reply to post by LiquidationOfDiscrepancy
I have an IQ of 146. I have a BA in Political Science, and a B.Ed. My brother has an IQ of 162, and most of my friends have IQs above 130. I was
tested when I was young, as most of my friends were. I still take IQ/intelligence tests from time to time for fun, but I don't put much stock in them
anymore, and I don't believe they are an accurate measure of intelligence.
Everyone thinks a little differently, and that's important to understand. IQ tests are a measure of a few very specific skills: Vocabulary/language,
logic/math, and spatial reasoning.
Creativity, interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, kinesthetic ability, and others are all equally (if not more) important to success/happiness
in life.
I'm very 'intelligent', in the classical sense of the term, but I have a lot of problems as well. I spend a lot of time vacillating about minutiae.
I have weird hangups, and I get impatient with people who can't immediately grasp certain concepts. At least, I used to. I've matured a lot. I'm a
teacher now, and I've learned to understand and appreciate the limits of classical intelligence, and embrace the needs of diverse sets of
learners.
I have conflicting views and philosophies, and I'm still not sure exactly what I believe about a lot of things. I trust my mind, and my conscience.
I tend to over-value the most recent opinion I've been exposed to, and I give a lot of weight to the perspectives of those close to me. I try to
surround myself with intelligent people, and I have little patience for ignorance. Most of my friends are high IQ, and very learned.
Intelligence is not that important, but it does affect the company you keep, and that's really the most important factor. If you surround yourself
with people who are knowledgeable, rational, and who challenge you -- you get smarter, and you learn and grow.
IQ is not that important. Raw intelligence and ability to learn is important, but not nearly as important as learned skills such as work ethic,
determination, and the ability to set goals. Most of my high-intelligence friends are not particularly successful in life. They're very bright, but
they don't relate to people very well, and they often suffer from addictions and psychological issues.
I know complete knobs who are very successful and happy. They can't grasp advanced concepts in any subject, and they're limited by their intellect,
but they're perfectly integrated into society, happy, and live fulfilling lives doing something they love. I also know brilliant artistic and logical
geniuses who can't remember to brush their teeth or file their tax returns. They work dead-end jobs because they lack the self-confidence, drive, and
interpersonal skills necessary to survive in a career environment.
I don't have children, but I plan to. I do hope that they'll be intellectually gifted, but I won't care if they're not. Every child has gifts --
they just need to be developed. A good support system and good mentors is ultimately far more important than raw intelligence.
Those are my thoughts.