we've thrown around compliments all our lives - "i want to be smart like you," "how are you so smart?" "god you're such a genius." first it seemed to be based off just doing well at school, performing well on tests, getting straight A's. gradually 'being smart' became less and less associated with grades, though (since who really knows each other's grades after a certain point in our lives?). it wasn't the achievements either - sure, they'd get people praising, but they didn't merit 'smart', they just got "wow, you're good at ____."
what is being intelligent, really? let's take a definition:
in·tel·li·gent /ɪnˈtɛlɪdʒənt/ (adj) - having good understanding or a high mental capacity; quick to comprehend
obviously as a cognitive science/psychology college student, this definition is highly problematic (high mental capacity? this is a whole other realm to define). people have tried to measure intelligence with IQ tests, higher brain activity, and so much more, which isn't so much of a problem to me. yes, going by this definition, being able to solve IQ test problems more quickly would insinuate faster comprehension, faster mind clockwork. but there comes a moment in life (read: after high school) when those moments where spitting out answers to math problems or finding the next sequence of a pattern don't come as easily, and people are left using 'smart' or 'intelligent' for the wrong reasons.
from day one and still, in my third year of college, i've found it's the talking, it's the opinions, it's the confidence that people have decided to garner intelligence from. find yourself in the middle of a debate with a smooth talker with a battlefield of encyclopedic knowledge (or bs? it's just the same, as long as it 'sounds smart') to back him up, and you're left with nothing to say except that you just wish you could be as 'smart', as 'intelligent.' there are so many people who appear to be smart because they exude this confidence that screams that they are; they want you to make damn sure you know that they know some stuff, whether you are at that level or not.
and again, this is great for all those extroverted people who are sure of themselves, and who can give off a vibe of being so confident even if they're wrong (the most dangerous kind), but where does that leave someone like me? someone a little too careful with her words, too careful to form opinions and opening her mouth before being real sure, someone too likely to give chances to the opposite side, someone who knows enough but can't seem to formulate into quick, snappy words enough to carry her point across. basically, someone who is lacking that confidence to tell you she's smart enough. maybe not smart, but smart enough to take part.
i read (some of) the invisible gorilla this summer & my favorite chapter was on precisely this - why do we trust and respect confident people more? why do we prefer doctors who speak confidently in a diagnosis rather than a more cautious one that's not afraid to double check a reference book? why are we so tied up in illusion of self-confidence, that anyone who knows something must be sure?
don't think that the loudest ones are the only ones to be heard.
photo | maxwell tomlinson ; flickr
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