How does one measure intelligence?
I think that I am reasonably intelligent, but not very smart. Or the other way around, as I can't remember which is which.
It bothers me, often, that I have so much trouble formulating opinions on things. Is it through ignorance, which is bad in itself, or simply because I am bad at thinking for myself? Neither is a good thing, though I'd say that the second is almost worse than the first. Ignorance can be more easily corrected.
I am good at learning things. I am good at learning concepts and abstract ideas, and fairly good at picking up information. But I am terrible at knowing some of the most obvious, current things and am terrible at holding strong opinions on most things.
I want to figure out why, so that I can try and fix it, try and repair the damage if it is not too late. I also want to be less ignorant of current affairs and events that I should know. I want to become more globally minded.
But the trouble is, I don't know how, or where to start.
How does one go about learning to really think for themself?
All of the things that I have learned will not do me any good if I can't even use them properly.
Anonymous
09:47:52 PM
8 comments:
You can't measure intelligence.
makes me think of the difference between book smarts, people smarts, and common sense.
it sounds like you have a whole lot of book smarts.
I guess just start reading up on completely random things. Well, not necessarily completely random, but read about some current issues, which will helop sone.
Maybe read up on presidential '08 candidates now, before you listen to other people's opinions on the people running, and form your opinions on them.
www.wikipedia.com
just read
You don't know where to start?
Try a newspaper or two.
For somebody so intelligent, you sure sound stupid.
But at least you're trying to better yourself.
Thanks for all of the comments and suggestions, I guess...it still is important to me, all of the things I said, but I was also angsting quite a bit - I was much more upset about things than I should have been, I think, and I was probably overshooting it a bit. But...yeah. If any of that was even coherent.
And as to Graffiti Pastry's comment, I know that it sounded sort of dumb. After I posted it and got over a few of the worst insecurities, I realized that. Also, I have been reading more newspaper stuff recently.
op-
good on ya. I feel the same way a lot of the time. i know that i'm "smart" in the sense that I can pick up concepts fairly quickly, and generally do well in school and academically-related areas. however, i never know if i truly am "smart" or if i'm just a product of a good school.
so, read the newspaper. if you're online for Tangst anyway, go to some websites... www.bbc.co.uk is probably one of the best sites for objective news.
it's about wanting to change, and i think you've got it. so stick with it!
there has to be some issue somewhere that you feel passionately about, and in time you'll formulate opinions about most issues
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