Stickler for rules - less intelligent ?

RobAMerc · 04-05-2010 04:18PM #1

I have always found that people who are less likely to break the rules and see things as black or white / right or wrong tend to be less intelligent than those who are less rigid in their thinking.

Does anyone else agree ?

By the way I am obviously not talking about criminals or scummers who ignore the law and do as they please, I am talking about the goody two shoes, teachers pet types

petes · 04-05-2010 04:20PM

I do agree. It is seriously ontroversial!

stovelid · 04-05-2010 04:23PM

Parents do cramp your unique individuality, it's true.

That said, they buy you stuff so it all evens out.

prinz · 04-05-2010 04:24PM

I'd love to prove my intelligence OP, but there's a rule against attacking the poster.

Kasabian · 04-05-2010 04:26PM

No, i don't believe that to be true OP.

Cheap Thrills! · 04-05-2010 04:28PM

Definitely. I would view automatic, unquestioning obedience of authority as a sign of a lower intelligence.

Dravokivich · 04-05-2010 04:31PM

RobAMerc wrote: »

By the way I am obviously not talking about criminals or scummers who ignore the law and do as they please, I am talking about the goody two shoes, teachers pet types

So you exclude the people who would often be considered as rule breakers, are we to immediately assume they are the inteligent 1's?

Referring to the "Goody two shoes / teacher pet types" as the "fools..." a bit of resentment as a kid perhaps?

Tbh... I think everyone can be as much a fool in any given moment... this topic's yours...

pickarooney · 04-05-2010 04:35PM

Is this another cats v dogs thread?

thetonynator · 04-05-2010 04:36PM

That sounds like complete bullshít.

TanG411 · 04-05-2010 04:37PM

OP, considering your username is 'RobAMerc', I'm guessing you're an intelligent fellow.

RobAMerc · 04-05-2010 04:38PM

Lets get this straight, I never said that everyone who breaks the rules are more intelligent than those who dont.

I said that those who stick to the rules unwaveringly tend to be less bright than those who don't. There is a difference.

btw Dravokivich - I never refereed to anyone as fools did I ? Please don't miss-quote me.

Mr Benevolent · 04-05-2010 04:38PM

OP, try applying your theory to the Irish roads. We're not that intelligent.

Kasabian · 04-05-2010 04:39PM

Larkin91 wrote: »

OP, considering your username is 'RobAMerc', I'm guessing you're an intelligent fellow.

If he was intelligent he would be RobanAudi

RobAMerc · 04-05-2010 04:39PM

Confab wrote: »

OP, try applying your theory to the Irish roads. We're not that intelligent.

nope - we dont know the rules is the issue here !

Des Carter · 04-05-2010 04:40PM

I think the person who doesnt break the rules but at the same time doesnt follow blindly are the most intelligent. You know the kind that blend in with the crowd not drawing attention to themselves and is willing to think for themselvs but doesnt let anyone know it unless they have to.

PeterIanStaker · 04-05-2010 04:40PM

they could be obsessive - compulsive?

MagicMarker · 04-05-2010 04:41PM

I hope this thread gets locked sooner rather than later.

melekalikimaka · 04-05-2010 04:41PM

for a yes no reply, i'd say yes your right... its to do with imo confidence in decision making... dumbasses are too stupid to have the confidence to do something different.

there i said it.

Schism · 04-05-2010 04:42PM

Don't insult peoples intelligence, people find that insulting.

Dravokivich · 04-05-2010 04:45PM

RobAMerc wrote: »

Lets get this straight, I never said that everyone who breaks the rules are more intelligent than those who dont.

I said that those who stick to the rules unwaveringly tend to be less bright than those who don't. There is a difference.

Both those statements seem rather conflicting to me... you are hinting towards 1 or the other...

RobAMerc wrote: »

btw Dravokivich - I never refereed to anyone as fools did I ? Please don't miss-quote me.

Less intelligent =/= fool?

You're playing with terminology here... it comes across as the same thing.

biko · 04-05-2010 04:46PM

RobAMerc wrote: »

I have always found that people who are less likely to break the rules and see things as black or white / right or wrong tend to be less intelligent than those who are less rigid in their thinking.

RobAMerc wrote: »

I said that those who stick to the rules unwaveringly tend to be less bright than those who don't. There is a difference.

Although at first thought it seems true, less intelligent people adhering more to strictly to rules because it's easier and requires less thought, I'm not sure that I'm willing to accept your assumption without some form of linkage/backup.

Rules are set to show the limits, smart or not you are supposed to follow them.
Or are there any particular set of rules you're referring to?

prinz · 04-05-2010 04:47PM

melekalikimaka wrote: »

...dumbasses are too stupid to have the confidence to do something different..

You mean like the people who see the sign Do Not Enter The Lion Enclosure and think they're so intelligent the rules don't apply to them? Check out the Darwin Awards for a list of people many of whom had the confidence to try something different..

Mr Benevolent · 04-05-2010 04:48PM

Are we talking social rules or legislation here OP?

melekalikimaka · 04-05-2010 04:49PM

prinz wrote: »

You mean like the people who see the sign Do Not Enter The Lion Enclosure and think they're so intelligent the rules don't apply to them? Check out the Darwin Awards for a list of people many of whom had the confidence to try something different..

well done, take what i said out of context...

most people understood what i was getting at, its more about critical thinking and what not as opposed to unquestioning autonomy.

thetonynator · 04-05-2010 04:50PM

I would actually be inclined to say that people who have a disregard for rules would be more likely to be of less than average intelligence that those who stay on the correct side. I'm not saying anyone should follow anything that goes against common sense blindly . . .

SugarHigh · 04-05-2010 04:56PM

Define intelligence.

SugarHigh · 04-05-2010 04:58PM

melekalikimaka wrote: »

for a yes no reply, i'd say yes your right... its to do with imo confidence in decision making... dumbasses are too stupid to have the confidence to do something different.

there i said it.

This makes no sense. Confidence is no indication of ability. Sometimes the person who has no understanding of how difficult something will be too achieve will the one who is most confident that he will achieve it.

pickarooney · 04-05-2010 05:01PM

I kind of agree with the OP, particularly with regards to people who stubbornly go against what would normally be considered common sense, in order to adhere stictly to the rules.

I've worked with a number of people like that and, to be honest, they seem a bit lacking.

longshanks · 04-05-2010 05:01PM

so we are all in agreement then?

SugarHigh · 04-05-2010 05:01PM

Cheap Thrills! wrote: »

Definitely. I would view automatic, unquestioning obedience of authority as a sign of a lower intelligence.

But that is not what the op said.

I could question the rules and then come to the conclusion that it makes the most sense to follow them.

Mark200 · 04-05-2010 05:02PM

Des Carter wrote: »

I think the person who doesnt break the rules but at the same time doesnt follow blindly are the most intelligent. You know the kind that blend in with the crowd not drawing attention to themselves and is willing to think for themselvs but doesnt let anyone know it unless they have to.

That seems to describe me, so therefore I agree.

But seriously, if you think back to primary or secondary school... surely the people who broke the rules most were more often than not the wasters in class who are more likely to be in a dead end unskilled job or unemployed right now*... ?

*Not that all people in those situations are wasters.

Stickler for rules - less intelligent ?

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