How smart do you think you are?

wretcheddomain

I guess this is a good place for people to blow their own trumpet but I'm curious to know how smart you guys think you are.

Everyone here thinks they're right about everything, including things that are open to multiple interpretations, but nevertheless, compared to the average Dick you might meet on the street, do you think you're smart, or do you think you're ignorant of many more things than other people appear to be?

I set up a poll anyway so hopefully we'll get an honest response.

1 for entirely ignorant, like a vegetable, and 10 for highly knowledgeable and a supremely good critical thinker (it's important to differentiate knowledge from cleverness).

So where do you believe you lie on the spectrum and why?

Personally, I'd choose an 8 simply because the vast majority of people I meet are supremely ignorant of too many things and don't employ critical thinking skills enough. Moreover, they admit this quite a lot.

In fact, I hate stupid people who don't want to improve their knowledge and critical thinking skills.

For Forks Sake

10

wretcheddomain wrote: »

Personally, I'd choose an 8 simply because the vast majority of people I meet are supremely ignorant of too many things and don't employ critical thinking skills enough. Moreover, they admit this quite a lot.

9, just so I can lord it over you.

Amirani

2

wretcheddomain wrote: »

Everyone here thinks they're right about everything

How could you not think you're right about everything? Otherwise you'd have to think you were wrong, in which case you wouldn't actually think what you think and would instead be thinking the opposite, which you'd think would be right. Am I right?

brick_top

the older I get , the more I realise that im not particulary smart , I think only a small minority of people are particulary smart

not the same as saying the majority are thick btw

wretcheddomain

9

For Forks Sake wrote: »

9, just so I can lord it over you.

Well now that you've conceded you're not a 9, I can lord my 8 over you. :pac:

For Forks Sake

10

wretcheddomain wrote: »

Well now that you've conceded you're not a 9, I can lord my 8 over you. :pac:

I'm actually a 10. HA.

Czarcasm

I couldn't figure out your poll.


That statement probably tells it's own story.

Sir Humphrey Appleby

Smarter than you OP:P

I am pie

Smart enough not to answer.

wretcheddomain

9

NiallSparky wrote: »

How could you not think you're right about everything? Otherwise you'd have to think you were wrong, in which case you wouldn't actually think what you think and would instead be thinking the opposite, which you'd think would be right. Am I right?

You see, you're not employing any critical thinking skills by even saying that!

If you are open to the evidence then no, you wouldn't blindly cling to a view just to think you're right. There's a huge difference between thinking you're right and failing to argue for it and being open to evidence against your position. I think smarter people are open to evidence whereas many people who think they're smart argue a position without the slightest notion they might be wrong. These two types of people do exist.

Amirani

2

I ranked myself 1 because I'm #1 smartest person.

wretcheddomain

9

Czarcasm wrote: »

I couldn't figure out your poll.


That statement probably tells it's own story.

That means you're definitely a 1.

thecatspjs

7

Stupid people tend to overestimate their intelligence. Just saying.

Oregano_State

2

I'm number 1!

wretcheddomain

9

thecatspjs wrote: »

Stupid people tend to overestimate their intelligence. Just saying.

Yep, that's true. They suffer from an insecure delusion.

I think if anyone gets an IQ less than 95, they should be forced to go back to school.

bnt

8

NiallSparky wrote: »

How could you not think you're right about everything? Otherwise you'd have to think you were wrong, in which case you wouldn't actually think what you think and would instead be thinking the opposite, which you'd think would be right. Am I right?

Because "right" and "wrong" aren't the only two options? What about "I don't know"?

If more people were able to (a) recognise when they don't know something and (b) admit that, to themselves and others, then we probably would see less religion and other dogma in the world. Better to have no answer, and live with the uncertainty, than to adopt a made-up answer with no basis in reality. :rolleyes:

FatherLen

11





and a half.

Amirani

2

wretcheddomain wrote: »

If you are open to the evidence then no, you wouldn't blindly cling to a view just to think you're right. There's a huge difference between thinking you're right and failing to argue for it and being open to evidence against your position. I think smarter people are open to evidence whereas many people who think they're smart argue a position without the slightest notion they might be wrong. These two types of people do exist.

I'm not talking about blindly clinging to a view or non being open to evidence/contrary viewpoints. I'm mentioning the fact that you can't really believe that you're wrong, at the same time as believing what you think. Cognitive dissonance man.

Mr.Prodston

It's statistically proven that the level of smartness has a direct correlation to the number of people that have read this sentence in it's entirety. Statistically speaking I'm a 10 as that's what the statistics available alude to considering I voted for 10.


I think I should probably get out of the sun for a while :pac:

Oregano_State

2

NiallSparky wrote: »

I ranked myself 1 because I'm #1 smartest person.

Oregano_State wrote: »

I'm number 1!

Damnit, beat me to it by two minutes. Maybe I'm number only number 2.

Karl Stein

wretcheddomain wrote: »

I think if anyone gets an IQ less than 95, they should be forced to go back to school.

That's a dumb idea.

Amirani

2

bnt wrote: »

Because "right" and "wrong" aren't the only two options? What about "I don't know"?

If more people were able to (a) recognise when they don't know something and (b) admit that, to themselves and others, then we probably would see less religion and other dogma in the world. Better to have no answer, and live with the uncertainty, than to adopt a made-up answer with no basis in reality. :rolleyes:

Of course there's more than two options. And knowing the limits of your own knowledge is perhaps the most important knowledge you can have.

However, I'm talking about cases where you believe that you are informed on the matter. Why in this case would you not expect people to believe that their opinion/view isn't the correct one?

wretcheddomain

9

NiallSparky wrote: »

I'm not talking about blindly clinging to a view or non being open to evidence/contrary viewpoints. I'm mentioning the fact that you can't really believe that you're wrong, at the same time as believing what you think. Cognitive dissonance man.

You're wrong twice in a row now.

Yes, you can believe you're wrong by admitting that what you believe to be right may be false. As another poster highlighted, 'I don't know' is the third option.

NiallSparky wrote: »

Of course there's more than two options. And knowing the limits of your own knowledge is perhaps the most important knowledge you can have.

However, I'm talking about cases where you believe that you are informed on the matter. Why in this case would you not expect people to believe that their opinion/view isn't the correct one?

You paraphrased Socrates there which is an apt quote. Realising the limits of your knowledge should make you think there's a good chance you're wrong or simply that you don't know what you're talking about. Many people would listen to news, or read a few articles on a subject, believe they're experts and waffle on about what they read, when what they read could be false as well. I guess it comes down to modesty too.

Amirani

2

wretcheddomain wrote: »

Yep, that's true. They suffer from an insecure delusion.

I think if anyone gets an IQ less than 95, they should be forced to go back to school.

People who pay any significant attention of IQs aren't very intelligent. People who believe that you can improve your IQ by going back to school tend to be even less intelligent.

Akrasia

The Dunning Kruger effect is apparent here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect

--Kaiser--

Smarter than all you punks, that's for damn sure

1ZRed

9

I am intelligent and quite knowledgeable on a fair few subjects, but I'm not an arrogant bastard, so I chose 8. That and I couldn't really give a fuck to demonstrate how intelligent I think I am through an internet poll because it's pointless.

wretcheddomain

9

NiallSparky wrote: »

People who pay any significant attention of IQs aren't very intelligent. People who believe that you can improve your IQ by going back to school tend to be even less intelligent.

That was intended as sarcasm for God's sake. Did you seriously believe that statement?

IQ is a faulty measure of intelligence, that's well known.

wretcheddomain

9

1ZRed wrote: »

I am intelligent and quite knowledgeable on a fair few subjects, but I'm not an arrogant bastard, so I chose 8. That and I couldn't really give a fuck to demonstrate how intelligent I think I am through an internet poll because it's pointless.

So you couldn't give a f*** but yet you decided to vote? :rolleyes:

toastedpickles

I am so smart, I am so smart s.m.r.t I mean, s.m.a.r.t


I blew my chance

Oregano_State

2

wretcheddomain wrote: »

I think if anyone gets an IQ less than 95, they should be forced to go back to school.

If that became standard practise you could end up with a scenario where the nations children are sitting in classrooms half full of hairy, middle aged imbeciles.

GLaDOS

I'm very smrt, at least an 8

tim3000

9

wretcheddomain wrote: »

Yep, that's true. They suffer from an insecure delusion.

I think if anyone gets an IQ less than 95, they should be forced to go back to school.

I have heard it said that I.Q. tests are just a measure of how good you are at taking I.Q. tests.

If you ask me lot of being intelligent is being curious about the world. I would rank myself as a seven or an eight. I am knowledgeable in a few distinct areas.

wretcheddomain

9

tim3000 wrote: »

in a few distinct areas.

What's so distinct about them, what are they? :eek:

Akrasia

NiallSparky wrote: »

People who believe that you can improve your IQ by going back to school tend to be even less intelligent.

That's an interesting point actually. IQ is supposed to measure intelligence, but you can do better in IQ tests by practising them, does this mean you're more intelligent? Probably not, but that raises the question, what is intelligence anyway?

IQ scores have been going up steadily and they keep having to make the tests harder and fiddling with the marking scheme to maintain the scale the way it was designed. (the Median IQ score is supposed to be 100, ie, for every 100 people who take the same test, 50 people should score equal or less than 100 and 50 should score equal or greater than 100

Are people genuinely getting more intelligent? or are we just getting better at taking IQ tests?

Sir Humphrey Appleby

I don't like smarties, I prefer wine gums

wretcheddomain

9

Akrasia wrote: »

Are people genuinely getting more intelligent? or are we just getting better at taking IQ tests?

Is that one of your assignment questions?

I don't like smarties, I prefer wine gums

If only that was funny, I would have laughed otherwise.

**Vai**

wretcheddomain wrote: »

IQ is a faulty measure of intelligence, that's well known.

1 to 10 polls on the internet are legendary for their accuracy though

Amirani

2

tim3000 wrote: »

If you ask me lot of being intelligent is being curious about the world.

That's what Einstein said. I'd be inclined to agree.

Knowledge is essentially impossible to measure on an objective basis.

wretcheddomain

9

**Vai** wrote: »

1 to 10 polls on the internet are legendary for their accuracy though

1 in 10 polls commit murder!

It's not something I could even try to quantify for myself, because it's something I know I've gotten wrong in the past. When I was younger I thought I was pretty clever, but now I work with a lot of really clever people and my shortcomings are shown up in stark relief.

I think our impression of our own cleverness might tend to be comparative - compared to my prior social circle, I thought I was quite clever. Compared to my current one, I'm thick as a plank.

I do think the older I get the more realistic my assessment of myself is. Most 18 year olds will probably rate themselves as being very intelligent, regardless of the reality.

1ZRed

9

wretcheddomain wrote: »

So you couldn't give a f*** but yet you decided to vote? :rolleyes:

Yeah, as in I couldn't give a f*ck either way, so I voted anyway. Problem?

Amirani

2

Akrasia wrote: »

Are people genuinely getting more intelligent? or are we just getting better at taking IQ tests?

Both I reckon.

wretcheddomain

9

Akrasia wrote: »

but that raises the question, what is intelligence anyway?

I'm surprised you care enough to ask this question judging from your signature.

Oregano_State

2

Akrasia wrote: »

The Dunning Kruger effect is apparent here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect

So far, 38.46% of voters have given themselves 10 out of ten.

Who are ye coddin', lads?

Akrasia

wretcheddomain wrote: »

Is that one of your assignment questions?

Yeah, I'm doing a course where all the coursework consists entirely of rhetorical questions.
You fail the course by providing a direct answer and are given top marks if you just ponder them for a bit.

Amirani

2

Candie wrote: »

I do think the older I get the more realistic my assessment of myself is. Most 18 year olds will probably rate themselves as being very intelligent, regardless of the reality.

The irony of that is that it's a sign of intelligence to have a good level of self-awareness and not over-estimate how smart one's self is. Most young people tend not to be very smart in that regard.

Mr.Prodston

Akrasia wrote: »

Yeah, I'm doing a course where all the coursework consists entirely of rhetorical questions.
You fail the course by providing a direct answer and are given top marks if you just ponder them for a bit.

Ah yes I did Introduction to Philosophy as well :pac:

Oregano_State

2

NiallSparky wrote: »

Both I reckon.

Intelligence as I understand it, is an ability, nothing more. It may change over millenia (we are more intelligent than the apes we descended from etc.), but I sincerely doubt it has changed measurably in the period of time IQ tests have been around.

We're getting more educated.

Akrasia

wretcheddomain wrote: »

I'm surprised you care enough to ask this question judging from your signature.

What do you think my signature means?

NiallSparky

NiallSparky wrote: »

The irony of that is that it's a sign of intelligence to have a good level of self-awareness and not over-estimate how smart one's self is. Most young people tend not to be very smart in that regard.

It would be interesting to get an age group with the answers to see how pronounced the Dunning-Kruger effect is with under 25's, and how it diminishes with experience.