Street Smarts, Book Smart, or Beauty

[Yahweh]

Hypothetical Situation:
You have to pick one of the following while dumping the other two:

1. Street Smarts
2. Book Smarts
3. Beauty

What do you choose and why?

[Yahweh]

There are a lot of people out there with book smarts. They can tell you all about the solar system and the physics of a superfluid but couldnt entertain a normal-folk crowd if their children depended on it.

Then there are people who can talk to all sorts of people and blend in with any group... but who dont have the intelligence to take their hand off a hot stove.

Then there are beautiful people. The only talent being beautiful requires is being able to put on clothes and strut.

I realize that plenty of people possess more than one quality but it is usually interesting to see which of these traits people value most.

[Yahweh]

I chose Street Smarts. It gives me more access to people. It allows me to communicate and if I have a product to sell, odds are I could probably sell it to anyone.

At least for me, I value social skills more than the ability to memorize facts out of a book.

[roger]

I voted book smarts. It pretty much describes me already, although I am not socially incapacitated. Generally I'd rather read Shakespeare than kibitz about, I don't know, sports or the weather (my participation in "the thread that will not die" nonwithstanding :))


edited to add: I just say Yahwah's response about "memorizing facts out of books". I concur - I have no interest in fact memorization. If that's what he meant by 'book smarts', then I change my vote. To me book smarts means reading and thinking about philosophy, history, great literature - abstract ways of thinking about humanity, but deeply rewarding to me.

[LillyThePink]

Street Smarts. Book Smarts won't help me if I get attacked in the street.

[Tormac]

Hmm I voted for beauty, although the ideal that I have in mind may require a little of what is defined as street smarts as well (i.e. being able to use beauty to manipulate people's actions to outcomes that favor your agenda).

I'm still pretty sure that in the real world beauty is worth more than either of the defined versions of smarts. I'm pretty sure that the "average" super-model is better paid than the average sales man or English professor.

[Lord Emsworth]

I voted booksmart, because I think it would be easier to make money. Money can make up for the lack of the other two, perhaps.

[eowyn]

I went for Street smarts, because then you can have success with people. It includes being able to manipulate people to get what you want. Having book smarts doesn't mean being able to influence people.

[Yahweh]

Street Smarts: 3
Book Smarts: 2
Beauty: 2

... Its pretty evenly matched...

[Ladewig]

It depends. If I will end up in, say, the top 15%, then I will choose street smarts. If I will end up in the top one-tenth of one percent, I will choose beauty.

Now that I think about it, the reasons already stated for street smarts (selling things, manipulating people) are much more difficult to achieve if one is butt-ugly. Ah, the value of book smarts is making itself apparent.

[Dancing David]

Originally posted by Yahweh
I chose Street Smarts. It gives me more access to people. It allows me to communicate and if I have a product to sell, odds are I could probably sell it to anyone.

At least for me, I value social skills more than the ability to memorize facts out of a book.

This shows a lack of understanding of what comprises book smarts. I hope that when you break your leg that you see a doctor who has book smarts.

This seems to be just more typical american anti-intellectualism, most people I know with book smarts either apply it it thier everyday work or persue it as a hobby.

Didn't Malcom X and others write well? I agree that many intellectuals lack social skills, but there is also the moo cow herd mentality that syas 'god must be right' that book is wrong, so book smarts are wrong.


I doubt that was your intention.

I chose beauty, I would rather live my life in harmony and balance, using all my skills.

[triadboy]

I chose Book Smarts.

Street Smarts is pretty good....

Beauty fades....

Book Smarts pays

[Yahweh]

Originally posted by Dancing David
This shows a lack of understanding of what comprises book smarts. I hope that when you break your leg that you see a doctor who has book smarts.
I understand full and well what booksmarts are. I had no intention debating what defines "booksmarts" from "memorizing facts out of a book"... possibly because that would be an insanely boring topic.

This seems to be just more typical american anti-intellectualism, most people I know with book smarts either apply it it thier everyday work or persue it as a hobby.
Typical American anti-intellectualism... its not ok to apply stereotypes... I fully support modern intellectual developement... I dont know where you would get the idea that I am anti-intellectual.

Didn't Malcom X and others write well? I agree that many intellectuals lack social skills, but there is also the moo cow herd mentality that syas 'god must be right' that book is wrong, so book smarts are wrong.
I dont understand the point you were trying to make... but I agree Malcolm X wrote exceptionally well (especially for being self-taught). I'm not easily susceptible to herd mentality.

I doubt that was your intention.

I chose beauty, I would rather live my life in harmony and balance, using all my skills.
Excellent, beauty is nice... like kitties.

[Dancing David]

Yawhey,
My point is that here in the Midwest it is common to engage in anti-intellectual behavior. Booksmarts is a pejorative term that denies the actual skills behind booksmarts, the comments are usually in the context that it is okay to be racist because that is common sense, etc.

So when I read someone condeming book smarts I think of it in that context. Someone who is alleging that racism is good. Sorry.

My point is that most people today use the booksmart skills and don'r realize it, the machanic who fixes your car has booksmarts as do almost all professionals.

It is some bizarre fiction that book smarts have no application in reality. That is why I chose Malcolm X, he demostrates the principles of book/street smarts in one person.

[Ruby]

Originally posted by Yahweh
Hypothetical Situation:
You have to pick one of the following while dumping the other two:

1. Street Smarts
2. Book Smarts
3. Beauty

What do you choose and why?

I voted "book smart" only because my hubby is book smart and it turns me on!!:wow2:

[scribble]

I'm still working on getting all three. Why pick one?

I'll be honest though. If I had to pick one for my girlfriend, and just one, I'd pick beauty. Street smarts and book smarts I got myself, and in my friends. But there's only one person I do the nasty with, and beauty never hurts.

If I had to pick one for myself, I'd likely take what you're calling 'street smarts.'

-Chris

[Lord Kenneth]

Unfortunantly, I am not asexual, so...:

Very high intelligence is what I am most attracted to, however, being somewhat attractive (in my eyes) is required.

[Torment]

I chose book smarts. I think in many ways it translates into street smarts by my definition of it though.

Somebody with a deep understanding of psychology and philosophy can likely manipulate people and get their way, understand human nature and how to get ahead, ect. Which is one thing I think is attributed to street smarts.

[Beleth]

I chose beauty.

The other two can be improved over time.

[justsaygnosis]

Originally posted by Beleth
I chose beauty.

The other two can be improved over time.
Agreed!
And as Flip Wilson said:
"Beauty's only skin deep but ugly cuts clean to the bone."

[crocodile deathroll]

I chose street smart because cavemen had no books and no choice. They may of appreciated some beauty, given by the evidence of the artifacts that are unearthed, but the really appreciate that beauty and improve on that beauty they had to socialize with eath other.
If streetsmartness was absent from me I would be totally austistic and withdrawn within myself.

[ImpyTimpy]

Face it, if you're beautiful, you're pretty much guaranteed a happy life. :) Street smarts and book smarts will only take you so far. People don't make assumptions about you based on the way you speak, but on the way you look. Look beautiful and people will flock to you no matter what comes out of your mouth.

Also as someone pointed out models and good looking actors make a s**tload more money then average people who have street smarts or book smarts. So you'll be rich and beautiful. Now there's a winning combination.