When looking back over the things I did or did not do in my 50 years of existence, one of my main regrets is the fact that I didn't get a so-called higher education. Although I had the smarts and the grades, I lacked the interest at age 18 to attend college. Being the oldest of 5 girls in a day and age when money was tight and females were still accustomed to being "just" a wife and mother, I wasn't really encouraged to go to college. Now don't get me wrong, I have no doubt that had I had expressed an interest in college, my parents’ would have found a way to make it happen, so the fault was mine. The fact that I was married and pregnant when I graduated canceled out any thoughts of further schooling.
Now to the subject of this post: EDUCATION DOES NOT EQUAL INTELLEGENCE! I have know in my person life, plus worked with, all kinds of engineers, Doctors, and various people with multiple degrees. BUT: Why is it that some folks with all kinds of education and college degrees can talk in several languages, cover whiteboards with complicated math formulas, but don't have the walking around sense God gave a billy goat?
Someone explain this to me! You probably know of the same type of people. I've always heard that Einstein couldn't tie his own shoes, so does this mean that genius precludes common sense?
3 comments:
I don't want to say what "genius" precludes, but I might venture to say that "higher education" might as often as not be taken to be "highly focused attention" education, and by this I mean to suggest that it takes personal effort, interest, and discipline to maintain connections with common sense and common life when you're climbing steps in the "ivory tower." Not everyone believes in the value of those connections, but don't give up on all of us, Junebugg! -mg
Hi Buggsy! Higher education does not make any impact on SENSE whatsoever! Two completely different things. And as for SUCCESS I don't believe a degree counts for much either - luck and being blonde and attractive go just as far!
Folks are born with different sets of strengths, aptitudes, etc. Some seem to have a musical gene, some are athletes, some skilled with crafts, some artistic, and some able to make sense out of talking to horses. I think these really are different things. Education level or how "intelligent" a person is has no more relationship to horse sense, common sense, walking around sense, than it does to (pick one...) - athleticism.
With highly educated folks it may be more noticeable, just due to the contrast, hence the "absent-minded professor" stereotype. Everybody made a big deal out of Einstein failing 7th grade math and not being able to tie his shoes, but no one ever commented on his lack of athleticism or artistic ability.
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