# Intelligence?



## Playful Proxy (Feb 6, 2012)

Alright, here's the deal. Recently, I've been feeling like shit because the identity I have held so dear my entire life is not nearly as great as I had once thought. I held my intelligence on a pedestal...to realize I'm not even that smart. In fact, I'm barely even smart. I'm an utter idiot. Where did I get the idea I was even partially competent?

I'm a high-school graduate with little knowledge in Precalc, none in physics, and a few extra credits to skip a college Lit course...great. That's just great. No math, little history, no useful sciences.....what have I even been doing with my life? 

I am pretty skilled with the computer, but even then, I cannot even say that I am proficient with a programming language. 

Long story short: I'm an idiot. Recommend books and tutorial videos to watch in my free time in addition to just attending college for a Comp Scie degree so I at least have some foundation to stand on intellectually.


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## StElmosDream (May 26, 2012)

No. YouTube is a better teacher and trial-error learning...


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## bales33 (Aug 8, 2012)

I hate to admit it, but I can relate. Once upon a time when I was still in elementary/middle school they would talk about how I was a genius and it kinda stuck, I realized I had no reason to justify anything to them so I just did has I pleased... Now I doubt that even half of that supposed intelligence is being put to use. But on some level i'm okay with that... or at least that's what I tell myself. 

My biggest problem was that I could only see the point in what is pleasing. Why live life if your not enjoying yourself? Isn't all that I do insignificant compared to the small fraction of existence that I can comprehend? The ironic thing is I got what I wanted, while others are solving extremely complex problems and while others are making millions... i'm doing the same shit I've always done. 

I may spend some of my time contemplating what I most likely threw away, but I gained something in return... Hell, at least i'm able to admit my ignorance at 18. That being said it may be my arrogance showing but i'm going to say that by admitting your ignorance your doing all right... just like my foolish ass.

P.S. I have no clue how to respond to what you said... so I just threw out my own damn story for the hell of it.


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## donkeybals (Jan 13, 2011)

The smartest people, know how to live life the way they want to.


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## Bear987 (May 13, 2012)

Well, you're not the only idiot. There are few smart people in the areas that you mention and compared to them, everyone else is dumb and incompetent.

I don't think that the average education system is equipped to bring out the best in people. Besides, school subjects and methods of teaching and testing are way too limited. It is set up that way. There's more to people than what their report cards say.

At a certain point maybe you'll benefit from seeing (any part of) life not so much as a competition, but as something you get to experience. The purpose is not to win at anything, but to enjoy whatever you end up with. Maybe that doesn't make much sense to you right now, since so many things in our Western, capitalist world are made competitive.


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## RedDeath9 (Apr 22, 2010)

Sounds like you're talking about knowledge more than intelligence. Why in the world would someone have to know calculus and hard science in order to be considered "intelligent?" How far in life do you think calculus knowledge will get you? I'm sure you're a smart guy. Concentrate on other aspects of yourself that are awesome. You will find many; you've just neglected them because you were concentrating on your "intelligence" this whole time.


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## Playful Proxy (Feb 6, 2012)

RedDeath9 said:


> Sounds like you're talking about knowledge more than intelligence. Why in the world would someone have to know calculus and hard science in order to be considered "intelligent?" How far in life do you think calculus knowledge will get you? I'm sure you're a smart guy. Concentrate on other aspects of yourself that are awesome. You will find many; you've just neglected them because you were concentrating on your "intelligence" this whole time.


I know it won't get me that far, but in reality, those I consider smart in my circle do have this knowledge. I'm pretty much left out in the cold and labeled as an idiot because of all the knowledge I lack. Sure, learning to pick locks and psychologically manipulate is more useful in life than Calculus, but one makes you sound like a psychopath and the other makes you sound smart. And quite honestly...since I"m going into computers, I really should be going farther in my maths... (and programming if I ever got the damn discipline).


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## RedDeath9 (Apr 22, 2010)

Well, it sounds like you've already got this figured out. Go to Khan Academy and start learnin' shit up, bro.


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## tanstaafl28 (Sep 10, 2012)

Signify said:


> Alright, here's the deal. Recently, I've been feeling like shit because the identity I have held so dear my entire life is not nearly as great as I had once thought. I held my intelligence on a pedestal...to realize I'm not even that smart. In fact, I'm barely even smart. I'm an utter idiot. Where did I get the idea I was even partially competent?
> 
> I'm a high-school graduate with little knowledge in Precalc, none in physics, and a few extra credits to skip a college Lit course...great. That's just great. No math, little history, no useful sciences.....what have I even been doing with my life?
> 
> ...


Greetings Signify: 

It seems to me that it's all about how you define/measure "intelligence." You are suddenly looking around and realizing you've not learned anything useful/practical by whose standards? I don't think you're an idiot. Your problem is that you have not applied yourself to anything, that's kind of sad, but I don't know if it's idiotic. 

O'reilly books has a lot of freebies. Google free tech books, they're all over the place.


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## Bast (Mar 23, 2011)

Do your "friends" really call you an idiot because you don't know advanced calculus? Some friends. FFS.

ETA: If they/you are young, don't worry. They'll eventually get over themselves and realize that all the calculus knowledge in the world doesn't mean they're some super genius. Like others have said, generalized knowledge of a subjects does not equal intelligence. It can be hard when your so-called friends are putting you down because you don't enjoy sipping tea with your pinky up and discussing differential equations as much as they do, but you will probably come out ahead in the long run. Try not to worry.


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## PhatVince (Sep 26, 2012)

Coursera.org allows you to sign up for free online classes of many topics, taught by professionals and professors around the country. If you actually want to learn, you should probably use this.


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## Perhaps (Aug 20, 2011)

Do you want to broaden your knowledge for the sake of becoming more intelligent or _appearing_ more intelligent?

Because if it's the latter, honestly, you just have to learn to fake it better.


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