SUPA FRANKY said:
We all know that 'ol saying. The Escapist is the only place in the entire interwebz to have an intelligent conversation. So, do you consider yourself an intellectual of your age group? The smartest in a sea of stupidity?
Me? I don't really consider myself all that smart. At best, above average. But I really don't don't talk like I'm some smartass. Even if I was just being hard on myself, I really don't think I'm smarter than most people. Obviousley there are exceptions, but all in all I'm not that kind of guy.
Do you consider yourself intelligent?
I don't consider 'escapists' 'intelligent'. Intelligence is a very difficult thing to quantify. I've known Oxford graduates that I wouldn't consider 'intelligent'. And, I've known high school drop-outs that I'd consider very 'intelligent'.
I think intelligence is about subtlety. Intelligent people understand subtlety, and indeed come to expect subtlety in everything. This, is self-explanatory in amny ways, but not necessarily obvious. Subtlety comes from complexity. An understanding of complexity, and a complex mind is 'intelligence', and the recognition of subtlety is the out-come, and manifestation of this.
Here is some anecdotalish evidence that supports this conclusion;
-Great graphic design is all about subtlety. This is fairly self-evident if you look at expensive brochures, websites, and popular brand identity's. Not many have drop shadows, cluttered drawings, garish colours, etc.
-Great theories are subtle. 'God did it' is not a very subtle theory. Which is why it has been superseded as people have gained a greater understanding if the complexity of the universe. The theories have become more subtle to account for this.
-The great theories point applies across all science. For example, a theory suggesting 'good' people, and 'evil' people exist, wouldn't be considered very inteligent. This is because we now have a lot of information that tel;ls us the reality is more complicated than this. Our understanding of this complexity is manifest in our more subtle theories about the nature of 'good' and 'evil'.
-An accepted mark of intelligence is humbleness. You have to accept complexity, and subtlety in order to be humble. So, again, humbleness is a mark of your understanding of complexity, and subtlety.
-Swearing is not considered an intelligent thing to do. Swearing is not subtle. Unless it is used ironically. In which case, an understanding of swearings lack of subtlety is required; that is an understanding of complexity and subtlety in itself.
-which leads me to irony. Irony only makes sense to someone who understand the 'whole' of a given situation. i.e the complexity, or subtlety of a situation. Humour, usually in the form of irony, is usually considered as a marker of 'intelligence'.
-Looking at fictional, 'intelligent' figures, like Sherlock Holmes, they tend to make subtle, complex deductions. They see that thing are not necessarily 'black and white'
-The common refrain 'everything isn't black and white', is usually used to mean the person hasn't made an 'intelligent' deduction. Suggesting there is a common understanding that subtlety is a mark of intelligence.
I wouldn't consider myself, or anyone to be 'intelligent' or 'unintelligent'. There are degrees of intelligence. And there isn't necessarily a limit at either end. I would consider myself somewhere in the middle. (See what I did there? If you did, then you are inelligent. But we're all intelligent next to our primate cousins. Well, most some a few both of us are.)
