Does anyone ever feel unintelligent?

Post Reply New Topic

You know, I feel intelligent most of the time but there are certainly times where I feel incredibly inadequate. This usually happens when conversing with someone who isn't necessarily more intelligent, but instead, more overbearing in their opinions, I can feel stupid because I can't instantly form and verbalize a rebuttal. I mean, several people I know would wholeheartedly agree that I'm more of an intellectual than one of my friends, but he's so adept at firing witty criticisms that I can look like an absolute ret*d around him. I don't mind though; diverse friends are cool.

Totally depends, socially, I frequently feel completely stupid. Logically, I sometimes feel like a genius compared to other teens. Other times, I feel like I have no logic at all. I almost always feel like I know more about diverse topics than almost everyone else I know.

How to explian...

I don't feel the word intelligence really holds water. Everyone is intelligent in their own way, whether it be socially, academically, kinesthetically, what-have-you. Nevertheless, I feel our society tends to equate intelligence with book smarts, the latter of which I can't entirely deny having. Nevertheless, as a whole, I don't feel any more or less intelligent that most people--we're just different.

I feel stupid a lot, but that's mostly for things I do, like making a mistake.

Someone calling my stupid on the other hand... That grinds my gears...

A few weeks ago, I was at a bar in the Rockies, and a stranger approached me. We were talking about the growth of public transit systems in the intermountain West, and he called me "brilliant." I feel very insecure about my own intelligence, or others thinking I'm intelligent, especially considering I didn't do the best in school. Anyways, I replied automatically, "maybe I'm intelligent for out here." Wrong decision.

I feel insecure about it. I'm trying to muddle through. It's the best course of action.

I also have uneven abilities; I'm a genius on some fronts, and Homer Simpson-ish in others.

I was considered gifted in school, qualified for Mensa as a young adult, and always excelled in my job.

BUT I quite often feel stupid. Especially when faced with ultra-dry logic, materialism, scientific attention to detail, or perfectionism. I'm a feeling, intuitive type, and I'm much more comfortable being creative - even though I'm not that talented. I think part of the reason I'm so comfortable spending time alone is the expectations of others are often more than I can take or feel that I can live up to. If they find out I'm supposed to be gifted it's even worse - they expect more of me. I'm a slow learner and thinker. I think best on paper, but even then I'm much more about feelings than logic.

We live in a world that in a sense worships materialism and logic, at least it feels that way to me a lot of the time, and I don't do well in that world.

I have never been Lisa Simpson-ish before in my life, not even close. I am often Homer Simpson-ish. I think most of the time I am Marge Simpson-ish; anxious and sometimes intelligent on some things but not genius, just average really.

Yes, because despite being well informed on a wide range of subjects, the way in which I come across seems to indicate to many people that I'm in some way mentally slow or something

They hardly ever seem to relate to what I'm saying or the way I'm saying it so I prefer to communicate in writing

Even then, because I often have a different take on things to the majority view, people often don't relate to my thoughts and ideas so I might as well be stupid for all the notice that get's taken of what I say!

I do tend to avoid a lot of major problems in life though eg getting into debt, becoming a drug addict or an alcoholic, breaking the law, not having anywhere to live or living in a bad area, so I feel this indicates a certain level of practical intelligence that many seem to lack.

Essentially though, it's no good being intelligent if there's no one on the same wavelength to talk to! I face this problem a lot of the time.

i've never felt intelligent, i was raised to believe i was only big and dumb and clumsy and stupid.

oh! all the time

A lot of the time. i think that having issues where i obviously have trouble communicating socially makes me feel stupid sometimes.
or dependingly, naive, as in i should have known. yet i didn't know...

I had a friend who wanted to take me "snipe hunting" and i bugged them for 6 months to take me on and off. Finally they told me it's not real it's just a joke type of thing folks say.

Trying to get my words out correctly and failing at it can make me feel not smart.

I am here to learn for myself, we are always learning. I think everyone feels stupid at one time or another.