How smart do you think you are?

wretcheddomain · 12-07-2013 02:57PM #1

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 · 12-07-2013 02:59PM

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 · 12-07-2013 03:00PM

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 · 12-07-2013 03:00PM

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 · 12-07-2013 03:00PM

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 · 12-07-2013 03:00PM

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 · 12-07-2013 03:01PM

I couldn't figure out your poll.

That statement probably tells it's own story.

Sir Humphrey Appleby · 12-07-2013 03:01PM

Smarter than you OP:P

I am pie · 12-07-2013 03:02PM

Smart enough not to answer.

wretcheddomain · 12-07-2013 03:02PM

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 · 12-07-2013 03:02PM

2

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

wretcheddomain · 12-07-2013 03:03PM

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 · 12-07-2013 03:04PM

7

Stupid people tend to overestimate their intelligence. Just saying.

Oregano_State · 12-07-2013 03:06PM

2

I'm number 1!

wretcheddomain · 12-07-2013 03:06PM

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 · 12-07-2013 03:06PM

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 · 12-07-2013 03:07PM

11

and a half.

Amirani · 12-07-2013 03:07PM

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 · 12-07-2013 03:08PM

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 · 12-07-2013 03:09PM

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 · 12-07-2013 03:09PM

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 · 12-07-2013 03:09PM

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 · 12-07-2013 03:09PM

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 · 12-07-2013 03:10PM

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 · 12-07-2013 03:11PM

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

--Kaiser-- · 12-07-2013 03:11PM

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

1ZRed · 12-07-2013 03:11PM

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 · 12-07-2013 03:12PM

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 · 12-07-2013 03:13PM

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 · 12-07-2013 03:13PM

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 · 12-07-2013 03:14PM

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.

How smart do you think you are?

How smart do you think you are? 166 votes

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