- Dec 28, 2004
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Our modern society seems to have an extra set of rules for those it deems to be intelligent. They have higher standards for these people and an automatic assumption that they want to do great things. Why is this?
Why do we feel we have to expect more out of those who are above average intelligence? When a smart person does average work, they are reprimanded for it because "they are capable of so much more". Yet when an average person does average work, its no big deal.
Today was a prime example, I was called into my counselor's office and she sat me down and gave me this whole speech about how I wasnt making intelligent choices for my future and I was only doing the bare minimum and I could do so much more and be so great in life. It got to the point where I had to stop her and say "I dont want to be great." And she was just...absolutely stunned. "Why would you not want to be great in life?" I told her that I wanted four things out of life and four things only. One, to have a house of my own. Two, to marry the girl I love right now. Three, to be a writer. And four, to have a daughter. My ambitions exceede no further than that. Then she came off with "Well there are so many more people who WISH they could be as intelligent as you so they could be successful in life." As if I OWE them something for being just a little smarter.
Why does society have these built in expectations for people who are a little above average?
By the way, I did not mean for any of that to sound arrogant or bragging and Im sorry if it came off that way.
Why do we feel we have to expect more out of those who are above average intelligence? When a smart person does average work, they are reprimanded for it because "they are capable of so much more". Yet when an average person does average work, its no big deal.
Today was a prime example, I was called into my counselor's office and she sat me down and gave me this whole speech about how I wasnt making intelligent choices for my future and I was only doing the bare minimum and I could do so much more and be so great in life. It got to the point where I had to stop her and say "I dont want to be great." And she was just...absolutely stunned. "Why would you not want to be great in life?" I told her that I wanted four things out of life and four things only. One, to have a house of my own. Two, to marry the girl I love right now. Three, to be a writer. And four, to have a daughter. My ambitions exceede no further than that. Then she came off with "Well there are so many more people who WISH they could be as intelligent as you so they could be successful in life." As if I OWE them something for being just a little smarter.
Why does society have these built in expectations for people who are a little above average?
By the way, I did not mean for any of that to sound arrogant or bragging and Im sorry if it came off that way.