Paradoxes involving IQ

[PoetPhilosopher]

I've at times seen people compare their brains to the Central Processing Unit of a computer.

For me, my thinking is more like the Arithmetic Logic Units of a GPU, performing many calculations at once, but all really simple ones (ie, simple thoughts), with the ability to work in parallel, but not the complexity to handle the more complex instructions of the CPU (which also has access to larger caches).

 

[Heyo]

IQ is a very limited "measurement." I was a member of Mensa, godnose why I took the test, I was young and impressionable.

I was young and stingy. I calculated that the bragging rights wouldn't be worth the membership fees, so I never applied for Mensa.

 

[Yerda]

I have a very average iq of about 96-105 (based on if I get bored doing these tests or not). It gives reliable results on repetition at least. But what it is measuring I have no idea. It is supposed to at least measure intelligence relevant to academics. Based on my performance in scholarship tests and academic studies...iq tests do not seem to be a reliable indicator of that. Maybe general intelligence? Then its ok. Because I am just horrible at general intelligence . Most of the time I cannot locate my office cubicle and wander around for 5 mins before bumping into it....

I think we might be the only two people on the internet with average IQ...

I'm also about average intelligence. Capable of learning some fancy maths but also will forget it quite fast and might turn up to work with my shirt inside out (actually did that a couple of months ago).

 

[Mock Turtle]

As for many others no doubt, I'm sure intelligence is more than measured by IQ tests, even if the correlation between IQ tests and success in various areas is quite strong. The one thing that tends to puzzle me is that so many with high IQs often aren't that good at maths apparently, but perhaps this is down to other factors.

 

[PoetPhilosopher]

I once read a sports article, which is probably debatable, but it said the ideal IQ for a QB was 120-140. It stated that you want a Quarterback in football that can understand and read plays and improvise, but the article seemed to provide the theory that somehow, a 160+ IQ could affect response time and athleticism.

That being said, I've heard that Tom Brady has an IQ of 150, and we all know he does fine.

 

[ChristineM]

Here's a list of smart people who got labelled dumb as a kid:

Thomas Edison
Albert Einstein
Isaac Newton

There are others who had problems, too.

Yup, me... Though i may not be that smart

 

[PoetPhilosopher]

I've had college coursework before where the answers are not true or false, but the seletions go by "Good, better, and best" for correct answers, and the "Best" answer isn't better than the "Better" answer except that the "Best" answer follows Occam's Razor.

I could see this confusing some very smart or high IQ people, to the point where they actually get a lower score.

 

[Heyo]

Yup, me... Though i may not be that smart

You are at least in the Mensa eligible range. And you are an example of my hypothesis that the more complex a mind is, the more likely it is to malfunction. You have dyslexia, I have depression, many other high IQ people here have autism, some even schizophrenia. The IQ "normal"'s brain seems to be more robust towards such diversions.

 

[ChristineM]

You are at least in the Mensa eligible range. And you are an example of my hypothesis that the more complex a mind is, the more likely it is to malfunction. You have dyslexia, I have depression, many other high IQ people here have autism, some even schizophrenia. The IQ "normal"'s brain seems to be more robust towards such diversions.

Just under the requirements.

True that i think that high IQ itself may be a form of madness.

My brother in law is schizophrenic with a phenomenal IQ of mensa level. He just doesn't want the bragging rights.

 

[Alien826]

Here's a list of smart people who got labelled dumb as a kid:

Thomas Edison
Albert Einstein
Isaac Newton

There are others who had problems, too.

There was a story I heard that a teacher told Winston Churchill that he would never amount to anything.

I have read that teachers in general (not the really good ones ) don't do well with either end of the intelligence spectrum in their pupils. The problem imo is that the really bright kid is likely to be more intelligent than the teacher and will often challenge what s/he is told, which makes the teacher uncomfortable, and label the kid as disruptive. The child can even be disruptive, as s/he is likely to be bored to tears being forced to proceed at the speed appropriate to the "average" class member.

 

[sayak83]

I think I agree.

However, the whole IQ thing kind of changed my life, as well. After it was found out I had a high IQ, I started being treated different academically and at home, which kind of shaped my life and paths a bit differently.

Bit like Malcolm in the middle?

 

[sayak83]

I think that sometimes, high IQs, or high IQ scores, can lead to a sort of being "set apart" (or put on high) from normal society. Such a thing can lead to loneliness, and should it happen, one also must be careful not to do things like take up drinking as a part of trying to make sense of things.

How does it work. Do school in your place seperate children into different tracks based on IQ?

 

[YmirGF]

I'd like to point out some possible paradoxes involving IQ. Or at least, some things which are food for thought.

The first is that they claim the very high IQs are rare, that you have a 1 in about 32,000 chance of having a 160 or higher IQ. Yet, you frequently see celebrities, and people on tech sites, which claim or are claimed to have such IQs.

The second thing I wanted to talk about is the phenomena of sometimes being considered "dumb" by society just by being smart. This is hard to admit, but as an example, I'm someone who had an exceptionally high IQ, yet didn't learn to tie my shoes until fairly late in life. I was completing full video games at probably under half the age I learned to tie my shoes. I completed Final Fantasy on Super Nintendo, and a bunch of other games including Super Metroid, before I could tie my shoes, or probably even tie a knot.

Like you, Snow, I also suffer from a high IQ. Though hardly stratospheric, I have consistently tested between 125 - 139 throughout my life, plus in therapy it is suggested that I may well be on the autism spectrum, but only ever so slightly.

 

[PoetPhilosopher]

Bit like Malcolm in the middle?

Only a little.

There were a lot of questions, though. Such as, would I be better off in college instead of High School? Would I miss the social aspects?

How does it work. Do school in your place seperate children into different tracks based on IQ?

I'd say it's more like, some schools aren't really prepared to handle high IQ children.

Things may be a bit different these days. I don't think many American schools even test IQ any more. But mine followed the older 50's-60's way of testing it. And it was made into kind of a big deal. And my parents were notified. And I got treated differently by family because of it.

 

[Secret Chief]

Here's a list of smart people who got labelled dumb as a kid:

Thomas Edison
Albert Einstein
Isaac Newton

There are others who had problems, too.

Yeah, teachers thought Trump was thick as pig ****.

 

[Secret Chief]

True that i think that high IQ itself may be a form of madness.

Er, excuse me!

 

[ChristineM]

Er, excuse me!

Why, what have you done?

 

[crossfire]

Yeah. I think a good education is often more important.

To use an analogy, high IQ without an education, is kind of like a PC without an operating system.

I would say IQ is a measure of the operating system, but an operating system that can write its own programs and software. Education is like downloading software.

 

[YmirGF]

I think that sometimes, high IQs, or high IQ scores, can lead to a sort of being "set apart" (or put on high) from normal society. Such a thing can lead to loneliness, and should it happen, one also must be careful not to do things like take up drinking as a part of trying to make sense of things.

I'll be quite honest here. From a VERY early age, I became aware that I was often the smartest person in the room. (Doesn't mean I was, but that was the perception.)

I would say IQ is a measure of the operating system, but an operating system that can write its own programs and software. Education is like downloading software.

I quite like that. I've described (high) IQ as an enhanced ability to think of creative solutions to complex problems.

 

[crossfire]

I'll be quite honest here. From a VERY early age, I became aware that I was often the smartest person in the room. (Doesn't mean I was, but that was the perception.)

I quite like that. I've described (high) IQ as an enhanced ability to think of creative solutions to complex problems.

I think the word that captures this best is "elegant."