![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
inveraritySo, Dilbert-creator Scott Adams is an asshole and he's also a genius.
Scott Adams exemplifies the smug Internet "genius" who whips out an IQ score in lieu of a penis. It ain't that impressive, dude, even if it is bigger. And guess what? It's probably not.
I have a confession to make: I am a genius.
But I have never in my life boasted about my IQ score or pulled the "genius" card in an attempt to win an argument. Any time someone does this, the only appropriate response is to point and laugh.
Never mind all the valid criticisms of IQ tests to begin with. We still don't have a really comprehensive definition of "intelligence," let alone "genius." Current theories suggest there are multiple kinds of intelligence. While being really smart certainly gives you the potential to accomplish things, it's by no means a guarantee, and furthermore, it doesn't preclude you from being an idiot. I've seen people seriously claim that an IQ test they took in elementary school means they can't be called an idiot. Some of the biggest dumbasses I've ever known have been "certified geniuses." There are plenty of high-IQ creationists and libertarians.
The thing about genius is that it represents, at best, a capacity for brilliance. Someone with a really high IQ is like a computer with a fast chip. In theory, they can do things faster and better than someone with a "slower processor," but a faster computer isn't more useful in terms of what it actually accomplishes if all it's used for is surfing pr0n. A genius who sits in his or her apartment all day playing WoW is not a smarter or more informed person. Extend this metaphor as much as you like -- some really smart, high-achieving people got that way because they worked really hard, and maybe a higher IQ might have allowed them to do it in less time, but there is no correlation between your IQ and the quality of your thoughts.
There are some theories that people with higher intelligence can see connections more easily, grasp abstractions and juggle multiple concepts in ways that less intelligent people cannot, or at least not as easily, but I'm skeptical. I get frustrated when arguing with people who are -- to be blunt -- not as smart as me, and so I understand the temptation to pull the "Oh, they're just too stupid to understand my obviously superior thoughts" argument, but the fact is, people usually fail to be persuaded by an argument not because the argument is objectively correct and they lack the cognitive ability to perceive this, but because people invest themselves in beliefs mostly for emotional and experiential reasons, not evidence-based ones, however much everyone (including -- especially -- smart people) likes to claim otherwise. That is why people are rarely converted from one religious or political philosophy to another with logic-based arguments.
(I've been wanting to rant about this for a while, because I've had to bite my tongue in one too many encounters with proud, card-carrying MENSA members, and seriously, the idea that I'm more likely to have something in common with people or find their company more enjoyable on the basis of occupying the same percentile on a standardized test is pretty readily disproven by actually talking to anyone who brags about being a MENSA member.)
If only genius correlated to greater writing speed!
My current word count is... almost exactly what it was last time. But that's after cutting out almost an entire chapter and doing some major rewriting. Not done with the cutting and rewriting yet, and I've hit another point where it's a slog to move into the final act.
But! Here is the final (sans title) cover.
Alexandra does still look a little mature for her age, but overall, I like it. The great thing about commissioning a cover is that, while the artist's conception will probably never precisely match the image in my head, I still get to see something pretty close to what I wanted. Imagine how many professional authors have gnashed their teeth over the years at the cover art for their books -- they usually get little or no say at all about how their characters will be depicted.
Scott Adams exemplifies the smug Internet "genius" who whips out an IQ score in lieu of a penis. It ain't that impressive, dude, even if it is bigger. And guess what? It's probably not.
I have a confession to make: I am a genius.
But I have never in my life boasted about my IQ score or pulled the "genius" card in an attempt to win an argument. Any time someone does this, the only appropriate response is to point and laugh.
Never mind all the valid criticisms of IQ tests to begin with. We still don't have a really comprehensive definition of "intelligence," let alone "genius." Current theories suggest there are multiple kinds of intelligence. While being really smart certainly gives you the potential to accomplish things, it's by no means a guarantee, and furthermore, it doesn't preclude you from being an idiot. I've seen people seriously claim that an IQ test they took in elementary school means they can't be called an idiot. Some of the biggest dumbasses I've ever known have been "certified geniuses." There are plenty of high-IQ creationists and libertarians.
The thing about genius is that it represents, at best, a capacity for brilliance. Someone with a really high IQ is like a computer with a fast chip. In theory, they can do things faster and better than someone with a "slower processor," but a faster computer isn't more useful in terms of what it actually accomplishes if all it's used for is surfing pr0n. A genius who sits in his or her apartment all day playing WoW is not a smarter or more informed person. Extend this metaphor as much as you like -- some really smart, high-achieving people got that way because they worked really hard, and maybe a higher IQ might have allowed them to do it in less time, but there is no correlation between your IQ and the quality of your thoughts.
There are some theories that people with higher intelligence can see connections more easily, grasp abstractions and juggle multiple concepts in ways that less intelligent people cannot, or at least not as easily, but I'm skeptical. I get frustrated when arguing with people who are -- to be blunt -- not as smart as me, and so I understand the temptation to pull the "Oh, they're just too stupid to understand my obviously superior thoughts" argument, but the fact is, people usually fail to be persuaded by an argument not because the argument is objectively correct and they lack the cognitive ability to perceive this, but because people invest themselves in beliefs mostly for emotional and experiential reasons, not evidence-based ones, however much everyone (including -- especially -- smart people) likes to claim otherwise. That is why people are rarely converted from one religious or political philosophy to another with logic-based arguments.
(I've been wanting to rant about this for a while, because I've had to bite my tongue in one too many encounters with proud, card-carrying MENSA members, and seriously, the idea that I'm more likely to have something in common with people or find their company more enjoyable on the basis of occupying the same percentile on a standardized test is pretty readily disproven by actually talking to anyone who brags about being a MENSA member.)
If only genius correlated to greater writing speed!
My current word count is... almost exactly what it was last time. But that's after cutting out almost an entire chapter and doing some major rewriting. Not done with the cutting and rewriting yet, and I've hit another point where it's a slog to move into the final act.
But! Here is the final (sans title) cover.
Alexandra does still look a little mature for her age, but overall, I like it. The great thing about commissioning a cover is that, while the artist's conception will probably never precisely match the image in my head, I still get to see something pretty close to what I wanted. Imagine how many professional authors have gnashed their teeth over the years at the cover art for their books -- they usually get little or no say at all about how their characters will be depicted.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2011-04-19 07:03 am (UTC)Re: Genius - end of the passage
Date: 2011-04-19 02:29 pm (UTC)Re: Genius - end of the passage
Date: 2011-04-19 02:59 pm (UTC)Re: Genius - end of the passage
Date: 2011-04-19 03:17 pm (UTC)For those who are interested,
Re: Genius - end of the passage
Date: 2011-04-19 03:44 pm (UTC)Re: Genius - end of the passage
Date: 2011-04-19 03:50 pm (UTC)Re: Genius - end of the passage
Date: 2011-04-19 03:59 pm (UTC)Re: Genius - end of the passage
Date: 2011-04-19 04:08 pm (UTC)Also: you suck at mind-reading.
Re: Genius - end of the passage
Date: 2011-04-19 04:13 pm (UTC)Re: Genius - end of the passage
Date: 2011-04-19 04:27 pm (UTC)I didn't delete your comments, I screened them. They're still screened, not deleted. I screened them because I dislike deleting comments and I thought possibly there was some legitimate reason why you couldn't just post a much shorter excerpt and then a link saying "Here is the rest of my essay." I might have considered unscreening them. Instead, you threw another tantrum.
And dude, seriously, no one reacts the way you do to much of anything.
Re: Genius - end of the passage
Date: 2011-04-19 04:29 pm (UTC)Re: Genius - end of the passage
Date: 2011-04-19 04:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-04-19 04:11 pm (UTC)From what I've seen, genius in the vein of Edison, Da Vinci, Michelanglo, Mozart, Einstein, Benjamin Franklin etc and what is backed by the experts seems to be tied to an ability to make connections between many different threads that are not readily apparent to others.
Salieri could never in million years make the links of insight and connections that Mozart could, no matter how hard he tried nor could the hard working, organized, well trained John Adams be the genius that Franklin was. In Potter terms, that lack of outside the box thinking and tolerance of it is what I believe kept Hermione out of Ravenclaw.
What I find intriguing about this is how these same traits underling genius are linked to things like Aspergers and ADHD. Good book on the subject is The Edison Gene by Thom Hartman.
Also, the picture finally looks 'right'.
no subject
Date: 2011-04-19 04:42 pm (UTC)- Sesc (with an IQ of >130 and lazy as fuck)
Alex's head
Date: 2011-04-19 07:08 pm (UTC)~DarkSov (IQ 147 and drifting)
no subject
Date: 2011-04-19 05:34 pm (UTC)Anti-MENSA
Date: 2011-04-19 08:08 pm (UTC)Someone ought to form some sort of an Anti-MENSA, like a Geniuses Anonymous. We could all get together in the stockroom of a bookstore after-hours on Thursday evenings and watch reruns of Keeping Up with the Kardashians.
Re: Anti-MENSA
Date: 2011-04-20 12:49 am (UTC)Re: Anti-MENSA
Date: 2011-04-20 02:21 am (UTC)Maybe we should institute these practices at the next Mensa meeting.
Re: Anti-MENSA
Date: 2011-04-21 09:54 am (UTC)~DarkSov
Re: Anti-MENSA
Date: 2011-04-21 08:30 pm (UTC)IQ Tests
Date: 2011-04-20 05:19 am (UTC)(full disclosure: I only ever took IQ Tests when I was like 9. I'm pretty sure I'm fairly smart, but that's for more substantial reasons than a number. And even then, saying "I went to a gifted school" and thinking that wins you any argument points ought to automatically revoke your Genius Card.)
I would also like to sign up for the aforementioned anti-Mensa group.
-TealTerror
no subject
Date: 2011-04-20 03:14 pm (UTC)I've never really felt all /that/ smart. Ive taken some IQ test and come out around 120-130. I take it with a grain of salt. I know where my strengths lie, and have no problem admitting my faults. Though I don't really think your post has anything to do with that, I'm just rambling on about nothing at all...
I usually feel kind of awkward when I speak to someone that boasts of a higher intelligence. I know quite a few people that have told me that their IQ is around the 140+ range. I can understand that they can feel proud of the fact, and I don't really think badly of them if they do...
Ive lost my train of thought...
Why does IQ really matter anyway?
no subject
Date: 2011-04-21 04:19 am (UTC)Great cover art!
Date: 2011-04-22 01:05 am (UTC)Looking forward to Alex's new adventures!
-Jblakew
no subject
Date: 2011-04-30 05:00 pm (UTC)An IQ score doesn't mean anything. Someone can say, "Well, I have an IQ of 87!" What in the hell does that mean? Which test are you basing this on? There are about a bajillion different tests out there to measure IQ, and each uses a completely different scale.
I'm an Aspie, and they do tend to score high on IQ tests. I don't know if I'm necessarily smarter than other people--it's hard to compare myself to others because my brain doesn't really work the same way as the average adult brain.