Trolling hard this morning. Who do you reckon. . .

**Paul Pless** · 07-13-2019, 09:19 AM

Is the smartest person on this forum?

I’m nominating twodot.

Maybe I’ll start a poll later. . .

**David G** · 07-13-2019, 09:25 AM

As I pondered, I realized it would be good - if you do such a poll - to define what you mean by 'smart'...

**Jim Bow** · 07-13-2019, 09:49 AM

Originally Posted by David G

As I pondered, I realized it would be good - if you do such a poll - to define what you mean by 'smart'...

Well dressed?

**David G** · 07-13-2019, 09:53 AM

Originally Posted by Jim Bow

Well dressed?

If he means smart-mouthed... I'm throwing my hat in the ring.

If smart-assed... do you have a hat? <G>

**johnw** · 07-13-2019, 07:24 PM

Originally Posted by David G

As I pondered, I realized it would be good - if you do such a poll - to define what you mean by 'smart'...

This might be a fruitful direction in which to hijack the thread. I've know people with pretty good brains who don't bother to think much. Darwin is supposed to have had an IQ of around 130, well below genius level, but he created works of genius in The Descent of Man and On the Origin of Species. He was willing to do the work and think through the implications of the evidence.

Thomas Hobbes, sometimes called the Beast of Malmesbury because he was willing to think the unthinkable, thought of the social contract as a new justification for the legitimacy of rulers, but was unwilling to think it through to the logical conclusion that the people should be able to remove a ruler if he sucks at his job. Hobbes was more of a polymath than John Locke, but Locke was willing to think social contract theory through to the logical conclusion that the people have a right to revolution when a horrible ruler can be removed by no other means.

But then, we know Hobbes was in danger of losing his life at least twice because of his writings, and that he burned some material for fear of what might happen if it were read by the wrong people. I like the idea that to be regarded as a genius, you have to do the work to produce a work of genius, that's one way of defining 'smart,' but circumstances can prevent a person from doing that.

I do like this idea:

Originally Posted by Garret

@ the OP: There's a long road from being really smart to having a clue...

Think of a pickup baseball game. Some folks are just there to enjoy the company and the sunny day, but only a few know the score. Knowing the score shows you have the focus to apply your intelligence, which makes intelligence a much more useful thing to have.

Are these aspects of intelligence, or just demonstrations that intelligence without the willingness to do hard intellectual work is about as useful as nipples on a man?

**ron ll** · 07-13-2019, 09:33 AM

Hey. I just posted about quantum entanglement! (Of course I admitted in the same post that I’m clueless.

)

**Lew Barrett** · 07-13-2019, 09:41 AM

Originally Posted by Paul Pless

Is the smartest person on this forum?

I’m nominating twodot.

Maybe I’ll start a poll later. . .

There are a lot of bright people on the forum but this question could well be differently phrased.

The question is "who presents as if they think they are the smartest person on the forum?"

One avitar in particular comes to mind.

**L.W. Baxter** · 07-13-2019, 10:11 AM

Originally Posted by Lew Barrett

There are a lot of bright people on the forum but this question could well be differently phrased.

The question is "who presents as if they think they are the smartest person on the forum?"

One avitar in particular comes to mind.

you spelled avatar wrong. i didn't even have to google it.

**David G** · 07-13-2019, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by L.W. Baxter

you spelled avatar wrong. i didn't even have to google it.

Do you think speeling will count in Paul's definition? I think it should... but only as a secondary consideration.

**bobbys** · 07-13-2019, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by L.W. Baxter

you spelled avatar wrong. i didn't even have to google it.

Is this a airplane thread?

**Glen Longino** · 07-13-2019, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by bobbys

Is this a airhead thread?

Now it is!

**bobbys** · 07-13-2019, 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by Glen Longino

Now it is!

Thanks Glenn for nono meeting me!

**Lew Barrett** · 07-13-2019, 05:48 PM

Originally Posted by bobbys

Is this a airplane thread?

I already tried to work with that but unless one is prepared to sacrifice another vowel, it only makes matters worse.

**Garret** · 07-13-2019, 06:11 PM

Vanna will sell you one Lew!

[showing off how I watch the highbrow shows..]

@ the OP: There's a long road from being really smart to having a clue and I'm not sure many really smart folks can make the trip. Years ago I went to a Mensa meeting. Holy nerdiness Batman! Those who weren't impressed with their own brilliance were largely incapable of carrying on on a conversation. I beat a hasty retreat & went to a bar. Far better!

**David G** · 07-13-2019, 07:03 PM

Originally Posted by Garret

Vanna will sell you one Lew!

[showing off how I watch the highbrow shows..]

@ the OP: There's a long road from being really smart to having a clue and I'm not sure many really smart folks can make the trip. Years ago I went to a Mensa meeting. Holy nerdiness Batman! Those who weren't impressed with their own brilliance were largely incapable of carrying on on a conversation. I beat a hasty retreat & went to a bar. Far better!

My darling m-i-l was a Mensa member. It was the organization she stayed with the longest as she aged. Since previous iq tests would suggest that I'd do well on their test, she invited me to be her guest - so I could see what it was like. It was like Garret described. I passed. Yet she loved it.

**skuthorp** · 07-13-2019, 07:06 PM

Originally Posted by Garret

Vanna will sell you one Lew!

[showing off how I watch the highbrow shows..]

@ the OP: There's a long road from being really smart to having a clue and I'm not sure many really smart folks can make the trip. Years ago I went to a Mensa meeting. Holy nerdiness Batman! Those who weren't impressed with their own brilliance were largely incapable of carrying on on a conversation. I beat a hasty retreat & went to a bar. Far better!

I have a nephew whose virtually a mathematical savant, but give him a hammer………….. as grandma said about someones sewing "Like a cow with a musket". Interesting analogy, I wonder how far back that goes in the family?

**webishop14** · 07-14-2019, 05:40 PM

Originally Posted by Garret

Vanna will sell you one Lew!

[showing off how I watch the highbrow shows..]

@ the OP: There's a long road from being really smart to having a clue and I'm not sure many really smart folks can make the trip. Years ago I went to a Mensa meeting. Holy nerdiness Batman! Those who weren't impressed with their own brilliance were largely incapable of carrying on on a conversation. I beat a hasty retreat & went to a bar. Far better!

What's your view on Vanna's vowel movement?

As for Mensa, I have met some incredibly stupid/intentionally-ignorant geniuses. I have a few long-term friends who are very well educated, aware and (with the exception of a tendency to pun) capable conversationalists. They're not all drooling dingbats -- but I have read somewhere that there's a gene/gene complex that is/are associated with both great intelligence and madness (mental weirdness). Myself? I'd need to plead autism. Weird.

**Garret** · 07-14-2019, 06:26 PM

Originally Posted by webishop14

What's your view on Vanna's vowel movement?

As for Mensa, I have met some incredibly stupid/intentionally-ignorant geniuses. I have a few long-term friends who are very well educated, aware and (with the exception of a tendency to pun) capable conversationalists. They're not all drooling dingbats -- but I have read somewhere that there's a gene/gene complex that is/are associated with both great intelligence and madness (mental weirdness). Myself? I'd need to plead autism. Weird.

"Studied & lacking spontaneity"

The folks who don't like puns are the ones who don't get 'em...

**Garret** · 07-13-2019, 08:47 PM

Originally Posted by Jim Mahan

So a smart person invited you, or are you holding out on us?

I'm a great example of how you ain't gotta be all that smart to be in Mensa. I dunno my IQ, but they also accept SAT scores > 1400 - which qualifies me. However, I got a 760 on the math portion while I was flunking algebra - so it seems I just test good.

Yes, I eventually passed it.

**P.I. Stazzer-Newt** · 07-13-2019, 10:57 AM

Originally Posted by L.W. Baxter

you spelled avatar wrong. i didn't even have to google it.

Bet that smarts.

**Lew Barrett** · 07-13-2019, 05:42 PM

Originally Posted by P.I. Stazzer-Newt

Bet that smarts.

Not as much as you might think.

**Lew Barrett** · 07-13-2019, 05:41 PM

Originally Posted by L.W. Baxter

you spelled avatar wrong. i didn't even have to google it.

I'm so ashamed!

**oznabrag** · 07-13-2019, 02:39 PM

Originally Posted by Lew Barrett

There are a lot of bright people on the forum but this question could well be differently phrased.

The question is "who presents as if they think they are the smartest person on the forum?"

One avitar in particular comes to mind.

THAT guy?

Sheesh!

**Lew Barrett** · 07-13-2019, 05:46 PM

Originally Posted by oznabrag

THAT guy?

Sheesh!

You guessed it!

**TomF** · 07-13-2019, 10:00 AM