How smart are you?

[an anarchist]

TLDR: how smart are you? How do you know? Are you naturally smart, or has education been the main reason why you are smart? I have a feeling us denizens of RF are generally smarter than the general population, imo. I'm a genius haha


I used to think I was a genius before I joined this site. Now I'm not so sure. You guys are way more educated than me with my diploma. But my natural intelligence is high.

I took the ASVAB (test to enter the military) while in high school. Four sections make up the overall score, but there are other sections. If you get a 50, that means you did better than 50% of people. My calculated score was a 94, with me scoring perfect 100s on arithmetic reasoning and the paragraph comprehension. Thaf inflated my ego a bit lol.

Public education was a joke to me. Easy peasy.

But since then, I haven't really exercised my brain, other than reading an occasional book. And I've done a lot of stupid stuff since high school, such as drinking. I feel dumber than I used to be. I'm 24 tho, hopefully I have time to turn it around.

So, how smart are you guys? I know most of you guys have degrees and stuff. Do you credit that for how smart you are, or are you just naturally smart, like me?

My intelligence is why I'm so narcissistic sometimes.

 

[Secret Chief]

TLDR: how smart are you? How do you know? Are you naturally smart, or has education been the main reason why you are smart? I have a feeling us denizens of RF are generally smarter than the general population, imo. I'm a genius haha


I used to think I was a genius before I joined this site. Now I'm not so sure. You guys are way more educated than me with my diploma. But my natural intelligence is high.

I took the ASVAB (test to enter the military) while in high school. Four sections make up the overall score, but there are other sections. If you get a 50, that means you did better than 50% of people. My calculated score was a 94, with me scoring perfect 100s on arithmetic reasoning and the paragraph comprehension. Thaf inflated my ego a bit lol.

Public education was a joke to me. Easy peasy.

But since then, I haven't really exercised my brain, other than reading an occasional book. And I've done a lot of stupid stuff since high school, such as drinking. I feel dumber than I used to be. I'm 24 tho, hopefully I have time to turn it around.

So, how smart are you guys? I know most of you guys have degrees and stuff. Do you credit that for how smart you are, or are you just naturally smart, like me?

My intelligence is why I'm so narcissistic sometimes.

Does being a MENSA member count? Or does that just mean I need to get out more?

 

[an anarchist]

Does being a MENSA member count? Or does that just mean I need to get out more?

What is MENSA?? You probably do need to get out more though

 

[Secret Chief]

What is MENSA?? You probably do need to get out more though

As I suspected.

- Mensa International - Wikipedia

 

[an anarchist]

As I suspected.

- Mensa International - Wikipedia

Golly whiz yea that counts.

 

[Heyo]

TLDR: how smart are you? How do you know? Are you naturally smart, or has education been the main reason why you are smart? I have a feeling us denizens of RF are generally smarter than the general population, imo. I'm a genius haha

I also think that RF has an above average membership. High IQ people tend to be more interested in philosophical questions that need thinking.
I was never officially tested but MENSA members often ask why I don't join. They couldn't convince me that its worth it though.
(Unofficial tests (books, web sites, MENSA pre test) put my IQ at around 135. That makes me the smartest person in a room of less than 50 randomly selected people. On RF, I think I could make the top 10 among the regulars.)

 

[Aupmanyav]

So, how smart are you guys? I know most of you guys have degrees and stuff.
My intelligence is why I'm so narcissistic sometimes.

I am just about average. Degrees do not define smartness. Look at Bill Gates and so many others.
You are young. I hope, you will get over that in time.

What is MENSA?? You probably do need to get out more though

You could have checked with Wikipedia, Google, etc.

 

[JustGeorge]

I'm a big dummy.

I play a smart person on TV, though.

 

[rational experiences]

I was taught by applying self development.

Not remaining fixed in ideas repeating constants by thought and behaviour.

I understood you had to apply the practice self development by being a self. And be determined to not be persuaded by cult group bullies.

I live to live is the highest self expressed intelligence. Doesn't own any number actually.

 

[Viker]

I'm smart. I figured out how to get back home from the bar. I still haven't figured out how my shoe got untied. I'm smart. Did I say that already?

 

[Heyo]

I'm smart. I figured out how to get back home from the bar. I still haven't figured out how my shoe got untied. I'm smart. Did I say that already?

You sound a bit passive aggressive, just like someone who just got rejected from MENSA because of a one point difference. That would put your IQ at 131. Am I right?

 

[ChristineM]

I was written off as unteachable, considered thick by my teachers, then i was diagnosed with dyslexia, remedial eye glasses prescribed and words came into focus.
So no education until i was 14, i taught myself to read and write, not well but well enough to catch up and earn a place in college within 2 years. Then go on to university then start my own, successful business.

Not sure if that's lucky or smart.

 

[danieldemol]

I was just slightly above average in high school, but I've gone a long way down since then.

I suspect the schizophrenia meds make it difficult to concentrate, however I'm 40 so it could just be age I suppose.

 

[Debater Slayer]

We each have our strengths and weaknesses. I don't buy into the notion that IQ tests measure anything but a specific and sometimes culturally variable form of intelligence.

I have a degree in computer science and got A's in every single mathematical subject throughout my university years. A taxi driver I know who dropped out of school has the most street smarts I have ever seen. I know my way better than he does around a computer, while his resourcefulness on the street blows mine out of the water.

Society needs people with various types of intelligence to function properly. High IQ alone doesn't cut it.

 

[Viker]

You sound a bit passive aggressive, just like someone who just got rejected from MENSA because of a one point difference. That would put your IQ at 131. Am I right?

No.

 

[Debater Slayer]

You sound a bit passive aggressive, just like someone who just got rejected from MENSA because of a one point difference. That would put your IQ at 131. Am I right?

I got rejected from Mensa for having negative IQ, so I founded my own society, Densa, and became its prophet.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

TLDR: how smart are you? How do you know? Are you naturally smart, or has education been the main reason why you are smart? I have a feeling us denizens of RF are generally smarter than the general population, imo. I'm a genius haha
...

On a good day I am so smart, that I know the limits of being smart.

 

[Heyo]

We each have our strengths and weaknesses. I don't buy into the notion that IQ tests measure anything but a specific and sometimes culturally variable form of intelligence.

I have a degree in computer science and got A's in every single mathematical subject throughout my university years. A taxi driver I know who dropped out of school has the most street smarts I have ever seen. I know my way better than he does around a computer, while his resourcefulness on the street blows mine out of the water.

Society needs people with various types of intelligence to function properly. High IQ alone doesn't cut it.

IQ is just one data point with as much information as your height or shoe size. It tells you how good you are at answering intelligence tests. Psychologists love IQ tests because it is one tool that is reliable and fairly repeatable, more so than Myers-Briggs or the Big Five.

 

[Erebus]

I've always been reasonably good at understanding broad concepts but I'm useless when it comes to memorising facts.

I can have long, meaningful conversations about the philosophy of whatshisname and the ramifications of that thing that happened. You know the thing I mean? The one that happened at some point in history.

 

[Mock Turtle]

I think intelligence is not just IQ, even though this does tend to correlate with those having the intelligence required to solve problems of various sorts. And probably this alone (problem solving), together with creativity, is a good indicator of intelligence. I'm sure having a good education and some intense learning in even one area will help as to intelligence, and perhaps more so if a number of unrelated subjects are studied.

I took the MENSA test out of curiosity, and passed, with confirmation coming from an online BBC test some decades back, which placed my IQ roughly the same - different scales being used by them. It probably was only at college, and being amongst others, that I thought about my own intelligence, and where I did do quite well. Before this, I had not really worked that hard, and hence probably missed out on the education that I should have had.

Given that I have made so many mistakes in life, I doubt many would see me as being that smart, but I rarely attach myself to some particular belief and regret it later.