Do you consider intelligence important in a future spouse?

[MicArmstrong]

How unintelligent is too unintelligent? And how do you gauge their intelligence? IQ? college degree?

I'll be honest: one girl that was interested in me made a lot of spelling mistakes in her communications with me and it was a huge turn off.

 

[Wren]

Intelligence is important to me, but IQ means nothing to me. IQ does not truly properly measure intelligence, IMO. A college degree would show that they are educated, but a guy having a degree isn't essential to me. (although I will admit that having a degree is a bonus) I gauge intelligence more in conversations, either one on one conversations or in threads here in Singles. And someone just being intelligent isn't enough for me. I need to them be able to converse with me. So if they are brilliant about physics, but can't have a conversation about world current events, their intelligence doesn't mean a whole lot to me.

 

[Themistocles]

Absolutely and unfortunately. We're all, at some level, private people. Our best friends in the world don't know all our secret passions. Practically no one gets to see the real us. Practically no one. But your spouse ought to come the closest and intelligence is a huge part of that. It would be depressing if I had to run everything I say through a filter, to make sure I'm not saying something my wife wouldn't understand. It's depressing enough that I have to do that with friends. How do I measure measure? I dunno. I just know. There are secret signals smart people pick up on.

 

[Amber.ly]

Of course intelligence is important. But people's ideas of intelligence are widely different. If I can hold a meaningful conversation with someone and their thoughts and ideas are well thought out, than that to me means the person is intelligent.

I agree with Novella that IQ and education level have nothing to do with intelligence.

 

[~Beauty_from_Pain~]

No measure of intelligence, but intelligent enough to have indepth conversations with, know how to be successful in a career...etc.....

Not so smart though to where I haven't a clue what they are talking about half the time! Also, there are different types of intelligence and I think some balance would be good.

 

[SystematicChaos]

I agree that intelligence is important in a potential mate and that IQ is not a terrific indicator of a person's level of intelligence.

 

[MacFall]

I care more about intellect than intelligence. By which I mean, a woman who is not a super-genius but chooses to use her mind to its fullest capacity is more attractive to me than a very smart girl who acts like a ditz because she can't be bothered to exercise her mind, or because she thinks that emotion is a better guide than reason.

Along those lines, a good grasp of language and communication skills is necessary. Like you (the OP) I am sort of turned off by a lot of spelling and grammar mistakes. Too much slang also bothers me. But what matters more is that a woman cares about her communication and tries not to sound ignorant.

That said, I don't think I could marry a woman who couldn't keep up with me in terms of raw mindpower. Frankly, I don't think that's very hard. I am sometimes accused of being a genius, but I just think that I sound smart compared to a lot of people. But I cannot see myself being equally yoked with a woman who can't understand what I'm saying.

As with my preference for physically attractive women, maybe that's a flaw, but it's still a part of my personality. But If I could choose (and I acknowledge I cannot) I would prefer a smart woman. The smarter the better. I don't care if she's Einstein's better by half; that wouldn't intimidate me in the least, unless she flaunted it or let it turn to arrogance.

 

[Themistocles]

And by the way, there's nothing wrong with not being smart. No one asks for low intelligence. Significantly different levels of intelligence, in a relationship, just happens to be an almost unscaleable barrier.

 

[Im_A]

How unintelligent is too unintelligent? And how do you gauge their intelligence? IQ? college degree?

I'll be honest: one girl that was interested in me made a lot of spelling mistakes in her communications with me and it was a huge turn off.

College degree is inmaterial to me. I only require a high school diploma or a GED.

Reasons are:
Intelligence doesn't mean they will be a good woman for me. Intelligence doesn't mean they will be more committed. My experience has shown those women are more complicated, and the beauty of simpler woman is they are straight shooters. People say the body gets worse...so does one's brain...just takes slower amount of time...supposedly.

So I'll take a woman that does me right and if all she has is a GED and a crap job and she's doing her best to better herself, she'll be a hell a lot better than some college oriented girl who is conflicted about what type of guy she wants because she doesn't want it to halt her career but yet, she'll get with me, be with me, and all that jazz.

That's why 'dumb blondes' get a bad rep if you ask me.

 

[Fremdin]

I would prefer a man with the same educational background as myself, or at least an undergraduate degree. Just so we're on the same level.

 

[Inkachu]

Intelligence is DEFINITELY a must.

However, intelligence isn't measured in college degrees or years of schooling. I've met people with master's degrees who couldn't spell worth a dime, and I've met people who didn't finish high school who can take apart a car and put it back together perfectly. Give me the second guy any day.

"Compatibility of the minds" is what's most important. Someone who gets me, someone I really feel connected to. I have a very artistic, philosophical brain, so a guy who was brilliant, but was a CPA, would utterly bore me (and I'd probably bore him).

 

[StarryEyes]

Honestly.. and I'm NOT dissing people who go to college, I even went to college.. and learned it's not for everyone! I'd much prefer to learn new things, read books, take classes here and there maybe, or just dive right into it! And I really, really, really like it when someone gets their creative juices flowing and does something different.. Going to college is DEFINITELY not a must by any means!!! But a man who has Faith in God is a DEFINITE must! ANd way more important in my opinion Oh, and, a man who isn't afraid to get dirty, or is a "handy-man".. or does manly things farms .. And I like simplicity!!

 

[Apollo Celestio]

I don't require paper, just a passion of learning. Maybe I will ignite hers, maybe she will ignite mine. Haha, I think it's the only trait in someone that makes me think of romantic things. XD As someone who is content with being single, I'd love to have conversations about any topic with. Doesn't need to be a romance partner, just a good friend. Intelligence is not a prerequisite of love, though. I've learned that in relationships, my "intelligence"(lol) has only kept me distant.

 

[MacFall]

I don't require paper, just a passion of learning.

Oh, that too. If a woman doesn't enjoy learning, she's not for me. And I realize that can be hard, since most people go through a schooling process that replaces the learning that comes from natural curiosity with infodumps.

 

[Riot Riot Riot]

I love learning! About practically anything and everything.

One of my favorite tv shows is Modern Marvels on the History Channel. Even if it's an episode that's talking about the origin of bathrooms and the modern toilet... I'm totally hooked and completely intrigued, and will SHUSH! you if you start talking too loudly while I'm trying to sponge in the knowledge.

Um.... sorry for that ramble. What was this about again?

 

[sister4mercy]

I prefer wisdom. I know some very wise people who are humble and aren't wealthy. Godly wisdom is all I'm really interested anyhow these days.

 

[Sophrosyne]

yup, I would hate to have all my lousy jokes go over her head

 

[mina]

If they use the word "be" as a verb i'm not interested.

Intelligence is very important to me. As is a general common sense about the world.

 

[radhead]

I heard someone say the other day that our president was intelligent (or intellectual) but that he wasn't smart. Just the fact that someone can do well at school does not make them smart.

I'd never heard that description before. But based on it, I would prefer a woman to be smart (whatever it means). If she had wisdom, that would be wonderful. An intellectual person doesn't necessarily have wisdom.

 

[Blank123]

i'm not going to demand IQ test results or school transcripts to ensure he's up to a certain level of intelligence, but we need to be able to connect on an intelligent level. That kind of connection is *extremely* attractive to me.