4 ms·

As a guy, and a geek, I definitely find intelligence highly attractive (and I think most of you would agree with me). Since geeks will eventually inherit the e

by jwingy 15y ago

As a guy, and a geek, I definitely find intelligence highly attractive (and I think most of you would agree with me). Since geeks will eventually inherit the earth, wouldn't it be advantageous to start teaching our women how they can get ahead on this curve by flaunting their intelligence? :)

derrida 15y ago
As a guy, this type of thinking once again puts the value on women as 'attractiveness'. Why isn't intelligence good for its own sake?
- jwingy 15y ago
  I never said intelligence wasn't good for its own sake, nor was I trying to imply a woman's worth is only in her level of attractiveness. Certainly in a ideal world we would all aspire to goals without concern for outside opinion, but alas we don't live in a vacuum.
kamaal 15y ago
Well if you start doing that, you would spark off a new debate. "Don't tell girls how intelligent they are". Because then the very analogical argument will be used to say - telling girls they are intelligent is making them under perform in other areas. In short, if you are not ready work hard and do something on yourself by your work alone. There are plenty of reasons you can use to justify what you are.
- lutorm 15y ago
  In fact, you should not tell anyone how intelligent they are. Not because it makes them underperform in other areas, but because it makes them underperform in that area exactly by failing to teach them that it's hard work that matters. See e.g. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-secret-to-raising-smart-kids http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-secret-...
  - kamaal 15y ago
    So, now I fail to understand what people are after. You praise someone for something, it becomes a problem. You don't then its a different problem. You criticize, you get noted for being rude and discouraging. The key here is to take what is good and beneficial out of a talk and just move on. Else each social persuasion and thought can ruin your life everytime one hears some one speaking.
    - lutorm 15y ago
      So, now I fail to understand what people are after. The mindset stuff is a scientific result, it's not "after" anything. Maybe you think you are so strong-willed and independent that you are immune to this effect, but however dumb you feel it is, the majority of people (and kids especially) apparently are not.

by jwingy 15y ago

derrida 15y ago

As a guy, this type of thinking once again puts the value on women as 'attractiveness'. Why isn't intelligence good for its own sake?

jwingy 15y ago
I never said intelligence wasn't good for its own sake, nor was I trying to imply a woman's worth is only in her level of attractiveness. Certainly in a ideal world we would all aspire to goals without concern for outside opinion, but alas we don't live in a vacuum.

kamaal 15y ago

Well if you start doing that, you would spark off a new debate. "Don't tell girls how intelligent they are". Because then the very analogical argument will be used to say - telling girls they are intelligent is making them under perform in other areas. In short, if you are not ready work hard and do something on yourself by your work alone. There are plenty of reasons you can use to justify what you are.

lutorm 15y ago
In fact, you should not tell anyone how intelligent they are. Not because it makes them underperform in other areas, but because it makes them underperform in that area exactly by failing to teach them that it's hard work that matters. See e.g. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-secret-to-raising-smart-kids http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-secret-...
- kamaal 15y ago
  So, now I fail to understand what people are after. You praise someone for something, it becomes a problem. You don't then its a different problem. You criticize, you get noted for being rude and discouraging. The key here is to take what is good and beneficial out of a talk and just move on. Else each social persuasion and thought can ruin your life everytime one hears some one speaking.
  - lutorm 15y ago
    So, now I fail to understand what people are after. The mindset stuff is a scientific result, it's not "after" anything. Maybe you think you are so strong-willed and independent that you are immune to this effect, but however dumb you feel it is, the majority of people (and kids especially) apparently are not.