....i know. not quite sure where this sprang from, but i'm pondering it regardless.
what i find most interesting is how the way in which people try to portray themselves intellectually actually compares with their true intellectual prowess. i know of some folks who are extremely intelligent; yet, if you were to meet them in the grocery store, you may think they were only slightly above average.
let's use my favorite "if i were to meet [whomever] in the grocery store." what would a stranger think upon just meeting a person while wandering a generic public space. put yourself in that mindset, and ponder what folks might think of you or your colleagues, loved ones, etc. how far off would they be?
i have a friend who is a medical physicist. a super smart guy. he chooses not to use "big words" (higher-level vocabulary) because he's just fine communicating in every-man english. he is, in fact, incredibly intelligent - he just doesn't feel the need to promote that fact.
i know of other folks who, while moderately intellectual, regularly employ vocabulary and references which might lead one to believe they are much more brilliant than they, in fact, are. they're trying to pump up their image as an intellect (and they're probably intensely aware of this fact).
honestly - i don't know that you can figure most people out...and i don't know that you can determine a level of intelligence simply from the career path someone chooses, either. some folks of extremely high intelligence have a lower level of ambition (or financial desires) and choose to spend their time in a more relaxing, less taxing environment. other folks of mediocre intelligence work their asses off in order to earn a high-status position. you never really know until you know them. really well.
i also wonder whether or not intelligence is something you're born with, or something that can be learned. i did some research, and found claims to support both. perhaps it's a combination of the two. you're born with a predisposition for intelligence, and your drive/determination/opportunity to grow determines your adult level of intellect. perhaps.
taking the above thoughts, i then turn it on myself and try to figure out: what would someone think of me if they were to meet me for the first time wandering in the grocery store, and how did i get here?
i was talking to my boyfriend over the weekend after having read an article on the "gifted and talented" programs that k-12 schools use in order to determine which adolescents are the "chosen ones" for accelerated classes. in my early days, i was one of those kids. one of those pegged as "gifted" and "bright", fortunate to be plopped into the higher-level coursework that pushed me ahead of the pack back then. i was considered highly intelligent. i felt highly intelligent. for a pre-teen.
and then things just started to slow. my accelerated rate of growth started to taper off and lead me to where i am today (in my opinion): above average, but by no means gifted to a significantly higher degree than others. moderately intelligent. not a super intellect.
these days, i feel like i gain one new piece of knowledge, and one old piece of knowledge falls out of my ear. visualize that. i do. i have reached my mental saturation point and, in order to maintain equilibrium, must balance new knowledge with the old.
i imagine, if i were to be walking in the grocery store, folks would see my intelligence level as it is - decent, but no sparkling mind. i'm sure there are also moments i'm judged for having sub-par smarts as well! like, when i lose my keys or am unable to form words coherently. or when i try to merge into the right hand lane only to be honked at by the bmw that was immediately beside me (yeah, that happened less than 12 hours ago...).
and i wonder - what happened? was i destined for a steep early learning curve and a high-school plateau of intelligence, or did i just stop trying? am i assessing myself correctly, or are there areas of intellect which have developed and gone unnoticed?
(pretty sure i'm just middle of the road. just posing questions so that you can contemplate this about yourself.)
i found an article breaking down intelligence in a way i had never before seen. i have provided it below, along with notes as they relate to my vision of myself.
my question for you: how do you rate in the below areas (in your opinion), and do you think that the mind has a capacity that, once reached, just tapers off?
here's a bit from the article that i find most interesting:
Cattell-Horn-Carroll theory
Main article: Cattell-Horn-Carroll theory
Many of the broad, recent IQ tests have been greatly influenced by the Cattell-Horn-Carroll theory. It is argued to reflect much of what is known about intelligence from research. A hierarchy of factors is used. g is at the top. Under it there are 10 broad abilities that in turn are subdivided into 70 narrow abilities. The broad abilities are:[24]
(Let's do a rating system...1 being pretty shitty, and 10 being effing excellent)
- Fluid Intelligence (Gf): includes the broad ability to reason, form concepts, and solve problems using unfamiliar information or novel procedures. (i'd give myself a 6)
- Crystallized Intelligence (Gc): includes the breadth and depth of a person's acquired knowledge, the ability to communicate one's knowledge, and the ability to reason using previously learned experiences or procedures. (i'd give myself a 4 - i swear, things fall out of my ears)
- Quantitative Reasoning (Gq): the ability to comprehend quantitative concepts and relationships and to manipulate numerical symbols. (solid 3 in this category...not my best area)
- Reading & Writing Ability (Grw): includes basic reading and writing skills. (i'd give myself an 8)
- Short-Term Memory (Gsm): is the ability to apprehend and hold information in immediate awareness and then use it within a few seconds. (i'd give myself a 7 - critical as a cocktail waitress!)
- Long-Term Storage and Retrieval (Glr): is the ability to store information and fluently retrieve it later in the process of thinking. (i will give myself a 5 - i have a selectively good long-term memory, and am better with images than facts)
- Visual Processing (Gv): is the ability to perceive, analyze, synthesize, and think with visual patterns, including the ability to store and recall visual representations. (i'd give myself a 6...i definitely think visually)
- Auditory Processing (Ga): is the ability to analyze, synthesize, and discriminate auditory stimuli, including the ability to process and discriminate speech sounds that may be presented under distorted conditions. (i'd give myself a 3 - not my strongest area)
- Processing Speed (Gs): is the ability to perform automatic cognitive tasks, particularly when measured under pressure to maintain focused attention. (i perform well under pressure...let's go with an 8)
- Decision/Reaction Time/Speed (Gt): reflect the immediacy with which an individual can react to stimuli or a task (typically measured in seconds or fractions of seconds; not to be confused with Gs, which typically is measured in intervals of 2–3 minutes). (similar to the above - i'd give myself a 7.5)
agree with me. disagree with me. tell me about you. just share :)
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