What defines someone as "smart" v. "stupid"?

[More Than A Feeling]

Is "being smart" getting the right answer to a problem or a question the first time? Getting to it quicker than someone else? Getting there in the end? Never getting it at all might be considered the ultimate in stupidity, but what about someone who doesn't even realize there is a problem or a question? What if you would never get to the answer at all by yourself, but someone explains it to you, and you understand? Would you be "smart" or "stupid" then?

I ponder this question, off and on. What do you think?

[Nicole]

1. I must be too stupid to answer that

I have no idea. :shrug:

[Oeditpus Rex]

2. I think it's in the ability to process information, and to reason

Someone who knows 2+2=4 because a teacher said so isn't as smart as someone who knows why 2+2=4.

[Katherine Brengle]

3. I see it like a ladder...

There are different rungs of smart, then there's mediocre, and then there are different rungs of stupid.

I don't really see smart as necessarily knowing the answers to questions, because the ability to memorize information doesn't necessarily indicate higher than average intelligence.

I see it more as the ability to understand and process information, the ability to apply what you know to new and unstudied situations, and the drive to seek out answers.

The better one is at these things, the "smarter" they are imo.

[MedleyMisty]

4. My definitions

I used to hang out on a gifted board, and we talked a lot about this subject.

The final definition that I came up with comes down to non-dual thinking. I actually saw that mentioned in a giftedness article after coming up with it.

I wish there was some reliable study with a spread of IQ points along the political spectrum. Since my personal definition of "smart" is us/us thinking and "stupid" is us/them thinking, such a study would help me see if there is anything to that theory or not.

Of course, IQ isn't all that great a measuring tool, but it's the only one we've got at the moment.

And yeah, I realize that your idea of answering questions doesn't really come into my opinion. So hmm....maybe being able to see more possible answers to the question than just yes or no?

[S n o w b a l l]

12. IQ + EQ

I don't know of a test that incorporates both but it would seem to be a good analysis.

[Blue-Jay]

5. Easy! Smart = me...... Stupid= Everyone else.

Hello, dummy! :hi:

[LostInAnomie]

6. Anyone less intelligent than me is stupid.

Anyone more intelligent than me is an asshole. :thumbsup:

[WhollyHeretic]

7. Smart vs. stupid

[mentalsolstice]

8. Watched our Dear Leader's press conference today, didn't you?

In the end, it's about who creates the problem, and then who comes along to solve/resolve it.

[KitchenWitch]

9. I only caught about 2 painful minutes of it

He was really floundering around for words.

[mentalsolstice]

10. It was painful alright...

particularly in two areas

1. When asked if Iraq was in a civil war, he said "we'll know when our mission has been accomplished..." Gee, I thought the mission was accomplished when he flew onto that aircraft carrier with five rolls of socks stowed away in his crotch!

2. "Money trumps peace". I'm still trying to wrap my head around that one.

[Kerrytravelers]

11. Democratic voters versus rethug voters!

DUers versus freepers!