Do you think being *smart* is something you are born with? or obtain?

[Plume 922]

You can be born smart, but with a bit of work, anyone can tap into it c:

[Officer Strike 152]

everyone has smartness but they just have to unlock it

[Invincible 2,091]

There's no doubt in my mind about it. You're either have it or you don't. What you obtain through studies and the observation of the world around is knowledge. How you utilize said knowledge determines just how smart you are. You can be extremely knowledgeable, but still pretty stupid.

 

 

This can work the other way around though; if you're smart, but without knowledge, you would literally lack the tools to succeed.

[Solid 1,327]

Feels like a nature vs. nurture question to me.

 

In that case, both. You can get a headstart with a brain that can absorb information more effeciently, but a huge part of "being smart" comes from development during growth as well, learning how to learn.

 

"Smart vs Stupid" is all too relative and subjective in my opinion, so I would just drop the whole self labeling altogether and learn at my own pace.

[Pickelhauben Pony 9]

Intelligence is something you are born with and being smart is something you obtain.

[luftschloss 831]

Well, my personal opinion is this-

 

Intelligence is something you are generally born with, but it can be improved through working your brain.

The term "smart" is an entirely different thing; it describes your  knowledge.

[gamecubeguy214 2,512]

I think you obtain it. If smartness is something you're born with, then there would be no school.

[Lisa 5,553]

If smartness is something you're born with, then there would be no school.

 

It's not a matter of "People are instantly born with knowledge, and others are not." It's matter of, are people born with the ability to learn faster/easier and others are not?

________________

 

I personally believe it's something you're born with. You're either born a good learner, or not.

Edited December 24, 2015 by Holiday

[EverEverOn 346]

I believe it's both. Some people are naturally gifted, while others obtain intelligence later on in their lives.

[Kivil 1,721]

You obtain it! Being smart isn't something that floats around in the gene pool. (If it does point it out to me)

 

 

 

One does not simply gain intelligences by sitting on the couch watching cartoons. (It is meant to have the worst gammer)

[Artimis Whooves 1,576]

I think both. being smart is definitely something to be obtained but in some rare cases you can be born with aspergers syndrome. One of the symptoms is a series of lacking social but higher level brain functions. Curse or blessing, you are technically born smarter.

I was born with aspergers and I ended up being a jack-of-all-trades.

 

I think there definitely is a difference in "smart" and "knowledgeable". (I think) Being knowledgeable is when you know a lot, but being smart is when you know when to use that knowledge. So no, I don't think you can be born smart. You can be born with a huge brain capacity, but that doesn't make you smart.

Edited December 24, 2015 by Artimis Whooves

[S.F. 1,560]

I think some of it comes down to how you define being smart. Someone could be an academical genius, but have absolutely no social skills (just look at doctors with a bad bedside manner).

 

I think there definitely is a difference in "smart" and "knowledgeable". (I think) Being knowledgeable is when you know a lot, but being smart is when you know when to use that knowledge. So no, I don't think you can be born smart. You can be born with a huge brain capacity, but that doesn't make you smart.

This is very much how I feel towards it, it's the application of knowledge that defines someone's intelligence more than just how many facts they know. But, having said that, I do think that there is an inherited element to it. Some people, no matter how hard they work at it, unfortunately struggle to understand simple concepts nor remember facts, which suggests to me that it is a combination of being born with the cability of intelligence and pushing yourself to develop that capability.

 

That's why I find it so frustrating when I see people with an inherent capability for intelligence, but choose to squander it and not bother to try to develop it in any way (e.g. just not trying at school etc) when there are some people who are working themselves ragged trying to learn something, but keep falling short. Using this example, the person choosing not to try, may be very knowledgeable but in my mind, not very intelligent at all. (Of course there is the caveat with that being that sometimes personal circumstances can get in the way, but assuming that their home life etc is stable, my sentiment holds). And the opposite is true too, I absolutely love seeing someone who has been struggling to learn something, finally get it after putting in the work - which I see as a sign of intelligence, if not necessarily of the classical sense.

[ASGARDIANBRONY 128]

being smart or intelligent is something your born with, knowledge is something you work for.

[Jaxsie (Inactive) 1,343]

I'm of the belief that smarts and intellect are not one in the same thing. You become smart by attaining knowledge. Intellect is something that you are born with. It's a matter of how you think and interact with knowledge; not merely the attaining of information. Theoretically, one can be smart, but not an intellectual, but one can't never be an intellectual without being smart. It's like a rectangle is a square, but a square isn't a rectangle. To me, the term "educated idiot" is a real thing. People who have a lot of knowledge, but don't understand and think for themselves.

[EpicEnergy 23,218]

I think being smart is something that you can both be born with and obtain later on in life.

[Lucky Bolt 35,063]

I believe it can be both something you’re born with and something you obtain as the years go by. 

[TotallyNotNyx 15,566]

Depends on what you define as smart tbh

Say for me, I would say I'm pretty intelligent, but I'm not hardworking, so in the end I would never call myself smart. 

On the other hand, there can be someone who wasn;t born smart, but is extremely hard working and would end up achieving a lot more than me. Those in my opinion are the smart people. 

[Pentium100 2,123]

It looks like IQ cannot really be increased in a person. One interesting fact is that IQ depends on the speed at which electrical signals propagate trough the neurons. If you got slow neurons - you're screwed. OTOH, IQ determines how fast you can learn something, not how well you can do it once you manage to learn it.

There's a very interesting lecture about this (it's long though):

 

 

[TBD 17,254]

Knowledge is obtainable and those who seeks for it will get it. Those who chose not to will forever remind ignorant. Whether you're born with 200 IQ or not, everyday is to educated yourself. 

[The Historian 516]

It's not an either or situation here. It's a mixture of both. You have to be born with a certain aptitude and capacity to absorb and understand the things that you learn in your life. This comes easier for some but it is not impossible if the aptitude is slightly muted compared to another.

Basically, it breaks down like this: intelligence the capacity to learn and understand, being smart is using intellect or knowledge in a practical manner and being wise is knowing when to apply that intellect and knowledge and when to not.

[ExplosionMare 18,062]

Intelligence about the world is something you learn yourself (like social adaptation) while basic skills and knowledge (such as math) are usually one of those things you’re either good at or you’re not. There is a rare chance one can become good at something they’re bad at but that takes lots of time and practice.

[Stardust 641]

Obtained mostly like sure we have our talents and some people shine out from when they are born. But they must be nurtured and you need experiences and such to grow. And poor people often don't have the time to do so, maybe less books or resources so they are less likely to succeed.

[Lord Valtasar 12,690]

considering how utterly clueless and stupid babies are, i'd say not born smart for sure

[Pentium100 2,123]

Just now, flurry said:

And poor people often don't have the time to do so, maybe less books or resources so they are less likely to succeed.

Poverty is a positive feedback loop. The less money you have, the harder it is for you to get money.

Just now, Lord Valtasar said:

considering how utterly clueless and stupid babies are, i'd say not born smart for sure

Depends on how you define "smart".

Essentially (it is easier for me to talk in IT terms) you have a CPU/software and you have a database of knowledge. Someone with a "slow CPU" will have harder time filling up the "database", but they can access it just as well. Someone with a "fast CPU" can fill the database easier. Babies have good "CPUs", but pretty much empty databases and they need to fill them up to no longer be "clueless and stupid". Ass you get older, your "CPU" slows down, but the "database" does not stop growing.

[Lord Valtasar 12,690]

3 minutes ago, Pentium100 said:

Essentially (it is easier for me to talk in IT terms) you have a CPU/software and you have a database of knowledge. Someone with a "slow CPU" will have harder time filling up the "database", but they can access it just as well. Someone with a "fast CPU" can fill the database easier. Babies have good "CPUs", but pretty much empty databases and they need to fill them up to no longer be "clueless and stupid". Ass you get older, your "CPU" slows down, but the "database" does not stop growing.

the point still stands, you have to learn the things, you don't know them when you're born, and i believe no matter what definition of smart one uses, babies aren't it, best they can do is "smart for their age"