Intelligence- the final taboo?

Einhard

So I was chatting to a girl tonight, and whatever way the conversation went, she remarked that I was probably more intelligent than her. I didn't know how to respond, so I just kept my peace and said nothing. That wasn't good enough for her however, and she got visibly upset. Being the warm hearted gent that I am, I asked what was wrong, only to be told that I should have contradicted what she had just said. Now, sober me would have recognised the warning signs and done what needed to be done to placate her. Instead, tipsy me said "Well, I am more intelligent than you". Cue sh!t and fans.

Now, the fact is that I am more intelligent than her. She wasn't a stranger, and to be honest, to register a higher IQ than her isn't exactly an achevement. Yet still she got upset. And it got me thinking...

I'm useless at sport. I'm not unfit, but my equilibrium conspires with my horrific hand/eye co-ordination to make sure I fall over at the earliest possible sporting opportunity. Since I was a young lad in baby infants, I've been participating in the Losers' Race in school Sports Days. I've been mocked and ridiculed for my lack of sporting prowess. I never minded because it was always in good spirit, and I was generally more intelligent than the mocking jocks.

My point is, that generally speaking, lack of ability in sport, or some other aptitude, is fair game for mockery and comment, and those who lack such abilities learn to live with the laughter, and indeed, to thrive on it. Most of the jokes directed at my general nerdiness have been initiated by myself. Yet, when it comes to intelligence, there's a taboo. Thus, I can be mocked for being useless at sport, but if I point out that my accuser is intellectually deficent, I'm in the wrong.

And it pertains right across the board. The denigration of intellectual achievement is accepted, yet to denigrate the lack of intellectual achievement is a step too far.

I'm not saying that people should be mocked or ridiclued if they are less intelligent than someone else, and of course, there are different measurements of intellectual capacity, but I do find it strange that, should I call a slob a slob, it's ok, but if I call a stupid person a stupid person, I'll censured. Why the double standard?

IBT so much for intelligent, you misspelled this word comments...

Cill Dara Abu

Meh

Sunnyisland

Some people if they had 2 brains they would be twice as stupid.

we'llallhavetea_old

well in fairness if she had said "i'm a slob" and you didn't contradict her, she still would have got upset.

she was fishing for compliments. ugh.

Saila

intelligence is WAAAAy over rated
and being smart and intelligent are two different things

Einhard

we'llallhavetea wrote: »

well in fairness if she had said "i'm a slob" and you didn't contradict her, she still would have got upset.

she was fishing for compliments. ugh.

That's a fair point!

Jesus Christ, a few soothing words and I could be having the sex instread of posting in this place.:(

*Note to self- work on EQ*

we'llallhavetea_old

Einhard wrote: »

That's a fair point!

Jesus Christ, a few soothing words and I could be having the sex instread of posting in this place.:(

*Note to self- work on EQ*

amateur :cool:



:pac:

jive

Sporting prowess can be developed through practicing to some extent. If you're thick, you're always going to be thick. The double standard presumably exists because if you're shít at sport it doesn't really matter, if you're really dumb then... well it's much more important!

Also for someone who was called intelligent you handled that situation like an absolute dumbass :P

mikemac

Einhard wrote: »

S she remarked that I was probably more intelligent than her.

Insert overweight/unfit/useless at work/not respected/ bad with money/ bad taste in clothes, well realy anything OP

Nothing to do with intelligence

She wanted you to step in and "ah no, you're lovely as you are" and so on

You blew it OP, now you're chatting with us losers instead of being with this girl in your leaba :pac:


edit, yeah Post 4 says it all already ^^^^

Spudmonkey

Einhard wrote: »

IBT so much for intelligent, you misspelled this word comments...

Loose ends nicely tied off cause I spent that whole time searching for spelling mistakes.

Birneybau

It's getting bright out, I'm going to bed...

Einhard

jive wrote: »

if you're really dumb then... well it's much more important!

Also for someone who was called intelligent you handled that situation like an absolute dumbass :P

Intelligent relative to her!:D

Anyway, i'd much rather be chatting here with my good friends from boards than having the gnéasach with some young one! Who wouldn't?!

*crys into his keyboard*

Saila

never say how big their bum looks too

Einhard

Spudmonkey wrote: »

Loose ends nicely tied off cause I spent that whole time searching for spelling mistakes.

:cool:

Sticky_Fingers

Einhard wrote: »

IBT so much for intelligent, you misspelled this word comments...

Poorly constructed sentence, must try harder (ohhh I'm such a bitch:P)

Spudmonkey

As was mentioned she was only looking for compliments. Regardless of what what she said, she was waiting for a reassuring reply which you failed to deliver and which is why you are now talking to others who got none tonight.

Also if I tell some they are ****e at sports or anything else I would most likely say it in jest. Then nothing is off limits. I would equally call them stupid but I don't think I mean either. At least I wouldn't let on that it was meant.

flutterflye

I don't think anyone is more or less intelligent than anyone else.

People are good at different things.

Everyone always comments on how intelligent my 8 year old with ASD is.
Yes, he has a brilliant mind that allows him to be intellectually miles ahead of his peers.
But he has very little common sense, co-ordination, social skills and so on.

I feel I am a very average person.
Average academically, average artistically, average musically etc...

Sometimes I wish are were actually good at something.

Anyway, I don't believe there are stupid people, therefore I would not think it okay to imply as such to the girl mentioned, or anyone. (Not that I haven't done this too - I think most people are guilty of it at some point)

Einhard

Spudmonkey wrote: »

Also if I tell some they are ****e at sports or anything else I would most likely say it in jest. Then nothing is off limits. I would equally call them stupid but I don't think I mean either. At least I wouldn't let on that it was meant.

Ah, but you'd only say it "in jest" to people who are crap at sport. So it would be based on reality. Irrespective of whether I should be getting it on with some hot, but not so bright, girl right now instead of masturbating furiously posting here, the fact remains that it's ok to mock people about their lack of sporting prowess, but God forbid you mock someone for being stupid.

Einhard

flutterflye wrote: »

I feel I am a very average person.
Average academically, average artistically, average musically etc...

Sometimes I wish are were actually good at something.

You're good at making good points!

Soby

Your school had a loser's race ? :P

Einhard

Soby wrote: »

Your school had a loser's race ? :P

Survival of the fittest!

Naikon

Eugenics.

Bajingo

Einhard wrote: »

So I was chatting to a girl tonight, and whatever way the conversation went, she remarked that I was probably more intelligent than her. I didn't know how to respond, so I just kept my peace and said nothing. That wasn't good enough for her however, and she got visibly upset. Being the warm hearted gent that I am, I asked what was wrong, only to be told that I should have contradicted what she had just said. Now, sober me would have recognised the warning signs and done what needed to be done to placate her. Instead, tipsy me said "Well, I am more intelligent than you". Cue sh!t and fans.

Now, the fact is that I am more intelligent than her. She wasn't a stranger, and to be honest, to register a higher IQ than her isn't exactly an achevement. Yet still she got upset. And it got me thinking...

I'm useless at sport. I'm not unfit, but my equilibrium conspires with my horrific hand/eye co-ordination to make sure I fall over at the earliest possible sporting opportunity. Since I was a young lad in baby infants, I've been participating in the Losers' Race in school Sports Days. I've been mocked and ridiculed for my lack of sporting prowess. I never minded because it was always in good spirit, and I was generally more intelligent than the mocking jocks.

My point is, that generally speaking, lack of ability in sport, or some other aptitude, is fair game for mockery and comment, and those who lack such abilities learn to live with the laughter, and indeed, to thrive on it. Most of the jokes directed at my general nerdiness have been initiated by myself. Yet, when it comes to intelligence, there's a taboo. Thus, I can be mocked for being useless at sport, but if I point out that my accuser is intellectually deficent, I'm in the wrong.

And it pertains right across the board. The denigration of intellectual achievement is accepted, yet to denigrate the lack of intellectual achievement is a step too far.

I'm not saying that people should be mocked or ridiclued if they are less intelligent than someone else, and of course, there are different measurements of intellectual capacity, but I do find it strange that, should I call a slob a slob, it's ok, but if I call a stupid person a stupid person, I'll censured. Why the double standard?

IBT so much for intelligent, you misspelled this word comments...

I understand your point and I agree with it, but this girl wasn't slagging you so you were actually quite cruel in how you spoke to her. She may have been looking for some support and you only succeeded in hurting her feelings.

omen80

Dumb thread. Should we all start threads about every conversation we have in pubs????

Einhard

Bajingo wrote: »

I understand your point and I agree with it, but this girl wasn't slagging you so you were actually quite cruel in how you spoke to her. She may have been looking for some support and you only succeeded in hurting her feelings.

That's not what I wanted to hear!

I didn't tell her she was stupid, I just agreed with her opinion that I was more intelligent than her.

pragmatic1

Saila wrote: »

intelligence is WAAAAy over rated
and being smart and intelligent are two different things

I think its underrated. If we put as much effort into academic achievement as countries like Japan and Singapore the whole country would benefit.

Whats the difference between intelligence and being smart?

Einhard

omen80 wrote: »

Dumb thread. Should we all start threads about every conversation we have in pubs????

If they raise interesting points, then yes. You sem to have missed out on the point, which wasn't that I missed out on the horizonatal mambo with some young one, but that it's seemingly okay to poke fun at any aspect of someone's nature, save their intelligence. Which is ok if you're sporty and intelligent, or just sporty, but kinda sucks of you're just intelligent. That clear enough for ya?

Einhard

Einhard wrote: »

That's not what I wanted to hear!

I didn't tell her she was stupid, I just agreed with her opinion that I was more intelligent than her.

I am starting to disagree :pac:

Chuck Stone

For me, the word 'intelligent' is so loaded that I feel uncomfortable using it. I prefer 'smart'.

Why?

Because 'intelligence' seems to be over-valued.

Hi IQ =/= resourcefullness (including negotiation skills)

Einhard

pragmatic1 wrote: »

I think its underrated. If we put as much effort into academic achievement as countries like Japan and Singapore the whole country would benefit.

Whats the difference between intelligence and being smart?

I like you! :pac:

Why is it that being intelligent is waaaaaaay overrated, but being good at sport isn't?

Einhard

bluewolf wrote: »

I am starting to disagree :pac:

im invisible

pragmatic1 wrote: »

Whats the difference between intelligence and being smart?

Intelligence is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, being smart is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad

Einhard

im invisible wrote: »

Intelligence is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, being smart is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad

Drico baby!!!!!!!!

omen80

Einhard wrote: »

If they raise interesting points, then yes. You sem to have missed out on the point, which wasn't that I missed out on the horizonatal mambo with some young one, but that it's seemingly okay to poke fun at any aspect of someone's nature, save their intelligence. Which is ok if you're sporty and intelligent, or just sporty, but kinda sucks of you're just intelligent. That clear enough for ya?

I got your point the first time, maybe you missed mine??...........you can analyse most conversations people have and draw conclusions about what is socially acceptable etc......it doesn't mean that it justifies being a thread starter. Plus I played on the word "dumb" because you were talking about intelligence?? Is that clear enough for you?

Laisurg

Einhard wrote: »

That's not what I wanted to hear!

I didn't tell her she was stupid, I just agreed with her opinion that I was more intelligent than her.

You gobshíte :P hopefully you'll learn from your mistake, maybe she'll have learned a lesson too, don't fish for comments!

To be honest though i think calling anyone shít at anything is a bit mean.

Einhard

omen80 wrote: »

Is that clear enough for you?

Eh no, not really.

First off, you didn't play on the word dumb. Perhaps if the girl I was speakign with lacked the ability to speak, your use might have been puntastic, but as it is, you used it as one would expect.

More importantly, I used a conversation in a pub to start a wider conversation about a wider issue. This thread isn't about me missing out on the score, or the girl I was chatting to, or me, but rather on the fact that intelligence seems to be underrated in society, and subject for mockery, whilst lack of sporting prowess is subect to the sort of ridicule that would be (rightly) unacceptable were the issue intellectual prowess.

To be honest, I don't think you understand the point of my post.

Chuck Stone

pragmatic1 wrote: »

I think its underrated. If we put as much effort into academic achievement as countries like Japan and Singapore the whole country would benefit.

Whats the difference between intelligence and being smart?

I'm drunk but I'd say don't get too tied up in nationality because nationality is a social construct - it's not real like a piece of cheese.

The 'japanese' have the highest govt debt on the planet.


Zzzzzzzzzz nite

Esel

Einhard wrote: »

...I'm not saying that people should be mocked or ridiclued...

IBT so much for intelligent, you misspelled this word comments...

There's a clue there somewhere, if only you could pull on it. Had to be said, your IBT notwithstanding.

Saila wrote: »

never say how big their bum looks too

"Does my bum look big in this?"

"In this what? In this room?"

Spudmonkey wrote: »

As was mentioned she was only looking for compliments. Regardless of what what she said, she was waiting for a reassuring reply which you failed to deliver and which is why you are now talking to others who got none tonight.

To paraphrase, you may indeed be more intelligent than that girl, but you are not half as smart as you think you are.

Naikon wrote: »

Eugenics.

Fan of Francis Galton? Let them lick their fingers, what?





OP: In future, you should just say:

"<your username>*. Are yeh on forreh?"

or

"I'm not thick (yet). Keep talking, though."




*As in: "I'n hard."

omen80

Einhard wrote: »

Eh no, not really.

First off, you didn't play on the word dumb. Perhaps if the girl I was speakign with lacked the ability to speak, your use might have been puntastic, but as it is, you used it as one would expect.

"Dumb" also means to lack intelligence. Look it up, you will find it in a dictionary under "D".

pragmatic1

im invisible wrote: »

Intelligence is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, being smart is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad

I always think of it the other way around. Intelligence is an innate ability and being smart comes from learning.

Einhard

omen80 wrote: »

"Dumb" also means to lack intelligence. Look it up, you will find it in a dictionary under "D".

LOl I know that. But it wasn't a play on anything, as you claimed. It was using the word as one might expect it to be used. Look is up under "pun", under P.

Naikon

Esel wrote: »

Fan of Francis Galton? Let them lick their fingers, what?

I did it for the lulz:cool:

omen80

Einhard wrote: »

LOl I know that. But it wasn't a play on anything, as you claimed. It was using the word as one might expect it to be used. Look is up under "pun", under P.

Love the spelling. And on that bombshell I'm off to bed. Maybe you should all do the same AH's!

flutterflye

flutterflye wrote: »

I don't think anyone is more or less intelligent than anyone else.

People are good at different things.

Everyone always comments on how intelligent my 8 year old with ASD is.
Yes, he has a brilliant mind that allows him to be intellectually miles ahead of his peers.
But he has very little common sense, co-ordination, social skills and so on.

I feel I am a very average person.
Average academically, average artistically, average musically etc...

Sometimes I wish are were actually good at something.

Anyway, I don't believe there are stupid people, therefore I would not think it okay to imply as such to the girl mentioned, or anyone. (Not that I haven't done this too - I think most people are guilty of it at some point)

You live in cuckoo land if you believe anything you just typed.. What a ridiculous cliche view on life that makes no fuking sense.

randylonghorn

Chuck Stone wrote: »

For me, the word 'intelligent' is so loaded that I feel uncomfortable using it. I prefer 'smart'.

Why?

Because 'intelligence' seems to be over-valued.

Hi IQ =/= resourcefullness (including negotiation skills)

But equating intelligence to high IQ is fundamentally flawed in itself; IQ tests are (at the very most) one measure of one type of intelligence.

flutterflye

Deleted User wrote: »

You live in cuckoo land if you believe anything you just typed.. What a ridiculous cliche view on life that makes no fuking sense.

Really?

Well I'm not sure how to respond really as that is my honest opinion which I feel to be correct, and living in cuckoo land I am not.

If it pleases you, it will work the opposite way around too.

You are equally as stupid as everyone else.

flutterflye

flutterflye wrote: »

Really?

Well I'm not sure how to respond really as that is my honest opinion which I feel to be correct, and living in cuckoo land I am not.

If it pleases you, it will work the opposite way around too.

You are equally as stupid as everyone else.

Yes, really... You say that people are good at different things as if the total of these combined will be equal to the next person. According to your logic, there's no stupid or intelligent people.

Some people are thick and some people are great. Why would you try to argue otherwise?

flutterflye

Deleted User wrote: »

Yes, really... You say that people are good at different things as if the total of these combined will be equal to the next person. According to your logic, there's no stupid or intelligent people.

Some people are thick and some people are great. Why would you try to argue otherwise?

Okay, how about this - I am thick and you are great?
(and you are also thick and I am also great)

Really though, how hard can it be to understand?
We as people are a collection of intertwined synapses, some of which are used more than others, some with stronger links than others, resulting in various people being good at different things.

Just because our westernised world values certain traits and deems them to be more worthy than others, doesn't mean that they are.

flutterflye

flutterflye wrote: »

Okay, how about this - I am thick and you are great?
(and you are also thick and I am also great)

Really though, how hard can it be to understand?
We as people are a collection of intertwined synapses, some of which are used more than others, some with stronger links than others, resulting in various people being good at different things.

Just because our westernised world values certain traits and deems them to be more worthy than others, doesn't mean that they are.

No.. Some people are good at nothing and some are good at everything. There's no rule in life that says everyone will be good at something.
Do you have some romantic view of all this because of your son?

flutterflye

Deleted User wrote: »

No.. Some people are good at nothing and some are good at everything. There's no rule in life that says everyone will be good at something.
Do you have some romantic view of all this because of your son?

Huh?

You a psychoanalysist or something?

And of course there are degrees in which many valued traits are stronger in some, and weaker in others.

I give up.. You think the world doesn't have stupid people. How can I try and prove a point to someone so deluded to even think that in the first place.