a spectrum of being stupid versus being slightly less stupid, I guess. xD Though, if I had to make an exception for certain people—like Einstein, for instance—I might consider them borderline smart...🙂
Ryan Wood6 Ryan Wood6 Newcomer
4 messages
joined Nov 2007
#14 ·
There’s this one saying, I can’t even remember the exact wording, something along the lines of; "the man who realizes he's an idiot is actually the smartest guy in the room"—I don't know, just chew on that for a second... it feels kind of deep or whatever 😍... lol
Casey Wilson4 Casey Wilson4 Newcomer
3 messages
joined Oct 2007
#15 ·
Ryan Wood6 said:There’s this one saying, I can’t even remember the exact wording, something along the lines of; "the man who realizes he's an idiot is actually the smartest guy in the room"—I don't know, just chew on that for a second... it feels kind of deep or whatever 😍... lol

Sophisticated indeed😳 😂

In all seriousness, if you recognize that intelligence is merely a relative measure compared to the mental capacities of others, you realize you are foolish because smarter people exist, yet also wise because lesser minds exist. Furthermore, you possess the intellect to grasp this logic independently, without even needing to read this post, naturally.☕
Kenneth Price74 Kenneth Price74 Active MemberOP
61 messages
joined Oct 2007
#16 ·
😁 I would argue that wisdom might actually be "superior" to mere intelligence
Elizabeth Ruiz65 Elizabeth Ruiz65 Active Member
66 messages
joined Jan 2008
#17 ·
I had a random thought today, a sort of reformulation of that
Einstein's quote about those two infinite things—the universe and human stupidity.

The thing is, if the quote leaves open the possibility that human intelligence is actually limited,
then maybe both the universe and human stupidity are finite too. We just call them
infinite simply because our own limited intellect isn't quite capable enough
to actually figure out where their boundaries lie.
Amy Thomas5 Amy Thomas5 Newcomer
1 message
joined Nov 2007
#18 ·
The smartest person in the room is the one who actually knows the limits of her own knowledge.
Someone said that a long time ago.
bluebison70 bluebison70 Active Member
50 messages
joined Nov 2007
#19 ·
Intelligence is probably the most broad-reaching ability we have. I guess you need it just as much to soak up information and master skills as you do to actually act wisely. To me, being smart means having that knack for solving things in a way that works—either for yourself or for the community at large. There are so many people out there who are loaded with knowledge, but they aren't truly smart, because they just can't seem to function in the real world. Even politicians... well, they usually don't have nearly as much raw knowledge as academics or researchers, yet those experts often lack the practical intelligence needed to actually win an election or govern effectively.

Wisdom is about practice, whereas knowledge is just theory.
wiredmaker18 wiredmaker18 Member
41 messages
joined Jan 2008
#20 ·
bluebison70 said:I don't think that's a fair way to put it. Hitler was actually a very intelligent man. He was humane. He really loved people and animals. He was a vegetarian. He wasn't a womanizer, nor was he an alcoholic or a drug addict.

Yeah, sure. And those 6 million Jews he supposedly killed were just collateral damage while he was busy trying to solve hunger in Africa. Meanwhile, he spent the whole World War meditating in the Himalayas, while his evil imaginary twin brother started the biggest conflict in modern history because he missed his big brother's love...

Just a few more "profound" thoughts on that guy Ada Hićo.

Hitler was just your average, broken-ass psychopath who happened to be in the right place at the right time. He was loud and charismatic enough to rally a nation trashed by WWI and unemployment, telling them they were superior beings. It kicked off a war that let the military-industrial complex thrive, which basically gave everyone a job...

On a different note, someone said it right. Knowledge is just accumulated info, but intelligence is how fast you connect the dots and actually get it. Reminds me of Einstein's quote: Any fool can know. The point is to understand.

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