superconfessional

[broneck]

again, to argue this is completely childish. from what i gather you understand "smart" to be someone creative, or someone who thinks outside the box. what in poli sci differs you from a business student? you're looking at pre established forms of governance and that's not exactly thinking outside the box or being creative; just like a business student no answer you give is going to be any different than one that has been heard before. also, not to knock you or harrison but if you were in the top 5% you'd at least be on the dean's list, which neither of you are. what it really sounds like is ya'll are just hating on business and med students who will, in the long run, make more money than you.

I think I should re-establish a point I've already made. I know that there is a type of smart that I will never be - fact or formula memorization are not my thing, and hence I'm not a med student or commerce major. If Harrison and I aren't on the Dean's List it's probably more to do with a lack of effort than lack of ability...once again - I am fully capable of admitting that if there are people characterized as "mule-smart", I myself am dumb in this regard...so where does that leave me? Dumber than a mule, in some aspects.

I am not hating on Med students or businesses students, or engineers; they possess an ability to retain information and understand complex systems that I will never be able to. But the fact is, the vast majority of these students excel simply because they are able to memorize and regurgitate formulas, but can't necessarily critically engage with anything.

Those who will find themselves successful in the long run will do so largely because they separate themselves form the other 95%, demonstrating that in addition to being able to retain formulas and manipulate figures, they are able to think critically as well. DJ_Flame's program has clearly realized that this is the case, and therefore requires him to take more arts-based courses.

To use an anecdotal example, Dolly's dad constantly complains about the new recruits constantly being brought into the accounting firm for which he works. They are all fully capable of doing the tasks to which they are assigned - meaning, they can crunch numbers and understand charts and graphs. However, they have little in the way of interpersonal or critical thinking skills, meaning the vast majority will stagnate, while those who distinguish themselves from this group will move on to actually make lots of money. (What was his degree again? Economics and History? Interesting.)

And please, don't try and throw my marks in my face, I know what my downfalls are, and using the Dean's List to suggest that I'm stupid is like saying Nickelback is a good band because they sell millions of albums.

ps. Please don't use phrases like "pre established forms of governance" - I know that's a popular term in cultural studies, used frequently to criticize the capitalist patriarchy in which we live, but here it just sounds douchey. (It sounds douchey in cultural studies too)

[Double D]

Anyone who chooses an education based on a lucrative career path is a bloody idiot, top 5 percentile or not.

Just my two pence.

[skiniks]

heh. when did you become such a pompous douche, anyway?

[broneck]

Apparently just now. Good comeback though.

And I know how you mule types like soundbites so here you go!

http://inurface.ytmnd.com/

[Double D]

heh. when did you become such a pompous douche, anyway?

Moi? Ou le Canadien?

If the former, somewhere in the region of 1985.

[broneck]

Based on this critical assessment of my argument, I'd say he was talking to me.

Scathing.

[Double D]

For the record, "thinking outside of the box" is a fucking stupid phrase only suitable for use in corporate team-building activities.

If you got with the program and facilitated some blue-sky thinking you wouldn't waste so many hours whining on the internet. Hopefully we can put this one to bed before tomorrow's pre-meeting.

[Hocus Pocus]

For the record, Clopek, and you are my dude and all, but you don't seem to understand the numbers of which you are were referring. By definition, almost everybody at Mac is in the average intelligence range. Same thing goes for every other school in the world (unless there is one that uses a non-academic standard for getting in). Exceptional intelligence is rare by definition as well. I don't disagree with you about how it feels like most people are retards, but in actuality they aren't. Retards are retards. Those people at Mac or any college are capable of a whole lot. They just do not act on it for whatever reason.

On the other hand, you should be cautious about saying that you are in the 95th percentile. People tend to grossly overestimate their own abilities. 70% of all high school students in the US think they have above average leadership skills. Obviously far less than that actually do, even with a varying interpretations on that that means. Even more amazing, 95% of university professors think they do above average work (this is especially amazing since 5% is a pretty standard margin of error)!

My friend at Mac has a general intelligence in the 98th percentile. However he can barely read or right and is probably gets low sixties. So while he is probably statistically the smartest, or one of the smartest people there, he gets some of the lowest grades.

[Double D]

Until just now I had no idea 95th percentile IQ is as low as 124.

There's a lot of stupid people out there.

[broneck]

The numbers to which I'm referring were made up by a friend of mine, possibly while drunk. Further, I am a testament to your point - I get horrible grades, so likely I'm in the 98th percentile just like your friend.

Okay, can we talk about something else now? I'm still not done this essay.

[salaryman]

SAT Analogy Part I

Talking About How Smart You Are: Not Getting Good Grades::

A) Talking About How Much You KNOW Fashion: Not Stylin

Talking About How Rich You Could Be If You Tried: Not Hustlin'

C) All of the above

[Guest on-display]

how tall?

10chars

5'11" without heels. i'm 5'10"-11"

[Double D]

SAT Analogy Part I

Talking About How Smart You Are: Not Getting Good Grades::

A) Talking About How Much You KNOW Fashion: Not Stylin

Talking About How Rich You Could Be If You Tried: Not Hustlin'

C) All of the above

Don't know how it works in the US but the only way you're getting a first class degree in the UK is by busting your ass like a nutcase, not being intelligent. I can achieve pretty stupid scores on the numeracy and verbal reasoning tests that are used by graduate employers but I'm damned if I can ever write an essay longer than 2000 words without losing the will to live.

[freecat]

it's gotta be pretty much the same everywhere and i don't know if it really is about being smart.

like in what i study, math applied economy, some study their ass off 6 hours a day don't have much fun and don't miss a class and get like 12/20 at the semester average, and some miss lots of classes only study a few hours a week but madly before the exams and get nearly the same marks. the latter are more efficient and overally more interesting people, but it doesn't mean much.

[broneck]

I think we can all just lay this to rest with the following statement:

"There is more than one type of intelligent. Most are one, few are all. Some aren't any, and they post on Authentic Forum."

[Bislane]

well put, elitist prick

[Mr Calvin Oscar]

it's ok, he's in the top 5

[evisu 2000]

[ethnic cleanser]

I think your numbers are wrong.

I'm pretty sure that 100% of humans are fucking idiots.

Some people are just slightly bigger idiots than others.

[broneck]

I like this guy. Clearly though, you would put the jews in the category of "bigger idiots than others".

[ethnic cleanser]

That's not funny man. My grandpa died in the holocaust.

....

...

...

He got drunk and fell off a guard tower.

[chchchip]

I just broke up with my girlfriend of two years 4 nights ago. We had a long distance relationship and I figured it was for the best of us since she was sad all the time and I wasn't happy anymore and was tired of driving home every weekend to see her. She begged me not to break up with her and talked about she was losing her best friend, she wanted a second chance, how she still wanted to be friends and how often we could talk. she wants to meet with me to get closure and give me back my things. i hate having to ignore someone who is still in love with me. she just called me and i ignored then i got a text saying hey are you asleep? i just wanted to say goodnight. shit fucking sucks. i hope im doing the right thing.

[Guest on-display]

you are. you won't be friends anymore. but you'll have more money

[chchchip]

^ yeah. true. i could use the extra cash and less mileage on my car.

[TransparentCranium]

On the other hand, you should be cautious about saying that you are in the 95th percentile. People tend to grossly overestimate their own abilities.

School tested me in grade 3. Said I was in the 98th percentile. Turns out I'm an idiot. (My own admition) Goes to show what that's worth.

[High Monika]

Your own admition, eh? Can't fault you for honesty.

[TransparentCranium]

I know what I'm talking about when I admition something...

[MharcI]

The only reason i'm taking the path in life I am now is because of my parents.

I feel like it's warranted, despite having to raise 3 kids (i'm the oldest) with the odds being against their side, and emigrating to this country from Soviet Russia, they have done an amazing job.

My dad works 12 hour days doing some bullshit work killing himself just to sustain us, with one day off off a week. Never complains.

I graduated HS early last month strictly for the purpose of going to college early, getting it all done as quick as possible and then making their quality of life better. It's a 2.5 year RN program, and i'll be honest when I say that 90% of me doest want to do it, my passions lie elsewhere.

Last thing I want to do is shlep myself to a community college for 3 years to become a nurse, get a job, etc.

I'd love to go away to some school, have the basic college experience etc. I feel like i'm missing out on so much shit, but at the same time I feel like it's the right thing to do.

And it's not like they realize i'm doing it for them, I don't state it blatantly, they think this is what I wanna do.

I know it's the right to do, and I owe it to them. But I often wonder how much of myself am I giving up, and will this path ever lead to internal happiness? I absolutely will feel fulfilled and happy when I can begin to help out my parents, but like I said, at the same time how much of myself am I giving up?

To sum it all up, fuck kids like Haploid where everything is perfect for them and they create their own problems. Asking his parents why they put him on this planet hahaha.

[broneck]

edit - maybe there's some underlying issue in haploids life we're not aware of, so i'll extend some leeway in his direction.

I'm finally done this god damn essay. It's not very good, I'm not gonna lie to you here. 2400 words almost killed me. Double D was right.

[TransparentCranium]

I've lost 20 dollars in online poker today. My first time ever playing.