Is intelligence overrated? - Page 2

iamsounsure · 10-06-2009, 10:38 AM

Very good replies so far everyone. This is a topic that seems to go unquestioned a lot in today's society.

Quote:

No, intelligence is not overrated. It's the first thing I look for in potential friends/partners etc. It's one of the best traits to have.

Why? Intelligence is one of the last things I look for, once its above a certain threshold of course.

Tx_Genius · 10-06-2009, 03:21 PM

In my opinion, intelligence is actually underrated. A person with a high level of intelligence would be more likely to have other personality traits that might overshadow their intelligence, for example, an intelligent person would more than likely be responsible, smart, ambitious, etc. etc.

So in my opinion, "intelligence" could be a catch-all for a lot of personality traits. Wouldn't it be hard to be responsible, etc. without first being intelligent?

iamsounsure · 10-06-2009, 07:32 PM

Most intelligent people I know are very dull and boring. I'd rather someone interesting and creative to someone ambitious and responsible any day.

Vehicle · 10-06-2009, 08:14 PM

"So in my opinion, "intelligence" could be a catch-all for a lot of personality traits. Wouldn't it be hard to be responsible, etc. without first being intelligent?"

That's far from the truth. I'm highly responsible and yet I'm unintelligent.

iamsounsure · 10-09-2009, 08:19 AM

My theory is that intelligent people are just replaceable cogs in the machine of society that allow more interesting people to lead the lives they want to lead.

StellaNova · 10-09-2009, 10:45 PM

^So intelligent people can't be interesting?

Intelligence can be overrated in that some people think it's always the deciding factor of how successful a person will be. I think it's just one of those qualities that can make your life better if you have it, like creativity, empathy, a sense of humor, etc.

iamsounsure · 10-10-2009, 06:46 PM

Oh certainly not! I know a lot of very interesting intelligent people. But as a rule of thumb, intelligent people are usually very boring. Nor do they do much for society. They usually go to college, get a career at some business, and essentially make some old white guy richer their entire lives. They are cogs that keep society running.

On the other hand, interesting people, armed with more useful personality traits (creativity, wisdom, empathy, etc) have the opportunity to not go to college and still lead amazing lives. However it wouldn't be possible without the boring intelligent people supporting the framework of this society.

yuechen · 10-10-2009, 07:46 PM

FAIL! Some of the most awesome and popular people I know are intelligent. Heck, I would like to consider myself to be somewhat intelligent. To say that intelligent people is boring is like saying Germans kill Jews for fun on weekends. Completely uncalled for!

iamsounsure · 10-10-2009, 08:06 PM

It's not uncalled for because it's true. I'm not very politically correct, just correct.

yuechen · 10-10-2009, 11:06 PM

I'd hate to start flaming, but I strongly resent that statement.

Someone take over for me before I blow up.

iamsounsure · 10-10-2009, 11:24 PM

Maybe you're misunderstanding me. I don't think ALL intelligent people are boring. I just think MOST are. Or maybe I should use the term intellectual. Intellectual conveys the meaning I am getting at a bit better than "intelligent person"

Will_S · 10-11-2009, 01:24 AM

Intelligence in terms of IQ is certainly overrated. I can't find the statistic right now but the chances of success among someone with a 120 IQ score is pretty much identical to someone with a 150 IQ score. This is covered quite a bit in "Outliers" by Gladwell but that's the only source I can remember right now.

It's important to be bright but in terms of success at life, it doesn't make a difference if you have an IQ score of 120 or an IQ score of 150.

Now, I personally don't think that IQ scores are a good indicator of intelligence. They're good at indicating if someone is good at spotting patterns and that's about it. It may correlate fairly with intelligence as finding complicated patterns is a sign of intelligence but you can by no means say that someone with an IQ score of 120 is more intelligent than someone with an IQ score of 125. It's too inaccurate.

Would you really say that Chris Langen, some guy who's famous for being intelligence and has made no impact on academia or discovered anything new, is much more intelligent than Einstein or other great minds were? No. But what we can say is that Chris Langen is better and picking out patterns than any of those great minds.

madoubleguhee · 10-11-2009, 10:55 AM

-Agreed.

Intelligence, to me, is someone who's an individual. To me, an individual is someone who thinks differently and stresses about more important things.

We need more of those. And less of the whiny, academically inclined that believe the quality of life you're living and success is based on where you go to college or what fancy degree you get.

iamsounsure · 10-12-2009, 12:44 PM

Get out your measuring cups and we'll play a new game
Come to the front of the class and we'll measure your brain
We'll give you a complex and we'll give it a name

Put your backpack on your shoulder
Be the good little soldier
It's no different when your older
You're predisposed
That's all for questions now
The case is closed!

MosbyMarion · 10-19-2009, 08:15 AM

Do you mean intelligence as measured by tests? If so, then yes. One of my smartest friends struggles with school because he is a slow reader. He goes through life with a stigma of being a dumb football type simply because he stumbles over the words when called on to read something. It makes me sick to see the may another of my friends who is in a "gifted" program lords it over him. Put those two on opposite sides of a game of Stratego and the "gifted" one would be demolished.