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Bored Panda reached out to Melissa Church of Bad Science Jokes to hear her thoughts on intelligence and why it's valued so much in our society. She was kind enough to share her perspective with us.
Church told us in an email that, for her, what lies at the core of being truly smart is waiting to respond. "The most intelligent people I've met seem to really take their time with a reply during a conversation," she said.
"They are not quick to anger, or excite, they look at all the facts and then come to a decision."
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Meanwhile, Church shed some light on the role that intelligence plays in society as a whole in this day and age. "I feel the tech industry, in general, has helped to change the definition of 'nerd' from the stereotypical caricature we see on television to some of today's wealthiest, most successful, people," she told Bored Panda.
"When we look at who is behind all of our favorite products, we see these extremely intelligent people who had a crazy idea and made it work. Things we cannot live without! The device you're reading this on was developed by some extremely smart people and made easy to understand for those folks like me. Ha!"
Church continued: "Society sees that it takes some exceptionally intelligent people to make our day-to-day lives what they are. Just a couple generations ago technology wasn't anywhere near what it is today, and having parents, grandparents, and ourselves, see just how far we've come in that regard, reminds us just how important the 'nerds' are!"
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If you talk to a whole bunch of people, they’ll likely have different interpretations of what intelligence really is. For some, it’s all about high IQ scores, book smarts, reasoning skills, fancy words, and a great memory. For others, it’s akin to wisdom, empathy, and living a good life. Still others associate smartness with results, e.g., financial success, a stellar career in academia, a global network of corporate contacts, etc.
Fundamentally, intelligence is the ability to acquire and apply your knowledge and skills. So, somebody who is incredibly curious and quickly devours new information is likely smart. However, the other half of that equation is to actually use all of that knowledge and your newfound skills for some goal.
Or getting lucky, as MIT Technology Review notes in its wittily titled article 'If you’re so smart, why aren’t you rich?'
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They question everything including themselves. They are Usually full of self-doubt because they’re smart enough to know there’s so much more to know.
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Learning thousands of trivia facts might be proof that you’ve got a good memory and are fairly disciplined, but if you don’t end up using any of it, it’s fairly useless fluff. On the flip side, someone who learns a few new bits of information, instantly applies them, and iterates past failure to improve their workflow, studying habits, or health is clearly getting actionable results.
Knowing information is good and all, but the true test is in how you use it… and whether you use it at all. The world is full of incredibly creative people with amazing ideas, but far from everyone will have the courage, patience, and willpower to test them out in the real world.
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Most ignorant people I know always speak like their opinions are established facts that are infallible.
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It’s very likely that you know some people who probably have an above-average IQ who seem to struggle with a lot of things, whether it’s their physical and mental health, their work, or their relationships. It’s also likely that back in school they were lauded as gifted and got good grades.
However, success as a grown-up requires far more than an agile mind. You need to know how to work in a team and navigate complex relationships. You have to know how to communicate with people clearly, not just boast about how you’re the best. You have to be willing to set your ego aside and be willing to learn something new from someone who has more experience than you. You need empathy. And you need to realize that working hard and burning out isn’t always the same as being efficient.
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As for the quiet thing....i know plenty of stupid quiet people.
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When they argue with you, they don't care who wins the argument. They are searching for the correct answer even if it is yours.
Also when their conclusions are challenged, they happily expose their thought process for you, laying their decision making process out in plain terms and inviting you to pick it apart.
Who’s the smartest person that you personally know, dear readers? What are some (not so) subtle signs that someone is way, way more intelligent than they initially seem? What qualities, skills, and attitudes do you associate intelligence with the most? Do you know anyone who has book smarts in spades but isn’t all that great at applying them?
For all the Dungeons & Dragons nerds out there, would you rather have a high Wisdom or Intelligence score? Tell us all about what you think in the comments, at the bottom of this post.
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They’re quiet and analytic and they argue differently.
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