It seems like intelligence is becoming more and more uncool. People revel in their stupidity, and consider it to be a badge of what, I don't know, but it seems important to them.
Then they really resent it when they need us to clean up a mess of their making, or fix a problem that they are incapable of comprehending.
I say "us" in a loose way, because I have discovered that I am in a different part of the bell curve than you, Chris. Just far enough to the edge that I can commiserate.
As Chris Rock said, some folks "looove keeping it real... Real DUMB."
Nothing makes people happier than seeing Jessica Simpson asking if Buffalo Wings come from a buffalo.
Jeffro, I think I'm probably with you on that bell curve... Chris is above us. Let's hate him for it! 
I have some first hand experience here. As an architect, my clients hire builders who hire contractors to construct that which my plans describe. Said contractors and their laborers seem to think one in my position is worthless. After all, I just "draw pictures", I don't really DO anything of substance.
Perhaps this line of reasoning keeps them from realizing that one such as them is a dime-a-dozen (excluding master craftsmen). They fail to recognize the necessary skill-set (spacial conceptualization, geometry, engineering, knowledge of motif, blah, blah, blah) required to produce a set of workable drawings, without which said contractor would have a pile of materials and no idea what to do with them.
Oh well, I guess the intellect is just a useless by-product of evolutoin.
I know a guy with an IQ higher than yours, and he bakes bricks for a living. Go figure. But I'm heading out to play trivia with him. Watch for the bar in Denton TX. We should hit the national board tonight if we have the entire crew. *grin*
Love your site. I'm linking it.
G
Hey, I could very well have been a bouncer (I have been), a carpenter (done that too), or a furniture mover (guilty).
I find a lot of very intelligent peoole doing physical work, thought it's often highly skilled physical work, because it pleases them.
Try being female and having a higher IQ than every guy you've dated. At first, they dig it.
I've dated male models who wanted to be with the token smart chick, bad ass biker boys who wanted to live out a librarian fantasy, and even some I considered to be intellectuals who thought they wanted someone who could discuss the finer points of existential philosophy.
But eventually, I get accused of being condescending, patronizing, or of having a superiority complex. And that being a huge trigger (because I've heard it all my life), there's only so many times I can bite my tongue when confronted.
I've even had men tell me they "wished I was as dumb as I looked"...meaning, I assume, that only unattractive girls are supposed to be smart.
I'll throw in my two cents about being on the smart end of the bell curve. It sucks! I've spent most of my adult life trying to find something to do that would be interesting and challenging, but I get bored with everything. Oh sure I could go back to school and study quantum physics, but I've had real jobs making real money. I've got a Land Rover habit to feed. There are a lot of days I wish I was just average, and could be content with an average guy's life. Who am I kidding? Did I mention that I'm also on that end of the bell curve in height, looks and athletic ability. Yeah, that makes it even easier to find a challenge. Rock climbing - bored with it, skiing - bored with it, mainstream sports - bored. The list goes on. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't actually want to be any other way, but I'm still searching for that one thing that will make my life complete. I'm not as smart as Chris, so maybe he can tell me what it is. Please!
Been on the top end of the bell curve all my life.
"I'm not arrogant. I'm THAT d*mned good!"
Hey Craig, near as I can tell, the only way is to get dumber.
There is only one counter example I can think of of people being more unhappy the smarter they got, and that guy is Richard Feynman (one of my personal heroes).
Unfortunately he's dead os we can't ask him.
Hy joan, try being the 6'2" 285-350lb, powerlifter, tatooed, leather wearing, high and tight etc... and then being as smart as me.
The cognitive dissonance most people experience is at least humorous, but keeping a girlfriend?
I had one quoite smart girl who I love, and who loved me, after a few months just say "I can't do it, I know you arent trying to, but every word you say meks me feel stupid. You try, but I can't understand. I feel like I can't keep up, like I'm being swallowed up whole"
So yeah, I know what you're talking about. But hey, you've got Jimmy (at least when the government doesnt), so it can't all be bad.
So Chris, when do I make the blogroll?
Oh, I thought I had already done that.
Corrected.
Trivia update. We blew chunks on the 8:00 and the 9:00 games. But we were number 2 in the nation on the 10:00 game, so we were able to leave with some dignity.
Hey, you take what you can get eh
I fall into Craigs category. I cant stay interested in anything for more than four years (except when it comes to things that go bang), and the boredom usually begins its slow assault on my patience after two. I cant say Im as smart as Chris, my scores put me at "Highly gifted", sigh, alas I'm no genius, but I can relate.
An interesting result of this position for me, one that I have had to train myself to control, is constantly qualifying my statemants during conversation. Growing up I got so used to my peers, and often adults, not understanding me that I got in the habit of doubling back on myself in an attempt to clarify. The result is a stammering long winded expaination that frustrates bright folks and further confuses the dim. Eventually I learned that smart people dont need qualifications, if they do they ask, others are better off with small talk.
That said, we do like to show off sometimes. So what.
Sandpaper, I got into the habit of repeating myself and overexplainging a lot, it was the only way most folks could comprehend. The problem is it comes off as condescending and/or incoherent.
The overexplanation thing is how I always end up being refered to as condescending. Oh well, such is life.
As for Jimmy...his favorite gift I've ever sent in a care package is a thesaurus. He says he uses it on my emails and occasionally, he confesses to using it while we're on the phone. He's a smart man, but not in very intellectually stimulating surroundings.
But I'm an intimidating girl all around. At least that's what I hear...
Its all about finding the right non-intimidated people I guess.
What seems most apt is "intelligent people come off as alien."
This came from my friend who is similar to Chris. As Chris pointed out, intelligent people just think differently. Their concerns tend not to be mundane, but instead, "otherworldly."
Who thinks in terms of abstract mathematics? How many conversations have you had about "memory nodes" and "tensors" lately? Do you even remember pV=nRT? Most likely (if you're reading this site), you've been thinking about shooting
While we "normals" think about the act of shooting at X-Rings, the "aliens" think about optimizing pressure in the case in some new way such that it's easier to place a bullet in the X-Ring. Or maybe their current shooting session is interfering with their mathematical calculations for the project. Capturing the thoughts on paper was one reason why we had to leave the range early....
Regarding "leveling the playing field":
Fairness only exists in the minds of men. Nature absolutely does not care that the next "Einstein" just died of starvation.
"Fair" doesn't exist. It is just another word used to avoid taking responsibility and facing reality. We delude ourselves into believing that we're better than we really are. Whenever I hear a kid say "THAT'S NOT FAIR," I just look at them and say: "No, it's reality. You were beaten or outperformed. Learn from it." They usually don't like that response.
I'm average. I may have higher intelligence, but I could care less about some test's results. I find my brain useful and interesting. Does it make me better? No, but it certainly makes me unsuitable for employment at the local burger joint.
I'm happy being average and aspire to be more. I'm also functional, unlike my chronically depressed genius friend. If you call that "leveling the playing field" I call BULLSHIT.
I'd love to have my friend fully functional: he'd be able to pay the rent. As it is, he's *finally* receiving state sponsored disability--but ONLY after completely depleting his bank account. He recognizes that the system is "redistributing" the money--and he hates it. It was a point of honor, but one can be sick for only so many years before financially crashing.
What's more "fair": being average, functional, and unemployed, or being brillant and immobile? Should I whine about the "fairness" in getting laid off? Problems happen; learn from the experience. Otherwise, go watch MTV.
I couldn't help but comment.
Some years ago I deliberately considered long term career goals. I wasn't concerned with salary or job security. Instead I sought an intellectual challenge. Good idea. I wanted to be very good at my work. Neutral idea. I decided quite arrogantly to "be the smartest guy in the office". Terrible idea.
Now it's a few years later. I like the challenge of my career but hate my job. There are few greater curses than being "the smartest guy in the office". (Even saying something like that makes you sound like a prick...even if it's true! Somebody must be the "smartest guy" but it sure isn't PC to adimit that obvious fact.) As you've stated (and it's not a new idea), intelligence on the upper part of the bell curve is met with suspicion, misunderstanding, resentment and resistance. Knowing a technical solution and watching coworkers or organizations bumble around with inefficient, sub-par or outright stupid solutions is maddening. I can teach and I can tutor students but I can't help coworkers (and sometimes I can't even communicate with them) because new thoughts coming from the edge of the bell curve seem alien and can be percieved as threatening. It's unpleasant at best.
Limited by the mean abilities of an organization I'm perpetually stuck in the intellectual kiddie pool. In the workplace I would be unquestionably happier with an "average" intelligence. That's the problem...and lets face it, it's not an uncommon complaint.
Since I can never unlearn what I know (and I like the money too much to go back to being a starving student) I've taken to choosing skills which are alien to me and trying to master them. Welding, motorcyce riding, creative writing...whatever. Marksmanship and hunting was the challenge that, starting from scratch, has been the most fulfilling. (Hunting is mother nature's bullshit detector!) You cannot ever make yourself "average" if you don't start there but you can move into a situation where you are a novice again. For whatever time it takes to master the situation you are indeed "average". It's fleeting but it's a break. That's at least part of a solution.
Just my two cents.
Joe
P.S. Harrison Bergeron is something that really resonated with me too.
The final line made my day, Chris. Harrison Bergeron, I must've read that story when i was about 7...I've never forgotten it.
Great post. I was hoping you'd delve into how being large and strong as well as intelligent affected you. I'm probably not that close to your size (5'11" 195, no sixpack, but mostly muscle) and have ALWAYS been the largest, strongest guy in my grad classes. I've usually gotten the best grades with the least work as well.
THat combination people seem to *really* hate. they seem to expect a tradeoff between intelligence and physical prowess and seem almost mortally offended when they find out that the above average in intelligence tend to be larger and stronger as well (decent correlation, i think it's between .5 and .7 in the 1st quartile).
Anyway i'm shutting up now because this feels entirely too much like self-love.
--Nick
Safe in the knowledge that people will do what i just did; read the first 6 or 7 then skip the rest, ill write a bit about me, and no-one will see it.
I "only" have an IQ of 127, whch if im honest makes me feel a bit of a hot shot at times but usually ive grown out of that. I have something called aspergers syndrome though (mild) which makes it almost impossible to have relationships, freinds or girlfreind, with other people 
I used to take tons of drugs. I realise now, it was to make me "dumber". It is true that, unles you can apply your inteligence in a social way, you are stigmatised. I dont think this will ever change. If we were cosseted, maybe we (smarter people than average) wouldnt invent so many things, eh.
Anyway, since reading a bit of your site ive decided that you are my new internet hero.
Also makes me think is the Asimov story where the kid gets taken away from his parents (to an unknown end) because his score was *too high* on an intelligence test.
So where does all of this leave a semi-bright slut, bent on gaining more points by trolling the greater of the intellects blogs.
I masturbate to Feinman and would never discriminate against mental giants.
Up with Genius!!
Mensa Now!
I would say it leaves you in a distinct and fascinating minority.
What? I *love* geeks.
What gets to me the most about smart people stereotypes is that "normal" people (women, mostly) assume that geeks aren't sexy.
They are *BETTER* at intimacy and sex.
Some may ask, "WHY?"
Well... Smart means having more options. Applied creativity is a big mark of intelligence. Sensitivity to results *really* matters in all things intimate, and in relationships. To me, this seems obvious.
People who THINK about what they are doing (in advance), give and get better than anyone.
Shame then that many women have absolutely no clue what they are missing.
As long as the geek in question understands emotions (which most of them do, unlike the stereotype) it all works.
THAT is the truth that the world is hiding from. The best sex organ is the brain.
As for socialization...
Give me that direct communication without the bullshit. I'd rather hear about that new technology, Feynman anecdotes, guns, gaming stories than who's screwing whom and who wore *plaid* to so-and-so's wedding. And yes, I'm FEMALE. Go figure. In order to find a good conversation, I often have to hang with men.
As for leveling the playing field... Once a psychologist tried to convince me that I was normal by giving me false information on an IQ test. It was a bid to get me "socialized" when I was a teen. They hoped I'd stop spending time with college and grad students, and start "acting my age". It did NOT level the playing field.
The playing field will NEVER be level. Besides, if you are in an institution of learning, the school will do just fine "leveling the playing field" by treating the smart kid like the lowest common denominator.
Smart people do think differently, and it's a more interesting place. Nuff said.
sorry, anarchangel, but you really aren't that smart.
Being completely modest and very humble with my God given talents!
You'll never know what it is you need to know, till you know you do not know it!
Because as long as you think you know it,
you can never learn it!
Knowing only this, means
I know nothing!!!
i love thinking on a higher level than all my friends.
the fantasy of intellectuals: after a hostile take over, the smart people set of a system based on rewarding accomplishment as opposed to sympathizing people who were 'offended', were intellectuals are realized as having volumes more positive impact than movie stars, pop singers(FUCK YOU MILEY CYRUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!), and sports heroes.
the only reason smart people educate dumb ones is to stop the stereotypes,persecution and ignorance
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