Breaking the Mold: Reshaping the Perception of Intelligence

Many of you tell me that I am obsessed with my IQ of 85. Why do I feel this obsession will end when someone convinces me that I am very smart?

Everyday it is slightly untenable. Unless you pay perhaps. Everyone has to do the same for themselves. Think of it like checking a tie. A million times making sure it’s there. 'Phew yes my brain is still here. What’s 3x2 7, oh I’m still brilliant.'

Kidding, smart guys won’t make that mistake, but yet they do and don’t, and so clearly we have different variants of smart guys. That doesn’t preclude them from having some area in which they are included. Again perhaps.

Understanding Intelligence

Intelligence, in a nutshell, is what you are capable of doing with experience and information. It’s not the lottery, trust me on this. I have an extremely high IQ and people seek me out for knowledge and entertainment. My abilities lie in some extra areas that I have kept quiet about until recently, when I made a huge disclosure on Quora. Yet, I can’t relate to someone who doesn’t find these things important. I can’t have a conversation about physical beauty or trivial issues. I get ruminating on missing someone I love, but I cannot tolerate anyone asking me about makeup or beauty or hair. However, this very thing, physical beauty, got me through college and later helped me obtain my master’s degree. I have two degrees, multiple expertises, and I have been court determined to have a low IQ in the past.

Is IQ a Reliable Measure?

IQ tests are biased, even the word IQ test is biased. Our intelligence is not just a number; it is the ability to use experience and information. An IQ of 85 is arbitrary and determined when you were too young for the numbers to be reliable. Newton and Einstein were brilliant because they observed. That cannot be taught, but they were also taught. It is a combination of both.

The Case Studies: Einstein and the Autistic Genius

Case Study 1: Einstein

Albert Einstein was once considered an idiot with no ability to learn. The school made him an idiot with a 35 IQ and told his mother he was an idiot and would never be able to learn. Einstein’s mother, instead, disregarded the number and the school’s assessment, teaching him at home. She didn’t let her son believe he was an idiot. She made him a genius. She read the letter sent by the school, smiled, and told him that the teachers were not smart enough to teach him. She must teach him at home. It is a tale of a parent who valued her child's potential rather than a number.

The Legacy of Einstein

Einstein couldn't function very well in society and was a recluse, but he lived in a magical world that benefits us all. He created things that have changed our understanding of energy. He lived long enough to see his brilliance change the lives of millions. We know he went on to have a successful career. What we don’t know is that after his mother passed away, Einstein found the letter from the school, which he read and realized that the school had made him an idiot and his mother had made him a genius.

Case Study 2: The 20-Year-Old Autistic Genie

This man was born premature and was diagnosed with autism at age 4. His mother was told to prepare him for institutionalization. She was not as discerning or kind, but still refused to accept that her son was so intellectually impaired. She stood up to the neurologist and said he was brilliant. Everyday of his young life, she told him he was perfect and expected great things from him—in a way, she worshipped the ground he walked on. He maintained an A -GPA, 3.75, and wrote multiple novels. He is intelligent, has a photographic memory, and considers brutal honesty the ultimate in love. He will not lie and will take steps to meet his dreams, even if it means writing a 10-chapter dissertation to convince his mother why he can't, with a works cited page and at least three scholarly sources.

Conclusion

A high or low IQ number does not define who you are. It is only a number. It tells nothing about your ability to be tender with a spider, what makes you laugh, cry, or decide to live another day. Intelligence is a complex mix of experience, information, and observation. What matters is how you use your intelligence, not the number associated with it. Cultivate your intelligence, not just teach it, because these two are not always the same.

Key Takeaways

Intelligence is not a fixed number but a dynamic process of observation and experience. Don’t let a number dictate your worth or potential. Parents play a crucial role in shaping a child’s perception of intelligence and potential.

Public perception and understanding of intelligence can be expanded by sharing stories of individuals like Einstein and the autistic genius, and by focusing on the holistic development of intelligence rather than just raw numbers.