What's your opinion, is intellegence only seen as a good thing or does it have bad aspects as well?

Question

What's your opinion, is intellegence only seen as a good thing or does it have bad aspects as well?

Answer 1

My argument is summed up by the close analysis of the Film and Play 'Educating Rita'. Check it out. Honestly

Answer 2

well, I think that if you are a long way above average intelligence then it would be easy to get frustrated by other people - not out of any negative feeling, but just if they cannot grasp something that you understood easily. Back when I was in school there was one lad, who was far and away the most intelligent kid in the class, and he was constantly bored. what took the majority of the class 1 week would take him an hour. I could see how that frustration could lead to negative behaviour.

the thing is though, that like everyone else, you can have nice people with a high IQ, or really nasty people with a high IQ, so a lot will depend on the individual.

personally I would rather be intelligent, even though that can bring sadness and frustration at the way the people around us are acting. I believe that you can never learn "too much", knowledge is power. however intelligence is more about the capacity to understand and learn, rather than what you actually know. you could have a relatively average to low IQ, but learn a great deal with perseverance. similarly, a highly intelligent person may never bother to learn much at all - but he/she would have the capacity to learn.

I think you should read a book called "flowers for algernon" which explores the issues of IQ and happiness and is an excellent novel.

Answer 3

Well the more intelligent you are the more prone you are to mental disorders

I would call it a poisoned chalice, but still I would rather be intelligent and unhappy than dumb and happy

Some may not agree but thats up to them

Answer 4

It all depends on it's use!

Answer 5

Intelligence is just one of the human characteristics that define an individual or a family or a community.  At this moment in history, intelligence is seen as one of the more important characteristics, maybe because technology has accelerated in its devlopment over the past 200 years.  Therefore, an ability to change and learn quickly is good for everyday life.

However, other traits have been just as crucial to the human condition, and should be regarded as equal in importance.  These include loyalty, affection, appreciation of situations, understanding of other's problems, artistic awareness, stickability or grit or doggedness, bravery or courage, insight into unspoken attitudes, cleverness or smartness, and kindness.

Intelligence, because of its dominance in modern thinking and education, has become the main source of pomposity and unwarranted pride.  The existence of "intelligent societies" such as Mensa has encouraged this separatist view of intelligent people; the "them and us" attitude, where "we" are the clever ones and "you" are just ordinary and therefore less of a person.

No doubt there are pleasant and caring intelligent people but, on a personal level, I find that very intelligent people often miss out on the other traits listed above.  In particular, they seem to lack affection, understanding and awareness; particularly of other people's views and level of knowledge.

Answer 6

I think theres bad aspects. Some people say that intelligent people are a bit odd and don't have the same sense of humour as people who maybe havn't had such an advanced education as them. So they may act with a bit of prejudice towards them.

And some people say you can know too much. Like you can fail to see the humour in things that other people would laugh at because you know what has really happened. Or you can just scare yourself by what you know. Sometimes you might be better off not knowing.

And It can scare some people as well. Maybe they won't want to approach you because they think they are going to sound stupid next to somebody as intelligent.

Other people might only want to talk to you about the serious side of life because they know that you are very intelligent and are capable of talking about such things.

Answer 7

If you think about it, everyone likes to see themselves as intelligent. It is a desirable trait. Of course, being intelligent means you are more likely to succeed in life, have a nice career and so on. But on the less bright side, intelligent people sometimes get the feeling they are misfit, because they have a different set of values and see life differently from the majority. However, their misery is not often obvious to the majority, because their intelligence also comes with skills to be on good terms with everyone and create the appearance of happiness...in other words they behave like professionals.

Answer 8

I think the downside is that you have no peers - sometimes cannot do 'small talk ' people can't reach you nor you them.

if you go into any classroom you will find that the ones bullied are the ones both at the top and the bottom of the normal curve.

Answer 9

It all depends on how you use the intelligence. If you use your intellegence in a negative manner, well than there obviously is bad aspects of intellegence.

Answer 10

it depends how you define intelligence. theres a diffrence between being clever and being smart.

Answer 11

Its neither good nor bad, its a measurable trait. What makes it seem good or bad is how it is used on the human level. For example its bad when a person with a high intelligence quotia thinks he is superior to others or not responsible to society or God as others may be.

Answer 12

It only has bad aspects, as you put it, if its used negatively and it resides in  twisted, sick, damaged, polluted, or coerced minds .