GENIUS FORUMS

Do you think that you are smart?

Yes or no is fine. A paragraph is also fine.

Define "smart"?

I'm being purposefully vague. Stop avoiding the question. :)

alice144 wrote:I'm being purposefully vague

Well let's narrow it down and make it more focused then. Do you think that you are smart?

alice144 wrote:I'm being purposefully vague. Stop avoiding the question. :)

Well, I'm smart enough not to waste my time on people being purposefully vague.

Sometimes purposefully vague questions are useful because how a person answers them can say a lot about who they think they are. Probably you suspect this and refuse to answer the question on the grounds that doing so might make you seem somewhat arrogant. But, I argue, you are arrogant, because you created a forum for "geniuses" of which you are the admin. Therefore you are the King of the Geniuses! The boss! The top dog.

Well let's narrow it down and make it more focused then. Do you think that you are smart?

Hey, I asked first. C'mon, you knew what I would say.

alice144 wrote:Sometimes purposefully vague questions are useful because how a person answers them can say a lot about who they think they are.

That may be so for certain people. For me the question isn't meaningful unless I know what you intend by the content. I have little interest in being "smart" in a conventional sense.

Probably you suspect this and refuse to answer the question on the grounds that doing so might make you seem somewhat arrogant. But, I argue, you are arrogant, because you created a forum for "geniuses" of which you are the admin. Therefore you are the King of the Geniuses! The boss! The top dog.

I suggest you read the introduction threads. This is not a forum for geniuses.

Since you have asked a purposefully vague question, allow me to clarify it for you. I define "smart" as being aware of the nature of reality, and according to that definition, I am smart.

alice144 wrote:Sometimes purposefully vague questions are useful because how a person answers them can say a lot about who they think they are.

While saying little about the asker.

Like when the door to the haunted house opens, Moe announces "I'll lead the way!" then grabs Larry by the hair and shoves him in first, "Go ahead!"

We're too smart to fall for that. Right Dan?

jup wrote:I define "smart" as being aware of the nature of reality, and according to that definition, I am smart.

Well, most of us, anyway.

alice144 wrote:Do you think that you are smart?

Yes or no is fine. A paragraph is also fine.

Larry was also Fine, professionally speaking.

jupiviv wrote:Since you have asked a purposefully vague question, allow me to clarify it for you. I define "smart" as being aware of the nature of reality, and according to that definition, I am smart.

What is the nature of reality, smartboy?

uncledote wrote:What is the nature of reality, smartboy?

Everything and nothing.

cousinbasil wrote:Well, most of us, anyway.

I will agree to lead the way, but if I do so then I get to decide what the way is!

jupiviv wrote:

uncledote wrote:What is the nature of reality, smartboy?

Everything and nothing.


“If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't understand it yourself.”
― Albert Einstein

uncledote wrote:

jupiviv wrote:

uncledote wrote:What is the nature of reality, smartboy?

Everything and nothing.


“If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't understand it yourself.”
― Albert Einstein

I can't explain the nature of reality to anyone, even if I may understand it myself. The best I can do is provide them with words that are meaningful to me. You have to find that meaning out for yourself.

alice144 wrote:But, I argue, you are arrogant, because you created a forum for "geniuses" of which you are the admin. Therefore you are the King of the Geniuses! The boss! The top dog.

You can go on any forum, mensa if you wish, but the same truth remains: Right or wrong in the context of any situation / challenge, is the only thing that matters. All else is just would be emperors, knitting invisible clothing.
On testing responses to answers: Only a fool thinks they know any given individual enough to apply a psych evaluation, based on the response to a vague question (or questions). Save the explanations of how such psych probing works (I know the schtick). It is about as accurate as a lead ball fired from a non rifled musket. In very up close and obvious situations, you may get a decent read, but when you seek to reach greater distances ....

cousinbasil wrote:

alice144 wrote:Sometimes purposefully vague questions are useful because how a person answers them can say a lot about who they think they are.

While saying little about the asker.

Like when the door to the haunted house opens, Moe announces "I'll lead the way!" then grabs Larry by the hair and shoves him in first, "Go ahead!"

We're too smart to fall for that. Right Dan?

jup wrote:I define "smart" as being aware of the nature of reality, and according to that definition, I am smart.

Well, most of us, anyway.

Thanks for making me laugh.

Dan Rowden wrote:I have little interest in being "smart" in a conventional sense.

Fascinating. But clearly you value some form of intellectualism. What is this non-conventional sense of being smart which appeals to you? What does it do for you that conventional cleverness will not?

oxytocinNA wrote:You can go on any forum, mensa if you wish, but the same truth remains: Right or wrong in the context of any situation / challenge, is the only thing that matters. All else is just would be emperors, knitting invisible clothing.

Meh, we could go on deconstructing this forever. Is there really a right and a wrong, or merely a "rightest" and a "wrongest"? Making decisions is all about optimization anyhow. But this is getting silly...

Also it's probably useful, for simplicity's sake, to be able to categorize people as either "smart" or "dumb", just as you would classify them as either "short" or "tall".

alice144 wrote:

Dan Rowden wrote:I have little interest in being "smart" in a conventional sense.

Fascinating. But clearly you value some form of intellectualism. What is this non-conventional sense of being smart which appeals to you? What does it do for you that conventional cleverness will not?

oxytocinNA wrote:You can go on any forum, mensa if you wish, but the same truth remains: Right or wrong in the context of any situation / challenge, is the only thing that matters. All else is just would be emperors, knitting invisible clothing.

Meh, we could go on deconstructing this forever. Is there really a right and a wrong, or merely a "rightest" and a "wrongest"? Making decisions is all about optimization anyhow. But this is getting silly...

Also it's probably useful, for simplicity's sake, to be able to categorize people as either "smart" or "dumb", just as you would classify them as either "short" or "tall".

You want to talk but you're killing potential dialogue. My view is the following, everyone is dumb.

alice144 wrote:

Dan Rowden wrote:I have little interest in being "smart" in a conventional sense.

Fascinating. But clearly you value some form of intellectualism. What is this non-conventional sense of being smart which appeals to you?

That would be enlightenment, or wisdom, or philosophical genius. You really should read the introduction threads.

What does it do for you that conventional cleverness will not?

Divest me of delusions regarding the nature of existence, self and ultimate reality.

mental vagrant:
You want to talk but you're killing potential dialogue. My view is the following, everyone is dumb.

Talk about killing potential dialogue. Why is everyone dumb?

People are dumb because i'm not impressed by what i see, call it an inability to experience surprise.

Alice, not saying I'm anything but fascinated by the starting point of this thread, its current direction, and all its possible outcomes, but I am curious: how long did you lurk before posting?

jupiviv wrote:I will agree to lead the way, but if I do so then I get to decide what the way is!

Which never seems to work for very long. BTW, jupiviv, most people do not realize how generous this offer is, assuming you are not joking. A good shepherd doesn't merely lead the sheep, he tends them.

MA,

People are dumb because i'm not impressed by what i see, call it an inability to experience surprise.

You're not cognising your objects accurately.
To experience surprise is your responsibility.
It comes down to your 'listening'.
If you abrogate into a fixed, know-it-all, rigid way of being,
how can you be open to surprise, astonishment.

change your avatar from the defeated 'mental vagrant'
to
'Cogniser Class A'
and let's get some real action.
Go you good thing!

To me, intelligence is simply inversely proportional to the realization of how little you understand of the world. In fact every time I hear someone claim to be strongly on one side of a clearly two-sided issue, I little part of me dies inside that hopes humanity can escape a nuclear apocalypse.