I R STOOPID

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Got it.

It has nothing to do with you as an individual.  I just don't like your kind.

Pixels on a screen posing as Humans?

No.  Humans.  I have extremely good reasons for hating humans...But I don't consider them to be a collection of phosphor dots.  If you think that the people you are talking to are just pixels on a screen, then you are also a wretchedly defective human as well.

Or possibly merely mentally stunted. Children pass through a stage where they are unable to grasp the concept of acting from a distance, or really any sort of theory of mind, so it's possible that people who see other people online as "just pixels on a screen" are just developmentally delayed.

[hooplala]

I realized today why I have felt so stupid on this forum lately (other than just possibly being stupid)... we used to have tons of posters here, of varying levels of intelligence, artistic ability, general tolerability, etc...

Traffic has gone way way down in the last few years.  To the point where it seems like we have about 20 regular users... It occurred to me today that the vast majority of the regular posters who remained were of staggering intelligence. Roger, LMNO, Cain, Nigel, Queen Gojira, and likely others I have forgotten about at the moment... These are brilliant people. I can not hold a flame to them.

Realizing that didn't make me feel as bad.  I wouldn't feel bad for feeling stupid next to Richard Feynman, why should I feel bad about feeling stupid next to these folks? I can learn a lot.

If I didn't include your name in the list, and you regularly post here, fear not... you are likely smarter than me too.

[Eater of Clowns]

Intelligence is not the most important thing you can add to the board, perspective is.



At least that's what I tell myself when I have this same realization.   

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Hoopla, intelligence is in many ways a matter of perspective, and I think Western culture has the tendency to put certain intelligence perspectives on a pedestal and demean others.

I was thinking about this thing this morning, which is how we feel embarrassed when we get things wrong or make a mistake... we're afraid to "look stupid". Which is really silly when you think about it, because when we try new things and take risks in pursuit of learning we aren't being stupid, we're being smart.

Anyway, now I'm just rambling and I should probably get back to homework. But Hoopla, if it makes you feel any better, I really enjoy and value your posts here, even when I argue with you over them.

[Doktor Howl]

I have found that being a dumbfuck is far more productive, at least on a professional level.   I'm not afraid to change my mind, because what was in there was probably something pretty fucking dumb.  This somehow gives me the reputation of extreme competence, even though it's really just a slight flexibility.

Being a genius doesn't look like much fun, anyway.

[hooplala]

I should point out that I don't believe I'm actually stupid. Or, at least not the stupidest. Spending the holidays with the in-laws drove that home.

I know some stuff, but being around y'all is a little humbling now and then.

Nigel, I am pretty good at admitting I don't know something, which I attribute to Robert Anton Wilson. I wasn't so willing to admit ignorance before I started reading his work heavily, so there's that...

And Roger, your willingness to admit errors, and change your mind, has been one of the principle attributes about you that I admire. There are many others, but that's a biggie.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I've always thought it was interesting that some of the most brilliant, creative, and productive scientists in history have not been people with the highest IQ's. Mostly pretty bright, for sure, but not geniuses. There's like this above-average "sweet spot" that seems to allow people to thrive creatively without being crippled by neurosis.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Funny story: I just now was having a really pointless argument with a guy who contradicted me about ocean waves being caused by wind by insisting that they're caused by the tides. I tried to go with the soft save, with "I'm pretty sure surface waves are caused by wind, but I could be wrong" and rather than letting it go (or looking it up, which would have been a momentary Google search at most) he went into this whole thing about how waves are caused by the gravitational pull of the sun and moon, like tides. So I just posted this link: http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/facts/waves.html which explains waves. And he CONTINUED TO ARGUE.

The deadly fear of being wrong is kind of hilarious, but the thing is that refusing to admit to being wrong is making him look like a total tool, whereas if he'd said "Oh, interesting, I didn't realize that" everyone would have forgotten about it except for a lingering sense that he's pretty cool.

[LMNO]

Hoopla, you made me blush.

But I don't think I'm smart, just curious.  And I am also impressed with the amount of stuff other people know.  And then curiosity kicks in.

That curiosity also is part of my most effective troll: constantly asking uncomfortable questions.

[Eater of Clowns]

On the less snarky note, I do think that perspective is crucially important here. Measured intelligence, the more one learns, is a shady concept at best and has historical roots in racism and classism. I think what stands out about most of the smart people I've met in my life is they are, as LMNO pointed out, curiosity driven. I am intellectually lazy, and as such would not consider myself among the smarter members of this board.

[Doktor Howl]

But I don't think I'm smart,

You are incorrect.  You're one of the 3 smartest people I've ever met, when everything is taken into consideration.

[LMNO]

 

[hooplala]

It's true. You've obviously not paid enough attention to yourself explaining quantum mechanics. It's wicked impressive.

[Eater of Clowns]

It's true. You've obviously not paid enough attention to yourself explaining quantum mechanics. It's wicked impressive.

Oh hell yeah.



SPLOOSH

[Doktor Howl]

It's true. You've obviously not paid enough attention to yourself explaining quantum mechanics. It's wicked impressive.

Not just in that respect.  Hell, he's spent 12 years carefully hinting when I'm out of line.  He's always right, too...But I never listen.  I'm too busy sticking my OTHER foot in.