# How intelligent are you?



## ipumuk (Aug 13, 2008)

Hello,
tell us how intelligent you think you are compared to other people.

By intelligence I mean a mixture of smartness, wisdom, brainpower and understanding etc. 

Its up to you to define it and chose the answer.

cu


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## sfunk (Aug 13, 2008)

I forget the exact study and statistics but when using a self reporting method ~80% (I think) reported that they believed themselves to be higher than average in intelligence. My point? Don't expect honest/accurate answers.


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## Panzer Tacticer (Aug 13, 2008)

I'm intelligent enough to know not one of you gives a shit what I think of my intelligence


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## juggernaut911 (Aug 13, 2008)

VOTE "I rarely meet someone who is as intelligent as myself." IF YOU WERE MISTAKENLEY PUT IN A RETARD SCHOOL!!

I'm smart I guess, most people come to me for advice. I just did bad on my tests last year so I have to work back up to the top for honors/advance crap


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## Balrogs.Pain (Aug 13, 2008)

well being my cocky self, i put above most people, Why not the last option? Well, i. . . cant solve a rubix cube. . .  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  DEPRESSING I KNOW!


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## Dylan (Aug 14, 2008)

I would like to be just a little more intelligent than i am


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## Bishang (Aug 14, 2008)

When it comes to tests and knowledge, I guess I'm pretty smart. But when it comes to being responsible for assignments and stuff, I fail. My GPA dropped from a 3.85 to a 3.57 because I didn't do work in a lot of my classes making me fail English, and getting a D (almost F) in Physics. I keep telling myself that I'm going to do better next year, my senior year, but I don't know if I'll live up to that. I'm scared as hell that I'm not going to get into my number one choice university.


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## DeMoN (Aug 14, 2008)

Just average.  When you get to college, you _will_ realize that you're just average.


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## the_joeba (Aug 14, 2008)

Sometimes I feel vain for thinking, "I rarely meet someone who is as intelligent as myself" but when I meet the CEO of the company I work for (he is a Neurosurgeon), that's when i am amazed.


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## Prophet (Aug 14, 2008)

I'm in the top 1% on various scales, statewide and nationwide. I've been in specialized schooling since I was 8. I am "smart". 

But pride comes before the fall so let me add this: Intelligence is overrated. Most of the supposedly intelligent are nothing more than parrots. They know how to "perform", they give the right responses and make the right motions. I believe that many people confuse efficiency with intellect. The person who navigates through college/work/society with ease, is not necessarily smart. They are simply the best performers. The most intelligent person is the one who forgoes the memorization of law books and medical periodicals and instead opts to create. The poet, the painter, the philosopher. These are the intellectuals; those who are inspired to build anew, while the layman continues running the well weathered path to success and mediocrity.

edit: Those who voted average are probally the smartest people in this thread.


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## aslacker55 (Aug 14, 2008)

I may be dumb, but I'm happy. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  A long time ago, I came in to terms that most people are smarter than me. I'm happy to admit that I have no need or want to be smart.


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## alex (Aug 14, 2008)

Very...





























But I'm a total blond at common sense... Something simple is confusing...


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## xcalibur (Aug 18, 2008)

DeMoN said:
			
		

> Just average.  When you get to college, you _will_ realize that you're just average.



So true.
I used to be at the top of my class but as soon as I got to college I just dropped to the bottom because I thought I was "smart" and could get away with doing no homework.
Natural intelligence will only get you so far in life. At a certain point its just a question of how hard you're willing to work for what you want. 
A slacker will never be a doctor, no matter how smart he/she is.


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## fischju (Aug 18, 2008)

3.93 GPA, at least 96th percentile in every standardized test, IQ 155, joining the Navy's Nuclear Power School in May


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## Doomsday Forte (Aug 18, 2008)

Grades mean nothing in the real world.  *flees hard*

I mean, with that said, I don't find it worth working too hard for these grades which would likely have no impact on my future, apart from doing so badly I can't get my degree.  =P

Also, intelligence covers a lot of topics.  I'm well-versed in videogame knowledge, but throw math and science at me and I'll cower in fear.


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## ipumuk (Aug 19, 2008)

the interesting thing about this poll is that it shows that a lot of people who consider them smarter than the rest MUST in fact be less smart than the average.

so whoever voted "smarter than most" must ask themselves whether thats really true.


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## Doomsday Forte (Aug 19, 2008)

Shiro786 said:
			
		

> Grades or marks do not determine whether or not you are smart, its job is to help you learn, and people are forgetting this. The problem with society today, is that your intellect is measured by "doing your homework", and how prestigious your background is, and how much is in your wallet.


Not to mention how good you are at Jeopardy!, Who Wants to be a Millionaire, and I Have No Semblance of Dignity So I'll Humiliate Myself on National Television For a Chance At Your Money.  =P


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## Rayder (Aug 19, 2008)

I'm smarter than the average dumbass.  LOL!


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## Jax (Aug 19, 2008)

I'm S-M-R-T. Smart!


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## science (Aug 19, 2008)

im pretty smart but i voted for the wrong one accidently can i change it


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## ipumuk (Aug 19, 2008)

science said:
			
		

> im pretty smart but i voted for the wrong one accidently can i change it



haha that was a good one.


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## GameSoul (Aug 19, 2008)

I'm smart, depending on the topic. If you mean socially smart, I guess I'm average. It's possible to be smart in one thing and a rock in something else.


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## cerenade (Aug 19, 2008)

Prophet said:
			
		

> I'm in the top 1% on various scales, statewide and nationwide. I've been in specialized schooling since I was 8. I am "smart".
> 
> But pride comes before the fall so let me add this: Intelligence is overrated. Most of the supposedly intelligent are nothing more than parrots. They know how to "perform", they give the right responses and make the right motions. I believe that many people confuse efficiency with intellect. The person who navigates through college/work/society with ease, is not necessarily smart. They are simply the best performers. The most intelligent person is the one who forgoes the memorization of law books and medical periodicals and instead opts to create. The poet, the painter, the philosopher. These are the intellectuals; those who are inspired to build anew, while the layman continues running the well weathered path to success and mediocrity.



I've always agreed with this concept, being smart is to be a conformist.

On this topic I choose not to vote due to the fact my truthfulness would seem like I'm full of myself, yet tis the truth that I don't believe I have ever met any person who was more intelligent than myself.


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## Linkiboy (Aug 19, 2008)

I'm "school smart" apparently.



			
				Prophet said:
			
		

> I'm in the top 1% on various scales, statewide and nationwide. I've been in specialized schooling since I was 8. I am "smart".
> 
> But pride comes before the fall so let me add this: Intelligence is overrated. Most of the supposedly intelligent are nothing more than parrots. They know how to "perform", they give the right responses and make the right motions. I believe that many people confuse efficiency with intellect. The person who navigates through college/work/society with ease, is not necessarily smart. They are simply the best performers. The most intelligent person is the one who forgoes the memorization of law books and medical periodicals and instead opts to create. The poet, the painter, the philosopher. These are the intellectuals; those who are inspired to build anew, while the layman continues running the well weathered path to success and mediocrity.
> 
> edit: Those who voted average are probally the smartest people in this thread.


It's late, so sorry if I misinterpret your post... but...

Sounds to me like you're just redefining "smart" in your own way. Society sees "smart" and "intelligent" as a measure of the amount of formulas and definitions you can memorize.

Society dictates the truth, even if its not the truth, unfortunately. An example would be religion or rituals that don't actually do anything.

Though, you're right. These intellectuals are the ones who have the power to change society. And if they are truly smart, they do.


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## ojsinnerz. (Aug 19, 2008)

Slightly above average, but not by much.


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## yuyuyup (Aug 19, 2008)

I'm an idiot and I want to die.


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## Awdofgum (Aug 19, 2008)

I got street smarts...

And a 3.8 GPA in school.


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## jgu1994 (Aug 19, 2008)

I'm definitely above average, but i'm no where close to being a genius.


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## papyrus (Aug 19, 2008)

Don't forget about multiple intelligences:

Linguistic intelligence ("word smart"):
Logical-mathematical intelligence ("number/reasoning smart")
Spatial intelligence ("picture smart")
Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence ("body smart")
Musical intelligence ("music smart")
Interpersonal intelligence ("people smart")
Intrapersonal intelligence ("self smart")
Naturalist intelligence ("nature smart")

It depends on what you excel.
Overall i guess I'm average, that's what i think. But a lot of people think I'm smart.


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## Sephi (Aug 19, 2008)

According to Spikey, I'm worse than bobrules and ScuberS combined. But that's just IRC.

I'm like a smart idiot


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## theman69 (Aug 19, 2008)

well i can remember things i want to remember i can make people laugh easily but when it comes to it i think im just average but most excel in one or more things in particular and that is just how it is. 
"Nothing of me is original, I am the combined effort of everyone I know."
meh being smart is overrated just do what u love and ull be smart at that i can guarantee it


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## Prophet (Aug 19, 2008)

Linkiboy said:
			
		

> I'm "school smart" apparently.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I wouldn't call it redefining, more of a reassessment. I am attempting to take the words back to their base meanings. "Intelligence" is derived from the Latin word intellegere, which when translated means "to understand". Now the skeptic would say "Well the people who get ahead in society are the ones who understand the best. They understand their lessons in school, they understand what their bosses are looking for at work... yada yada" This statement is forgivable, but completely wrong. The skeptic is taking "to understand" to mean "to understand what has been imparted to you". "To understand," is quite different. One who understands the form and contours of the world well enough to replicate them in a painting or sculpture is intelligent. Furthermore, look at someone like Einstein. He was taught the basics of mathematics in school but he found the lessons to be insufficient. Why? because he "understood" that what had been imparted to him was incomplete. He saw logical holes, many of which calculus would eventually fill. A child that concerns themselves with the logical progression of theory or practice, is intelligent. 

I'll try not to go to deep into this but here is my argument: The first step to true intelligence, begins in understanding that there are things that still remain insufficiently understood. No one is born understanding, all begins in wonder. We are all inquisitive as children and I feel this is the stage where the the truly intelligent are formed. Although very few of us are nurtured in a manner that teaches us to question everything, there are those who are allowed their inquisitive nature and those to stubborn to be stifled by societies inclination to simplify existence. "To understand" we must question, probe, and reflect. To be intelligent is to find your own path to understanding. Which is not to say that books and lessons are useless, far from it. It is completely possible that one could receive an elementary lesson and use it as a springboard from which they might seek greater understanding. But who truly seeks understanding in school? We seek good marks, we seek social standing. We do not wish to understand we wish to win. That is not intelligence, that is competency in a controlled environment. That is the same drive that sets the horse to race. It is no wonder than that in a world built upon competition, true intelligence is becoming rarer by the minute.

Side-note: If anyone actually read all of that, bravo.


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## papyrus (Aug 19, 2008)

Prophet said:
			
		

> Linkiboy said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Your the smartest person here in this thread Prophet, kudos.


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## theman69 (Aug 19, 2008)

Prophet all i got from that is when u don't understand and when u ask questions u are a G.


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## geminisama (Aug 19, 2008)

How smart am I? Hmm, I would say intelligent, but not overly smart. In first grade, I was put in a joint 1st/2nd grade class, since me and select others scored high on some test. The same year, I was tested, and put into G.A.T.E.(Gifted and Talented Education), and I went to those classes several times a week, up until the end of 5th grade. In middle school, I was placed in accelerated Math, Reading, and English, but I was taken out of Accelerated math cause I'm not good at it. I was still placed in accelerated English, and Reading until the end of 8th grade. When HS came around, I was placed into Honors English, for the rest of HS.

Now that I'm done ranting, I would still claim I'm just somewhat intelligent. My friends disagree, and call me modest, but I still claim I'm just average on intelligence, cause being literate and having advanced classes in middle and grade school doesn't make me super smart. =/

Oh, and I've never taken an IQ test, but I don't think I'd score that high, lol.


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## fischju (Aug 19, 2008)

Shiro786 said:
			
		

> fischju said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



You underestimate my intelligence, and I'm sorry for giving you numbers you could relate to rather than an essay on how subjective intelligence is along with my life story. Again, my fault you choose to display your 'intelligence' by telling me how useless the information I gave was. Did I mention that I never did homework and got kicked out of school? I can't seem to remember....


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## Prophet (Aug 19, 2008)

theman69 said:
			
		

> Prophet all i got from that is when u don't understand and when u ask questions u are a G.
> 
> That doesn't seem to far off from my point, if "G" represents a high level of enlightenment.
> 
> ...



fischju, your OP was a bit presumptive and elitist. You provided marks as if they were sufficient indicators of your superior intellect; as if we should read them and say, "well he's smart." If you didn't care to discuss what makes you intelligent, perhaps you should have refrained from posting in a thread labeled "How intelligent are you"?

Actually, you know what? I retract all that. I'm obviously "underestimating your intelligence." 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Humble much?


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## Linkiboy (Aug 19, 2008)

Prophet said:
			
		

> I wouldn't call it redefining, more of a reassessment. I am attempting to take the words back to their base meanings. "Intelligence" is derived from the Latin word intellegere, which when translated means "to understand". Now the skeptic would say "Well the people who get ahead in society are the ones who understand the best. They understand their lessons in school, they understand what their bosses are looking for at work... yada yada" This statement is forgivable, but completely wrong. The skeptic is taking "to understand" to mean "to understand what has been imparted to you". "To understand," is quite different. One who understands the form and contours of the world well enough to replicate them in a painting or sculpture is intelligent. Furthermore, look at someone like Einstein. He was taught the basics of mathematics in school but he found the lessons to be insufficient. Why? because he "understood" that what had been imparted to him was incomplete. He saw logical holes, many of which calculus would eventually fill. A child that concerns themselves with the logical progression of theory or practice, is intelligent.


Wow...

The way I see it is similar: true understanding is the half the difference between someone intelligent and someone efficient... The other half is application.

I can see deep into an object, phrase, idea, and see what it symbolizes, what it means. (You'd be surprised how many people don't even bother...) How can I use this understanding to better understand the world?

So... I'm half-smart. Or half-dumb.


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## Doomsday Forte (Aug 19, 2008)

Something I've noticed while skimming this topic (my apologies for not reading the long responses, but I wanted to make this point before I forgot), but I've seen the word "memorization" dropped more than a few times.  Makes me think of something I called one of my teachers on.  

You understand that the point of school is (apart from preparing us for the real world) so that we learn, yes?  We learn questionable material for use later in life through all of school.  But, that's not exactly how it works.  Come on, all of you are or were students at one time or another.  How does it go when the exam comes up?

A small percentage actually knew the material so when the test came, they would do moderately well based on their own learning, and didn't really have to study.
The rest are varied.  They may know some of the material, and will cram hard when it comes to exam time.  Or maybe some never even go to class, cram hard for the exam, and disappear until the next one.  But the results also vary:  Some people will ace the exam this way.  Some would have better benefited from the free time by skipping the studying and exam-taking.  Either way though, the effect is the same:  The material "learned" is quickly dispersed after it no longer needs to be known.  Woe be to those students whose exams are cumulative!  =P

I don't put a lot of stock into education, sadly.  A lot of times, we would always ask our algebra/trig/calc teachers when we'd ever use these lessons in real life.  To me, that applies a lot more than just math.  And I mostly didn't see a lot of use to a good number of the courses I took.  Yeah, I know early years are really only for getting you to decide what you want to be as an adult, and how high school is to prepare you for that route in college, but...

I left high school wanting to become an engineer.  I easily had no idea what I was getting into, and going to a school whose engineering program was intentionally designed to weed out the weak...definitely not the smartest decision I've made.  I wasn't prepared at all, and I wasted a good deal of time wandering around with majors and stuff.  Yet oddly enough, I'm an English major despite the fact that I loathed English most of all in high school.  

Who knew?


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## Searinox (Aug 24, 2008)

I've been rated above average both online and IRL by psychologists, though I wouldn't make it something to size up. Intellect capability varies with the mood and fluctuates over time, right now I'm going through a mild depression and I suspect the lack of motivation to do things or even think has lowered my IQ.


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## Fellow (Aug 24, 2008)

I'm generally somewhere in between,

I am average, and

I am more intelligent than most people.


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## deathfisaro (Aug 24, 2008)

I took a Depression tests a few years back, which included kind of an IQ test-ish stuffs. Depression supposedly can lower brain function and make you dumber.
The doctor was like "Your results were superb, not the best I've seen in my life but still great." And then still said I had Depression.

So here's the thing, why does Depression make you dumber? Because if you have Depression, it means you fell for doctors labelling you as Depression just so that they can give you random pills and make money.
I fell for it, so that makes me one step dumber than I used to be.


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## RyukeDragon (Aug 24, 2008)

deathfisaro said:
			
		

> I took a Depression tests a few years back, which included kind of an IQ test-ish stuffs. Depression supposedly can lower brain function and make you dumber.
> The doctor was like "Your results were superb, not the best I've seen in my life but still great." And then still said I had Depression.
> 
> So here's the thing, why does Depression make you dumber? Because if you have Depression, it means you fell for doctors labelling you as Depression just so that they can give you random pills and make money.
> I fell for it, so that makes me one step dumber than I used to be.


Your happiness has decreased by one step.
Today you will have: Big Trouble


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## Prophet (Aug 24, 2008)

Keep in mind, depression doesn't lower your actual intellect, it simply suppresses your IQ results. If you lack the motivation to get out of bed in the morning, who the hell wants to get out of bed and then solve a puzzle? However, if a situation of survival arises that requires you to be quick-witted, it's almost assured that you would be able to get out of bed and tackle the problem. 

It reminds me of a phenomenon that has been observed in many psyche wards. If a fire alarm sounds, many of the most catatonic residents spring to life. People who could no longer feed themselves, make there way out of the hospital with ease. Fascinating. (well at least it is to me)


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## deathfisaro (Aug 25, 2008)

Kinda off-topic, I wish I were autotroph. Eating can be a hassel sometimes. It's strange because I'm usually passionate about cooking, and mixing cocktails. 
Pure lazyness and none of depression I bet.

So psyche ward patients don't lack intelligence per se, but more like supressed or I can't think of other words I want to say (oh no).

More back-on topic, I don't consider myself intellectually "superior" to other people. But I enjoy helping people get more education. Education isn't exactly intelligence but learning can't harm your intelligence could it?


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## iffy525 (Aug 25, 2008)

hmm, average isn't the most voted, which is weird because it should be average.  Seems like a lot of people think they are smarter than they really are lol.


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## LagunaCid (Aug 26, 2008)

I think the right topic should be
"How big is your ego".

I answered
"Higher than average"


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## psycoblaster (Aug 26, 2008)

I rarely meet someone who is as intelligent as myself.


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## pasc (Aug 26, 2008)

well, not that smart I guess.


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## Joey90 (Aug 29, 2008)

I know people who use the internet and play video games are often* fairly clever... it is slightly ridiculous that 25% think they are smarter than almost everyone they meet.

I think the problem is with defining what smarter means, poeple tend to choose the field they are best at, so are more likely to be better than others at.

*I say this with caution...


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## bobrules (Aug 29, 2008)

I rarely meet someone who is as intelligent as myself.

just kidding.


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## eclipsevader123 (Oct 3, 2008)

i'm pretty smart, most kids in my class call me a nerd, or they think my smartness is sexy.


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## Requisite (Oct 3, 2008)

I do well in things if I put my mind to it, but I'm a helluva slacker.


Which is bad.


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## Midna (Oct 4, 2008)

Hmm... I think most of these people read the poll wrong. they seemed to think the poll was "how big is your ego?" How can the majority of people be above average? That means that average is not truly average. But that's human nature. We are naturally born with the belief that we are better that everybody else, so not much you can do about that.

As for myself, I am in high school and have ADHD (May not be a surprise), so they've had psychologists in to test me, and they found that my IQ was very hard to calculate properly, as my aptitudes don't match up very well. (Well above average (gifted) reader, low average writer. Stuff like that), so they just put that I was _very_ smart. By the way, I got all this by making a copy of the Psych Ed report and e-mailing it to myself. without telling my parents.


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## stephenophof (Oct 4, 2008)

I've done VWO (highest Dutch school) and after the VWO I did University..
So...


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## OrcMonkey© (Oct 5, 2008)

Balrogs.Pain said:
			
		

> well being my cocky self, i put above most people, Why not the last option? Well, i. . . cant solve a rubix cube. . .
> 
> 
> 
> ...


YOU NOW .......YOUR NOT ALONE BUDDY! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	
















ANYWAY I'M A BETWEEN AVERAGE AND SMART IN MY SCHOOL.


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## DarkAura (Oct 5, 2008)

Where's the option for 'I'm dumb as a doorknob'?  Cos that's meh.


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## Raika (Oct 6, 2008)

i am an average. sometimes im smart and sometimes im stupid. depends on the situation


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## Seven (Nov 3, 2008)

Saying I'm average is borderline self-deprecation. I'd say I'm smarter than a lot of people I meet, if not in judgment, at least in reasoning.


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## JPH (Nov 3, 2008)

Bah, I'd say I'm just average.


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## omegableach (Nov 3, 2008)

Hmmm...straight A's...gifted program...I'd say I'm pretty damn smart


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## da_head (Nov 3, 2008)

very.


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## Ferrariman (Nov 3, 2008)

Ummm... That's hard to say, since most people are smart enough to conceal their knowledge.


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## Mewgia (Nov 3, 2008)

Well, let's see.

I know more overall than pretty much anyone I know (that is around my age, of course). I can pull random facts about nearly anything from my memory, I am able to maintain a perfect GPA without doing much homework or studying beyond writing whatever essays I have to do, my memory is semi-photographic (I can remember some things as if I had just looked at it while others I forget almost entirely...it's rather odd).  While I do know people who generally get higher grades than me in singular subjects (there are usually one or two people with higher grades than me in, say, math) I generally have more subjective knowledge overall than they do.  However, the fact that I am so spread out may work against me in the end, as I am currently unable to excel extremely in one area or another, I just do very well in all areas.

Even though that whole paragraph may make me sound like I believe I am the most intelligent creature on the face of the earth, I am smart enough to know that I am not.  I do know that there are many people in the world who are smarter than me (or at least have more applicable and focused knowledge, such as every major inventor ever), and I am greatly humbled by them and envious of their intelligence and determination.



Also, this is my 2000th post.


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