I must confess that for as long as I can remember, I've felt felt a tinge of loneliness; ok, more than a tinge. It isn't because I don't have tons of friends--I mean, I don't, but I don't need tons. The few I've got are all I need because I've never been the type of person who judges herself on popularity (Thank Buddha, or else I'd have been morbidly depressed by now!) No, the truth is that I've almost always felt lonely for one reason: the sinking feeling that there are precious few people who view the world and those in it the way I do. For some reason, this matters a great deal to me. And this is the reason that I sometimes feel like I'm miles away even while surrounded by humans.
Often, when I'm feeling alone, I like to keep moving. Specifically, I like to go for walks. Don't ask me why. So this is the state of affairs that brought me to Center City Philly the other night. As I roamed Queen Village after dark, I found myself replaying some of the interactions with various people I'd had up to that point in the day. When my mind settled on one of the day's conversations--I don't remember which--I distinctly recall feeling a rising tide of frustration. And while I'm sketchy on the details of the conversation which sparked these thoughts, I know precisely what frustrated me that evening, because it's something that consistently frustrates me to no end: the realization that most people seem to have no handle on what it means to be "intelligent." Not that I feel that I have a monopoly on the definition. It's just that I feel that people throw the word around like it's a hacky sack, with little to no thought about how their use of the term speaks volumes about what they value in terms of mental capacity. This is in now way meant to say that I only talk to stupid people or that I am surrounded by them--that is not what I am talking about. There just seems to be a disconnect in what I deem "intelligent" and the rest of the world does.
So, you guessed it. I'd like you to weigh in on the subject. What does it mean to be "intelligent"? Who's the smartest person you've ever known? What is it that makes them so intelligent in your view? Be specific, cite examples and do your best to arrive at a definition. But DON'T consult a dictionary. If you absolutely can't resist the temptation to chew on someone else's thoughts on the subject, I'd like you to google quotations on intelligence and tell me if you come across one that sums up your views on the topic--or one that doesn't if playing devil's advocate is your thing. Share the quote with us and connect it with your response. Don't rush your thinking. Let it marinate...(450 words/60pts)
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To be intelligent is something every day I am striving to be. Intelligent to me means someone of who knows things on a high knowledge not just through books , but through experience .There are so many people including you , Ms.Bunje who I find to be very intelligent . My mother is another one. Intelligent is not somebody who is smart, but is someone who is also very wise a has a different outlook on life itself .My mother is intelligent to me because she is always was teaching and informing me about things .... She always got an answer and if she doesn’t then she will find it. My mother is like a book, a thesaurus she has so much information. When she asks me a question, it a question that will leave me puzzled for days and though I may never think I will find the answer. She already knows. She is wiser than anyone I know. She tells me all the time “I am your example, learn through me “. I think your wise Ms.Bunje, because you too ask me questions that really make me think. From experience that you tell us (your class) about I know you’re very wise, which in return to me also makes you very intelligent. I mean Duh, you’re a teacher (not saying that there are not dumb teachers) but you are not one of them.Your whole outlook on everything tell me that you are VERY intelligent .
ReplyDeleteTo know what intelligent is, it to me is the just the more you know. To find out who is smarter or more intelligent is a whole nother thing. Anyone can be smarter than someone else but it comes down to what do know more about. Jeff can have a master’s degree in physics but he might not even know how to change the oil to his car. Does that mean that he is dumb? Well he cannot be stupid or dumb because he has his masters. Or how about Steve, he has not been to school in a day in his life but he knows how to hunt and fend for himself is that stupid. Also a IQ test, IQ is a number based on how much you know. It always comes back to intelligent, and what I think is that we all have the same ideas, just we all see it from different ways. Another thing is that there are two types of smarts, one is common sense. Common sense is just the basic knowledge and Book smart. Book smart is knowledge you get form reading and socializing. The smartest people I have ever known is probably my grandparents, then have been around the block a few times and they know a thing or two about what is going on. What I learn from them and what I know now can help me later on in life. As the old saying goes, “The more you know, the further you go.” If only people knew that sooner in life I think we would have been better off. Well I have nothing more to say on this matter, until next time ms Bunje. PEACE.
ReplyDeleteintelligence to me isnt books at all because anyine can pick up any kind of document and read or copy it. intelldence is the wisdom to know wat to do in situations, how to handle your life. for example your friends rob someone and ask you can they leave the stuff at your house what do you do, well some people go oh theyre my boys itll just be for a little while. now what if the police show up at ur house because your so called boys said you did it, guess wat ur busted because u have it not them and unless u have some proof u didnt take it or that they brought it there you have some problems. an intelligent person would tell them no he cant let them leave it at his/her house. intelligence to me is the wisdom, the knowledge to know when to say no when to say yes, when to do and when to not do, or how to help instead of turning you back.
ReplyDeleteWow Bunjee DEEP....
ReplyDeleteIntelligence to me is knowing what you want to know. I dont mean just not care and feel like you have learned enough at a young age but to strive for your goals and to be eager to learn, to learn and enjoy what your learning. I do not think that learning has everything to do with books and schools ,it does play a big part. I also think it has to do with living and learning by experience. When your young a lot of things happen to you that you learn by doing not by reading it in a book. If you touch something hot and get burned you will know that if you touch it again you will get burned again. We are all born with some type of intelligence, we just need to know how to develope it.
The smartest pearson i know is my mother. Im not just saying that because she is my mother, but because she has lived so much and actually learnd from everything. She has inspierd me to do the same and to me thats an intelligent pearson.
Intelligent to me is someone who knos right from wrong. I don't like to judge people by if their in general or ap classes. I don't like to say ohh he's smart because he's in ap classes. That gets me mad because I'm in general classes I didn't want to be but some how I got put into them. I have to say though there are ssome pretty smart people in general classes its just no one gives them a chance. Actually I think if everyone just tried they could be smart in their own way. I guess people are just lazy witch I'm one of those lazy people. Well back to what I think intelligent means. I think who ever knows what's right and what's wrong they are smart. A lot of people just do what ever everyone else is doing that's not being intelligent. Just be who you are and if people don't like it then the hell with them. Atleast you know and everyone one knows you are always your self 100%.
ReplyDeleteIntelligence these days is something people flaunt. Either you have it or you don't. There are different ways one can be intelligent. Some people are born with the ability to collect more information than others. They learn easily and school is a breeze. They get far in life with the brains with intelligence, even when they could be lacking in other areas. Intelligence has to do with everyday decisions, knowing right from wrong and picking the right path. Knowing what you want in life and having the ability to take action is being intelligent. Society has this image that the white rich successful man is intelligent, but intelligence comes naturally to anyone. Anywhere you go jobs, when you pick classes, they are looking for the level of intelligence that a person posseses. It determines the kind of tasks they can take on, and further their knowledge.
ReplyDeleteWhen we discussed what are the top five qualities of a man Intelligence was significantly repeated because it is a common important trait. People who are intelligent succeed in life, therefore it is what a women looks in for in a man. An intelligent person can be independent and make their own choices because they know whats best for them. It isn't commercialized as much as things that lack importance to the world, but it's a major trait that made this world what it is today.
on the subject intelligent mean smart but not only with school but with decissions they make as well as being book smart.i think to become intelligent it takes time and development by age. the smartest person I know would have too be bunje because she not only teaches her student to be book smart and how to get in too college but to servive in the real world and that we have rude awakings waiting for us all but shes there to warn us of the real world she is the most intelligent person i know as of right know but throw time someone eles will pop up to teach us of the next step.
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