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Possibility of an elite city of geniuses.

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Sand
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17 Aug 2009, 12:03 am

Magnus wrote:
Nerds are okay as long as they are not the weasely type who are soo logical that they don't see the point in putting other's needs before their own.
I'd rather be surrounded by less intellgents who are less rational when it comes to serving their fellow man. That means, I want people with a back bone/integrity/ so that they can be emotionally connected to one another despite the fact that it may not be the most rational thing. It is far more rational/logical to just care about oneself and one's own family, but to be able to extend that sort of caring to everyone is an outstanding feature and goes beyond IQ. People with a high EQ as well as IQ would make great citizens and I'd guess they'd be very tolerant of everyone.


As much as I prize empathy, and I am probably almost irrationally empathic towards non human creatures as well as rather vicious humans including people with cultural traditions far outside my own preferences. But tolerance of ignorance and stupidity and downright nastiness puts me on edge and people who have a huge disregard for animals and the environment and people outside their close genetic relatives evokes an intestinal revulsion in me that overcomes any sympathies whatsoever. Tossing logic to the winds, as you frequently seem to have the disposition to do, is beyond tolerable foolishness and becomes brashly and frequently violently dangerous.



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17 Aug 2009, 4:47 am

IQ only determines a limited number of intelligences. There are many. I think I am intelligent in my own way but I have a cruddy IQ.


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zer0netgain
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17 Aug 2009, 6:16 am

Someone's got to empty the trash can.

Having worked with "elite" people and "commoners," I can say I prefer the company of commoners. Many of them are deeper and more intelligent than generally portrayed if you take time to get to know them.

The "elite," in contrast, were offensive and narrow minded.



Sand
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17 Aug 2009, 7:31 am

zer0netgain wrote:
Someone's got to empty the trash can.

Having worked with "elite" people and "commoners," I can say I prefer the company of commoners. Many of them are deeper and more intelligent than generally portrayed if you take time to get to know them.

The "elite," in contrast, were offensive and narrow minded.


Its the wrong classification. Either one can be complete schmucks or great people. Stupidity is no virtue where ever it exists.



zer0netgain
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17 Aug 2009, 7:49 am

Sand wrote:
zer0netgain wrote:
Someone's got to empty the trash can.

Having worked with "elite" people and "commoners," I can say I prefer the company of commoners. Many of them are deeper and more intelligent than generally portrayed if you take time to get to know them.

The "elite," in contrast, were offensive and narrow minded.


Its the wrong classification. Either one can be complete schmucks or great people. Stupidity is no virtue where ever it exists.


Perhaps, but it is my experience that "elite" often refers to "intelligence" in the terms of IQ ratings and academia where "commoners" are low IQ and not as educated.

I know a lot of "dumb" people who have a lot more smarts about how the world really works and life itself compared to the high IQ "educated" crowd who think they have all the answers, but are rather clueless.



Sand
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17 Aug 2009, 9:53 am

zer0netgain wrote:
Sand wrote:
zer0netgain wrote:
Someone's got to empty the trash can.

Having worked with "elite" people and "commoners," I can say I prefer the company of commoners. Many of them are deeper and more intelligent than generally portrayed if you take time to get to know them.

The "elite," in contrast, were offensive and narrow minded.


Its the wrong classification. Either one can be complete schmucks or great people. Stupidity is no virtue where ever it exists.


Perhaps, but it is my experience that "elite" often refers to "intelligence" in the terms of IQ ratings and academia where "commoners" are low IQ and not as educated.

I know a lot of "dumb" people who have a lot more smarts about how the world really works and life itself compared to the high IQ "educated" crowd who think they have all the answers, but are rather clueless.


The smartest people are not necessarily academics and being non-academic is not a signal of stupidity.



zer0netgain
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17 Aug 2009, 10:11 am

Sand wrote:
zer0netgain wrote:
Sand wrote:
zer0netgain wrote:
Someone's got to empty the trash can.

Having worked with "elite" people and "commoners," I can say I prefer the company of commoners. Many of them are deeper and more intelligent than generally portrayed if you take time to get to know them.

The "elite," in contrast, were offensive and narrow minded.


Its the wrong classification. Either one can be complete schmucks or great people. Stupidity is no virtue where ever it exists.


Perhaps, but it is my experience that "elite" often refers to "intelligence" in the terms of IQ ratings and academia where "commoners" are low IQ and not as educated.

I know a lot of "dumb" people who have a lot more smarts about how the world really works and life itself compared to the high IQ "educated" crowd who think they have all the answers, but are rather clueless.


The smartest people are not necessarily academics and being non-academic is not a signal of stupidity.


Hang around a group of academians and watch how they regard others not of their "class."



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17 Aug 2009, 10:22 am

zer0netgain wrote:
Sand wrote:
zer0netgain wrote:
Sand wrote:
zer0netgain wrote:
Someone's got to empty the trash can.

Having worked with "elite" people and "commoners," I can say I prefer the company of commoners. Many of them are deeper and more intelligent than generally portrayed if you take time to get to know them.

The "elite," in contrast, were offensive and narrow minded.


Its the wrong classification. Either one can be complete schmucks or great people. Stupidity is no virtue where ever it exists.


Perhaps, but it is my experience that "elite" often refers to "intelligence" in the terms of IQ ratings and academia where "commoners" are low IQ and not as educated.

I know a lot of "dumb" people who have a lot more smarts about how the world really works and life itself compared to the high IQ "educated" crowd who think they have all the answers, but are rather clueless.


The smartest people are not necessarily academics and being non-academic is not a signal of stupidity.


Hang around a group of academians and watch how they regard others not of their "class."


^So effigying true.

It almost reminds me of the Edwardian period in which people not only were divided by social class but by their social groups thus stigma attached to those who were regarded as inferior.

Look at India and their cast systems. Most of the people who are not well off are considered untouchables and are ostracized from their own society and not because they're drunks, bums, and thieves.

There also seems to be a stigma attached to those who DO more than their fair share of work and are considered lazy....because they won't get a "real" job. Trouble is, how in the hell can they afford such an extravagant education if they can't afford? It amazes me in how so many kids take this opportunity for granted. I also get sick of hearing this kind of crap among what I'd call the pseudo-intellectuals.


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Last edited by MissConstrue on 17 Aug 2009, 10:40 am, edited 1 time in total.

Janissy
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17 Aug 2009, 10:36 am

I'll take it one step further and say that I don't think how smart a person is has anything to do with their worth as a person. Street smart, book smart, "reading people smart" or whatever, I'm just not buying the idea that smartness, whatever its form, makes one a better person. Smartness is just how well a person processes information (or certain types of information). It is genetic and not under conscious control. Therefore it's neither virtue nor vice. It's just the processing power a person was born with. It has about as much bearing on a person's character as whether or not they are diabetic or what the texture of their hair is.



Sand
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17 Aug 2009, 10:51 am

Contempt for intelligence and a love of stupidity evidently is very popular around here.



Tollorin
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17 Aug 2009, 11:04 am

Magnus wrote:
Nerds are okay as long as they are not the weasely type who are soo logical that they don't see the point in putting other's needs before their own.
I'd rather be surrounded by less intellgents who are less rational when it comes to serving their fellow man. That means, I want people with a back bone/integrity/ so that they can be emotionally connected to one another despite the fact that it may not be the most rational thing. It is far more rational/logical to just care about oneself and one's own family, but to be able to extend that sort of caring to everyone is an outstanding feature and goes beyond IQ. People with a high EQ as well as IQ would make great citizens and I'd guess they'd be very tolerant of everyone.


Don't worry, people in the "gifted" range(130+ IQ) can be quite emotional.(It doe have some common points with asperger, but it's not the same thing.)

Dabrowski's Emotional Overexcitability of Gifted Children

Gifted Adults


zer0netgain wrote:
Perhaps, but it is my experience that "elite" often refers to "intelligence" in the terms of IQ ratings and academia where "commoners" are low IQ and not as educated.

I know a lot of "dumb" people who have a lot more smarts about how the world really works and life itself compared to the high IQ "educated" crowd who think they have all the answers, but are rather clueless.


A academian is not necessary smarter that someone of the common crow. They tend to be but not always. So, unless you got some kind of "IQ scope"... :lol:



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17 Aug 2009, 11:12 am

Sand wrote:
zer0netgain wrote:
Someone's got to empty the trash can.

Having worked with "elite" people and "commoners," I can say I prefer the company of commoners. Many of them are deeper and more intelligent than generally portrayed if you take time to get to know them.

The "elite," in contrast, were offensive and narrow minded.


Its the wrong classification. Either one can be complete schmucks or great people. Stupidity is no virtue where ever it exists.


People with down's syndrome are typically nicer than elite politicians. I agree with zer0netgain.

btw, my IQ is well over 130 so it's not like I have an axe to grind or dislike logic. It's just that everything can be rationalized and to get past that puts one in a state of emotion that defies logic. Braveheart was not very rational and what he did didn't seem very logcial but he accomplished much due to the emotional loyalty he was able to harness.


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zer0netgain
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17 Aug 2009, 11:38 am

Sand wrote:
Contempt for intelligence and a love of stupidity evidently is very popular around here.


Not really, but I've found (as many others I know) that those who hold themselves out as representatives of the "intelligent" community of humans are largely self-absorbed and detestable examples of humanity.

Stupid people my be simple, but they tend to be more warm-hearted towards others.

My IQ is in the 150+ range and I finished graduate school. I felt more compassion from the "untouchables" (janitors, workmen, etc.) than I ever got from the professors and administrative staff. Heck, I learned that people in the "lower class" jobs were pretty much trapped there. If they had the skills to be in a better job, they'd not be considered because of where they currently worked.

As one columnist noted years ago, Colleges and Universities are the last remaining bastion of a caste system in America. This is ironic as a college/university can survive without a number of their secretaries, professors and administrators, but without the physical plant personnel (janitors, repairmen, etc.) the campus would be shut down within a week, but they get the lowest pay, least benefits, and largely no respect (worked as a student custodian for a year while in grad school...saw it first hand).



Sand
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17 Aug 2009, 12:08 pm

zer0netgain wrote:
Sand wrote:
Contempt for intelligence and a love of stupidity evidently is very popular around here.


Not really, but I've found (as many others I know) that those who hold themselves out as representatives of the "intelligent" community of humans are largely self-absorbed and detestable examples of humanity.

Stupid people my be simple, but they tend to be more warm-hearted towards others.

My IQ is in the 150+ range and I finished graduate school. I felt more compassion from the "untouchables" (janitors, workmen, etc.) than I ever got from the professors and administrative staff. Heck, I learned that people in the "lower class" jobs were pretty much trapped there. If they had the skills to be in a better job, they'd not be considered because of where they currently worked.

As one columnist noted years ago, Colleges and Universities are the last remaining bastion of a caste system in America. This is ironic as a college/university can survive without a number of their secretaries, professors and administrators, but without the physical plant personnel (janitors, repairmen, etc.) the campus would be shut down within a week, but they get the lowest pay, least benefits, and largely no respect (worked as a student custodian for a year while in grad school...saw it first hand).


In spite of my comments I am sympathetic with your feelings. I respect people in all fields of life and found them congenial and frequently with good insights in the various aspects of life. I do not have an impressive IQ myself but seem to get along with all types. Nevertheless I prize witty and highly intelligent people who have investigated fascinating areas in great depth. Intellect and personality are not mutually exclusive characteristics.



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17 Aug 2009, 12:28 pm

Sand wrote:
Contempt for intelligence and a love of stupidity evidently is very popular around here.


No. What's very popular in this thread is not judging a person's worth by their IQ score. Intelligence- whether it is the kind that shows up on an IQ test or is more of the "street smart" variety- is just processing capability. Any society needs people with a great variety of processing capabilities. How well somebody can process information and what types of information they are best at processing is just a genetic dice roll. It has nothing to do with character, personality or how "good" a person is. Monoculture is bad agricultural practice and it doesn't work for people either (not that it's ever been possible to try).