The Idiot Syndrome
 

What shall I do? I don't want to be an idiot but, I am forever doomed to be one. Not being able to hold a candle to bright minds of the past and present it scares me, it truly frightens me. What am I to do? Should I just accept my fate and fall back into the rows of other fools and continue a life of menial labor? I have no choice, I talk without thinking, I can't pick up a book without become bored. Knowledge escapes through my ears and it runs about and away from my eyes only to find shelter in the minds of others. I ask of you, what should I do?

Find something you're brilliant at

There has to be something that fascinates you. Life really has nothing to do with the common perception of intelligence. There are all kinds of intelligences. We all here are fascinated by music. I was fascinated enough by science to keep pursuing that. However, I would completely suck if I had to do something like make tactical decisions in the army. My mind doesn't work that way and I would look like a complete moron doing it. I'm sure there is something that you could get really into that you would make me look like an idiot at.

I can guaranty

Your Music Taste > Your Friend's Music Taste

You have your knowledge of great music going for you. That can go far.

Or lower your standards. Philosophers may argue that it's better to be a troubled genius than a blissful ignoramus, but some disagree.

Work so hard that your body and your mind shut down. Do that every single day until you don't care anymore. Don't give up either. Read, learn new things, journal, explore your hobbies, and listen to other people. Even if they're completely stupid, you could probably gain something by talking to them, like social skills.
If that doesn't work, abuse substances until you can't remember your own name.

Nothing wrong with a bit of menial labour.

most people are not brilliant at anything. give up

Become an Electronics engineer, that's what I did :)

If you don't want to settle for mediocrity or whatever, then just choose not to. I find that it's much better for morale to work for something greater even when it seems hopeless than to just accept your situation - particularly while you're still young and have time to try to find what sets you apart.

Everyone's got something.

Work for it! Have fun! Live life and don't settle, if that would make you unhappy.

you're only truly becoming an idiot once you've accepted that you're becoming an idiot.

Proud to be an idiot ;D

I know plenty of idiots who disprove your theory.

what about self-loathers who call themselves idiots even if they're not

just like when normal-sized and skinny girls always call themselves fat

From a social point of view, what's so important about being smart anyways? When I meet someone, I value qualities like kindness much higher.

.. But although I get the feeling it may bother you more than it bothers me, I am in a similar situation. One thing that bothers me about science is the pressure to be brilliant. I'm in a field where some people are super enthusiastic and really live and breathe biology, people who are really brilliant. Then there are people like me who have a life with interests beside biology. I don't live for my studies and my ultimate goal in life is not being the world's most brilliant researcher .. And if I wanna continue in science, it feels like I'd have to compete with brilliant people of that other sort.

It's not a major problem, but it's a little disheartening perhaps. I probably have a higher overall life quality, though.

I think you do. Man, I couldn't live and breathe science. I would go nuts. That's why my grades were average in school while other people were getting A's across the board.

Still, I find having outside interests broadens my understanding of science. It puts it in perspective. People who live and breathe science I find often don't see past the experiment or journal article. Sure, they may have more immediate knowledge than I do but it is nothing I couldn't quickly look up. I, on the other hand, want to know that what I'm doing is helping the world at large. I get a better picture of that by having a life outside of work. That then motivates me to stick to it. Also, thinking more broadly helps me to think more creatively. Science usually happens in microsteps, but the big thinkers are the ones who make the big strides and I've found the big thinkers are the ones who don't get bogged down by the details. There are pros and cons to both sides, and we need both kinds of scientists to temper each other.

Sorry for being pretentious but, define normal-sized.

There is no such thing as 'normal sized.' Calling something normal means that there has to be an abnormal... I don't like the word normal.

Plus why was loose lips banned? :confused:

It was at his request.

People get banned at their own request here?
That's... awkward.

Yeah. I can't say I understand the point, but you'd be surprised how many people ask to be banned.

Haha, probably addicted?

I've always thought it was weird. I mean I've seen people do it for a week because they have exams or something, but I don't get asking for a perma.

Don't think about it. So you can't talk intellectually about famous novels or discuss bio-mechanics. Who cares, really? There is always gonna be someone smarter than you out there. Judge your life by how many sweet experiences you have and how much fun you have. If you hang around fun and genuine people, what's IQ even really matter?