How Smart Are We?

[BoBWiz]

Hi,

I'm not shure wich thing I can compare - I took "some Collage".
I studied social work and got a BA social work/social education. Now I'm a social worker. Surprise.
I'm in Germany.

regards

[Loggiu]

if we got infinite planet with infinite you...how many are the others? and the largest number noted was infinity exponential infinity, infinite time, i formulatet that i can double or divide it again, and again

[entropize]

Well I have two bachelors and am planning to go back and get my masters next spring in engineering. As for how smart I am, I know nothing but my own ignorance.

[TempestGuy]

This topic hasn't been posted in a while but I am still in my 2nd year of yeah school. Though most of the work I am doing is 1 or 2 above my grade. Unlike some teenager they do not have a plan on what happening next, but I took it upon myself and wanted to get a degree in mechanical engineering and electrical engineering. I also am going to learn python later next year. (I know all this takes money but I am hoping I hit the lottery at 18, so I can pursue my degrees I want to get.

[haydenbwilding]

I am a 14 year old boy in 8th grade. Im good at Magic I swear. I think I have at least a half-decent intelligence.  I go to a school for "gifted" students, have a 4.0 GPA, and in all standardized assessments my score is usually at least in the 95th percentile (usually 99 in ELA and History, but lower in math). At my local comic store (which is the place people play mtg as well) there are a surprising amount of middle aged construction workers and people coming in in their publix uniforms. However, they are very crafty for publix baggers so i dont even really know anymore. (Oh my bad, if you dont know what publix is it is a large supermarket chain in the south)
so yeah
My social security number is 420696969
I know, Im pretty mature

[CleanBelwas]

For me it depends how you define smart. I always think being smart isn't just being able to learn things, but to have the awareness to apply it to something useful.

For example:

For a while I was a member of Mensa. I was enrolled in their gifted and talented program while I was at school. The more I learned about it as I grew up and the more people I met who were part of it made me realise it wasn't for me so I left.

I dropped out of university to chase a girl I met playing in bands and stuff. I'm now married to her with two kids, a wonderful life and all that good stuff. Not the actions of a smart man, but it worked out in the end.

Work as a web developer, so not dumb, but nothing too fancy.

So for me, whenever I answer this question, I always say that I'm not smart (what idiot drops out of university to chase a girl) but I have a propensity for learning.

Also I'm from the UK and our education system is a little different. I'm not 100% sure what the UK equivalent is for each of the options in the poll.

[Red_Wyrm]

For me it depends how you define smart. I always think being smart isn't just being able to learn things, but to have the awareness to apply it to something useful.

For example:

For a while I was a member of Mensa. I was enrolled in their gifted and talented program while I was at school. The more I learned about it as I grew up and the more people I met who were part of it made me realise it wasn't for me so I left.

I dropped out of university to chase a girl I met playing in bands and stuff. I'm now married to her with two kids, a wonderful life and all that good stuff. Not the actions of a smart man, but it worked out in the end.

Work as a web developer, so not dumb, but nothing too fancy.

So for me, whenever I answer this question, I always say that I'm not smart (what idiot drops out of university to chase a girl) but I have a propensity for learning.

Also I'm from the UK and our education system is a little different. I'm not 100% sure what the UK equivalent is for each of the options in the poll.

I'd say the equivalent would probably be some college if your highest formal education was uni before dropping out to chase a girl.

Yeah one thing I've learned since graduating high school, being a college student now, is that you cannot define intelligence by what degree someone holds. I realize in high school, smart kids have high GPAs and dumbasses have low ones, but that's not how the world in general works.

I am majoring in physics and to my friends in poly science, I seem smart because I can do some advanced mathematics, but that doesnt mean I am smarter than them, however no matter how hard I try, i cannot understand economics, while they claim to be able to. Maybe if I took an economics course, I'd get it but who knows.


I think I disagree with your definition of smart. Being able to learn something is what makes you smart. Having the knowledge obtained from learning. At the risk of sounding like wanna be enlightened philosopher, I'll say I think that applying that smartness is wisdom/experience.

Also smart people make stupid choices. I didnt drop out to chase a girl, but I skipped several days of classes to drive 500 miles to see my boyfriend and now I'm spending valentines day alone.

[CleanBelwas]

I think I disagree with your definition of smart. Being able to learn something is what makes you smart. Having the knowledge obtained from learning. At the risk of sounding like wanna be enlightened philosopher, I'll say I think that applying that smartness is wisdom/experience.

Also smart people make stupid choices.

Well shit, that made me feel better about myself. I mean, I don't regret my choices one bit. I feel very lucky with my life and I am very happy. But objectively, I don't think what I did was a smart thing to do. But your way of looking at it makes sense. I'll chalk it up to a stupid choice that worked out in the end. Who cares about unfulfilled potential when you're happy, right?

I didnt drop out to chase a girl, but I skipped several days of classes to drive 500 miles to see my boyfriend and now I'm spending valentines day alone.

That sucks, I'm sorry to hear that. I hope that it all works out for you in the end.

[Aetherium Slinky]

I'm the one who voted HS. I've started university three times. And I've failed three times. I'm about to try again this spring and see if they still let me into some program.

I'm not sure if International Baccalaureate says anything to anyone but I got some 39 points and you couldn't tell. I work at a pub and have no money for Magic cards. If there's something I regret in life it's getting depression but at least I keep trying. Not that hard but trying anyway!

Not a member of Mensa but I think I should qualify from what I've gathered. So remember kids: being clever does not get you anywhere in life if the stars don't align and you don't work your butt off.

[Red_Wyrm]

Remember kids: being clever does not get you anywhere in life if the stars don't align and you don't work your butt off.

You gotta work your butt off to make the stars align. Dont wait for the cosmos to do it. You're on a clock.

[Slyvester12]

I have a Bachelor's in English Literature, but I studied Astrospace Engineering for two years (realized I really, REALLY did not like engineering at that point). I'm currently teaching English to Japanese kids, but I'll be moving back to the States to do graduate work soon.

Also, from a strictly mathematical standpoint, there's no such thing as a "larger infinity." Infinity is infinite. Infinity + or - infinity is still infinity.

[keeperoftwilight]

Hey,

I'm a 22-year-old girl from Germany, hopefully finishing my Bachelor's degree in translation and interpreting this year.  I was actually supposed to be on Erasmus in Finland right now, but it got canceled due to corona, obviously. Well, the next year, hopefully

[Aetherium Slinky]

Hey,

I'm a 22-year-old girl from Germany, hopefully finishing my Bachelor's degree in translation and interpreting this year.  I was actually supposed to be on Erasmus in Finland right now, but it got canceled due to corona, obviously. Well, the next year, hopefully

If you do come here then let's play a game or two!

[keeperoftwilight]

Hey, that would be awesome, kiitos! I'll let you know.

Emma

[jlutzxinc]

I'm necroposting, but at least I'm not the first person to revive this thread (which clearly doesn't make it any less wrong).  I technically have an Associates' Degree in General Studies, but I got it by mistake over the course of seven years pursuing an Elementary Special Education Associates' that I still don't have, so I don't think it should count.  I'll point out that there's more to "smart" than someone's educational level, as evidenced by yours truly.

I almost never make a semantic or grammatical blunder, but I'm terrible at almost everything else (even basic tasks that literally everyone I've ever seen, heard of and/or read about could do from early childhood).  I'm often told I'm very intelligent but I'm only just barely not stupid enough to believe such an obvious lie.