Science Says “Smart People Are Idiots”

[spud the mackem]

Confucius say :- smart person is one who keeps quiet and listens to people making fools of themselves.

[Skep B]

Actually it is . Smart ppl always would see so many potential probabilities a way/decision can turn that they won't be able to know which one is the most appropriate rational handling procedure, making them looking like slow retards lacking spontaneity.

If they're really smart wouldn't they be able to see the best route logically?

[Lilly]

...All of us are idots in some areas and all of us smart in other areas. Smart is using what you have and if you don't, you're an idiot LOL

Good observation. Dr. Howard Gardner (Harvard professor) proposed awhile back that there isn't just one form of intelligence, but rather multiple forms of intelligence. For example, one could be mathematically highly intelligent and socially not too bright.

[il-Hares]

I don't consider myself that smart, but compared to some people, I'm a friggin genius. And I'm not saying certificate wise - "common sense" wise, I mean I wonder how they're still alive. Then I met people who can barely read, but they're wise, those I love.

[spud the mackem]

The school is looking for 3 wise men for the Xmas play..no body wants to be the donkey, and Joe's beard keeps falling off.So where do they get 3 wise men from, obviously not here. ...............

[SHaYap]

The school is looking for 3 wise men for the Xmas play..no body wants to be the donkey, and Joe's beard keeps falling off.So where do they get 3 wise men from, obviously not here. ...............

I'll play the donkey ... as long as I'm not the donkey's back end ...

~edit: page break dilemma

~

Edited December 8, 2013 by third_eye

[Phaeton80]

I was trying to point out the apparant newly emerging efforts to popularize ignorance.

[SHaYap]

Its not new ... just much more prevalent ...

[Leonardo]

A significant factor in the conclusion from the OP article, yet not considered by the authors, is that people are not taught to properly consider the questions asked. Also, we have a tendency to want to "think quickly" - perhaps too quickly - and this is partly down to the education system we grew up in allocating set time for examinations, etc.

So, I would disagree somewhat with the premise "smart people are stupid" as being innate, but that it is partly conditioned in to us.

Edited December 8, 2013 by Leonardo

[spacecowboy342]

I still would like to know why the answer to the one about the lily pads covering half the lake is 47 instead of 24.

He spends all that time telling us what idiots we all are but doesn't bother to at least explain the first test question.

Because if the pad doubles in size every day the day before it covers the entire lake it would be half that size and so cover half the lake. So if it takes 48 days to cover the lake it would take 47 to half cover the lake. Did I just prove I was stupid?

[White Unicorn]

Actually it is . Smart ppl always would see so many potential probabilities a way/decision can turn that they won't be able to know which one is the most appropriate rational handling procedure, making them looking like slow retards lacking spontaneity.

You are very right, that has it's draw backs in real life situations that require a really quick decision.

Smart people have to develop a special way to handle those kind of things by preparing before hand on how to deal with certain probable situations so spontaneousness is learned by ignoring the details of less likely outcomes (that automatically go through their thoughts all the time!) I noticed smart people who make that adjustment, tend to lose it after getting older, multitasking becomes more difficult, but they still excel in areas that require accurate analysis.

It is subjective how each person is defines smartness or being an idiot. Everyone has to adapt to their abilities or disabilities and be able to put them to their best use. Smart people and dumb people both have to face challenges to be able to use what ever they are given and be able to adapt in different ways.

[SHaYap]

25 Amazing Savant Minds

Posted by David Pegg on November 30, 2011

People & Politics

Savants, those legendary masters of mental mayhem. They are blessed with an oasis of talent in a desert of disability and ineptitude. Although they could probably tell you how many thread are in their shoelaces, tying them together would be an almost impossible task. Although savant syndrome is not an officially recognized medical disorder it is perhaps one of the least understood and scientists are still trying to figure out what is going on in the minds of the these amazing savants.

• list25 link
  

though some regards them as handicapped .... this one on the other hand ....

12/05/2013 @ 1:13AM |26,377 views

Why Eminem Calls Himself A Savant, And Why We Want To Believe Him

“I don’t know if I have the attention span to sit and read a sentence,” rapper Eminem recently told Rolling Stone, “So I don’t read.” Hip hop is the only thing that the 41-year-old, whose eighth album, The Marshall Mathers LP 2, currently tops the Billboard album chart, says he’s good at. “I don’t know how to do anything else. I think they have a word for that – what do they call it? Idiot savant?”

• Forbes link
  

No ... Mr. Marshall Bruce Mathers III ... not exactly the word I have in mind ...

~

[il-Hares]

Because if the pad doubles in size every day the day before it covers the entire lake it would be half that size and so cover half the lake. So if it takes 48 days to cover the lake it would take 47 to half cover the lake. Did I just prove I was stupid?

yes, could have quoted my post

[Bendy Demon]

Because if the pad doubles in size every day the day before it covers the entire lake it would be half that size and so cover half the lake. So if it takes 48 days to cover the lake it would take 47 to half cover the lake. Did I just prove I was stupid?

Sorry. I still don't follow. Why would it take 47 days to cover half the lake yet just one to cover the other half?

Because I do not follow this logic, I guess I am the one that is apparently stupid.

Anyways..the article really didn't say anything convincing. I mean, people can be book smart as in memorizing facts from a book while some may have memorized facts from studying a particular topic and others memorize facts from what they experience but to call people "stupid" just because of some word games or whatever...it doesn't really prove a point.

(It's too early for me to think straight right now)

[Frank Merton]

Smart-Aleck people tend to get the answers to the questions right. I think the article proved its false premise by asking questions that those who have had experience with this sort of question (out of the box thinking) will get but most people, who nevertheless think they are smart, won't get.

[Bendy Demon]

Smart-Aleck people tend to get the answers to the questions right. I think the article proved its false premise by asking questions that those who have had experience with this sort of question (out of the box thinking) will get but most people, who nevertheless think they are smart, won't get.

Ok..I am definitely stupid because I didn't understand what you just said.

"Smart alecks" get the questions right? How so?

And those who aren't "smart alecks" don't?

[spacecowboy342]

Sorry. I still don't follow. Why would it take 47 days to cover half the lake yet just one to cover the other half?

Because I do not follow this logic, I guess I am the one that is apparently stupid.

Anyways..the article really didn't say anything convincing. I mean, people can be book smart as in memorizing facts from a book while some may have memorized facts from studying a particular topic and others memorize facts from what they experience but to call people "stupid" just because of some word games or whatever...it doesn't really prove a point.

(It's too early for me to think straight right now)

It's because it doubles every day so on day 47 it covers half the lake, On day 48 it doubles and so covers the whole lake, see? I think Frank Merton is right. It has more to do with outside the box thinking than just intelligence so much.

[spacecowboy342]

Ok..I am definitely stupid because I didn't understand what you just said.

"Smart alecks" get the questions right? How so?

And those who aren't "smart alecks" don't?

It takes a devious or suspicious mind. The type that always suspects a trap or a trick more than just a purely intelligent or logical mind, I think. The difference between a great engineer vs a great chess player.

[keninsc]

Well, I have had the horrid, displeasure to work with three different engineers......two of whom were MENSA members and reminded you constantly about how bloody smart their test scores said they were.......until they had to put it into practice and actually design something. The third was just lazy and used his smarts to get out of doing anything or being responsible for anything.

The three of them together couldn't design their way out of a wet paper sack in the real world. Oh they could come up with all sorts of super-duper, whiz-bang ideas that worked in theory but when it came time to apply them to the real nuts and bolts world they were as lost as a babe in the woods.

Can't tell you how many times I was called into my boss's office and told I needed to take over a project from one of them. I got to where when it happened I'd look at my boss and say, "Ok, how bad is it ****ed up this time?"

Edited December 9, 2013 by keninsc

[spacecowboy342]

Well, I have had the horrid, displeasure to work with three different engineers......two of whom were MENSA members and reminded you constantly about how bloody smart their test scores said they were.......until they had to put it into practice and actually design something. The third was just lazy and used his smarts to get out of doing anything or being responsible for anything.

The three of them together couldn't design their way out of a wet paper sack in the real world. Oh they could come up with all sorts of super-duper, whiz-bang ideas that worked in theory but when it came time to apply them to the real nuts and bolts world they were as lost as a babe in the woods.

Can't tell you how many times I was called into my boss's office and told I needed to take over a project from one of them. I got to where when it happened I'd look at my boss and say, "Ok, how bad is it ****ed up this time?"

I've had similar experiences with engineers

[Lilly]

Let's face it, 'test smart' and 'real life smart' are frequently two different things.

[spud the mackem]

An Engineer is a guy who drives a railroad Engine, the rest are Mechanics.

[White Unicorn]

It takes a devious or suspicious mind. The type that always suspects a trap or a trick more than just a purely intelligent or logical mind, I think. The difference between a great engineer vs a great chess player.

That's a good point! You learn to be suspicious quickly in life, especially when it comes to IQ tests LOL

When Ryu mentioned book smart, I thought of myself when I was young and considered very smart in school.

I never really saw it that way because my mind worked differently and actually to me it was like cheating when I found out people didn't study the way I did!

I read and comprehended but I never memorized by repetition or a lot of spent time studying.

I would make notes to "study" for mid terms etc however when I studied I more or less meditated very quickly to reach my subconscious mind than I looked at all my notes and took a picture. When I took the tests all I had to do was visualize all my notes and pages of the books I read and I could see all the answers. I have excellent visualization so much so that I can see things and totally kind block out what my eyes are seeing at the present. When I do that I would consider myself as an apparent idot or day dreamer because I'm not really present, it's alternating between two states of mind. You can do it so quickly that others don't notice it. But as I got older I got older got slower because I get told, your not paying attention to me! Eeks I am an idot at those times LOL

[White Unicorn]

Well, I have had the horrid, displeasure to work with three different engineers......two of whom were MENSA members and reminded you constantly about how bloody smart their test scores said they were.......until they had to put it into practice and actually design something. The third was just lazy and used his smarts to get out of doing anything or being responsible for anything.

The three of them together couldn't design their way out of a wet paper sack in the real world. Oh they could come up with all sorts of super-duper, whiz-bang ideas that worked in theory but when it came time to apply them to the real nuts and bolts world they were as lost as a babe in the woods.

Can't tell you how many times I was called into my boss's office and told I needed to take over a project from one of them. I got to where when it happened I'd look at my boss and say, "Ok, how bad is it ****ed up this time?"

I did the Mensa membership tests for fun and passed with flying colors but I never joined because most of them seemed like vain a holes just like you described. What purpose does it serve being a member? At the time I thought it might look good on a resume but their attitudes toward others made me say I don't want to be a part of that group!

[spacecowboy342]

That's a good point! You learn to be suspicious quickly in life, especially when it comes to IQ tests LOL

When Ryu mentioned book smart, I thought of myself when I was young and considered very smart in school.

I never really saw it that way because my mind worked differently and actually to me it was like cheating when I found out people didn't study the way I did!

I read and comprehended but I never memorized by repetition or a lot of spent time studying.

I would make notes to "study" for mid terms etc however when I studied I more or less meditated very quickly to reach my subconscious mind than I looked at all my notes and took a picture. When I took the tests all I had to do was visualize all my notes and pages of the books I read and I could see all the answers. I have excellent visualization so much so that I can see things and totally kind block out what my eyes are seeing at the present. When I do that I would consider myself as an apparent idot or day dreamer because I'm not really present, it's alternating between two states of mind. You can do it so quickly that others don't notice it. But as I got older I got older got slower because I get told, your not paying attention to me! Eeks I am an idot at those times LOL

Yeah my school days (much longer ago than I like to admit) were similar. I could read a chapter or whatever and later on the test picture the page in my mind. My memory doesn't work as well now but if I write something down I always remember it so I never have to consult my notes. But as far as questions like that one I always try to turn things over in my mind and look at them from different perspectives. I remember a quote by Einstein where he said if he had an hour to answer a question he would spend 55 minutes thinking about the question and the last five figuring out the answer