You are so smart, do you take drugs?
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Originally uploaded by: chris-au
A young boy enters a barber shop and the barber whispers to his customer, “This is the dumbest kid in the world. Watch while I prove it to you.” The barber puts a dollar bill in one hand and two quarters in the other, then calls the boy over and asks, “Which do you want, son?” The boy takes the quarters and leaves. “What did I tell you?” said the barber. “That kid never learns!”
Later, when the customer leaves, he sees the same young boy coming out of the ice cream store. “Hey, son! May I ask you a question? Why did you take the quarters instead of the dollar bill?” The boy licked his cone and replied, “Because the day I take the dollar, the game’s over!
Being a gradeschooler at about eight years of age, I was a very active little boy who carries no bulky and yet a not-so-expensive school bag who would curiously asked my teacher as to why does an intelligent person sits on a first row whereas the not-so-intelligent ones were on the third row? My question is, why does kids who sits in the same classroom, using the same chalkboard, attended by the same teacher and eats the same kind of food during recess hours were arranged differently in the classroom? She replied saying, “if you study harder, you’ll become a smart or an intelligent person”. It was probably one of my silly question that, as a matter of fact, turned out to be an intelligent question with no intelligent answer.
I was seated in the first row, which obviously means that I’d belong to the “special kids” - one cannot prove that being in the first row means I was really intelligent and wished that I was really am. One of my classmates who sits in the last row at the back happens to be an intelligent kid. He may not however participate in the class because he talks so loud, playing around with other kids and oftentimes, sent to the Guidance Councilor office for misbehaving. As a kid in a classroom, misbehaving I suppose is normal. But why does he supposed to sit in the “last row” if he was one amongst the brightest kids?
Our teacher would tell us that a kid who doesn’t behave in the class are the ones who disobey their parents. A strict parents would always give warnings about: “Don’t do this, don’t do that because if you do .. so and so”. A long speech. Perhaps a child could imitate these manners and that’s why these kids become aggressive in school with other kids or become a bad kid as he grows and become someone without a self-esteem.
Some might argue that intelligence is genetic in origin, but why would there be intelligent kids that still go to school? If we mean genetic, a kid doesn’t need to be in a classroom attending lectures and activites because he or she knows to execute the assignments that are requested and they solve themselves the problems encountered. Then I suddenly thought that maybe my good behaviour made me included in the “special row”.
I remembered a few times when I was in my junior high school, I get extremely intimidated by my other classmates who are intelligent. I often become quiet in a group and undecided to share my opinions on some certain things. It sounded like I didn’t want to get involved in something that I like to do to boost my confidence, and it would usually made me feel withdrawn. I usually think that they were just bunch of intelligent kids who likes to talk for themselves. If one is to say they are of higher intelligence over another needs to step back and humble themselves. I give more respect to those that have an open mind and are always willing to learn more.
As I grow older and suddenly finished high school, most of my classmates went to a very nice University. And I would still feel intimidated when most of them tells everyone which school and what degree they were taking up. I would simply just go away as I felt inferior into these kind of group. As the years passes, I’d thought that most of my classmates back from High School were now successful or even richer than I would imagine. I’ve learnt that some of them were already married after finishing their BS and had already started their own family. While amongst those who were not as bright as they seemed to be at school have become more successful.
As I struggle in life and work harder without a good name of the University in my college diploma, I’d still ask myself, “if someone is intelligent, can it help you live a better life?” I may not be as intelligent or a successful as I seemed to be, but a lot of people still think that intelligence only gives a person a head start in learning and ability to consume the information depending on our personality. I’m sure that intelligence has many tendencies and variations, degrees or outcomes. But honestly, I cannot really determine that nothing is as simple as we want it to be. I believe having a higher IQ doesn’t really mean alot if it’s not applied.
If we go back to the story of a young boy, can you decide if that kid is Dumb or Intelligent?
Where’d You Go?
by: Fort Minor
Intelligence makes no difference. What is important is your own contentment. There are a lot of smart people who are miserable. (The kid in the story is smart!)
And in other words, Intelligence is modifiable rather than fixed. Just don’t talk about Math, it can be very distractful.
Intelligence can be influenced by the genetic code and along with the environment.
In high school, I was always seated in the 2nd row, always in the middle. Somehow, giving me the opportunity to recite. When recitation comes, I raised my hand first, but then some other intelligent kid would grab the attention of my teacher and prevented me from reciting. I guess the teacher has his/her own favorites. Hayyy….
Not all the intelligent kids are deemed to be successful, in fact, the combination of your ability, experience and intelligence makes you one. But let’s say that an intelligent student graduates with honors, and he mostly relies on the book and theories he have read, he’s not as successful as he’s going to be, for the fact that practice and theory are two different things. One may have the foundation (theories), but if he does not practice it, everything would be a failure and vice versa. Therefore, he/she must a balance of the two, just like the philosophy of yin and yang.
The kid is intelligent, because if he takes the 1 dollar bill, then there would be no more ice cream for him as opposed of taking the quarter. When he takes the quarters, the probability of the barber giving him another quarters for his ice cream would be repeated, since the amount at which the quarter holds is relatively cheaper than the 1 dollar bill.:smile:
Good points in there JV.
I don’t know which age I started to experience that teachers do pick those who have the abilities rather than intelligence. Kids who are active in the class are the ones given more attention than the ones who take down notes and memorized assignments. I remembered we took this exams before entering college (NMAT, I’m not sure - passing score was around 75% I think) and there was always a debate as why the intelligent ones gets lower results.
Seriously, I performed poorly in Math and there’s always a matter of complication for me whenever I think of any numbers. I failed mostly in Math and I had to retake tests in HS. I tried so hard but since all my classmates were competitive for the ranking, I predicted myself that I would never really learn even if I tried many times, up until now. But I did pass (pass-sang awa hahaha). We only have 1 section so if you failed in the ranking, chances are, you’re likely to be kicked out in the school.
Truth is, I can sing - that’s all.
i love it when sum1 thinks u are dumb and then u prove them wrong…
diploma is like a driver’s licensce, ur id to the freeway. but its u who decides whether to drive safely or to be the reckless airbag-eating a**. its u who hold the wheels and turn it either left or right.
books doesnt teach much about life. everything’s so technical. ur teachers spoon-fed til u wanna barf it all. experience gives u true wisdom. whether good or bad, u just have to make it work for u.
True, true, Yuri.
But shit I don’t even know how to drive myself. I can ride a bike that’s all. You see I’m a very fast learner but when it comes to vehicles, it always makes me feel closer to death. It’s okay to be in the back seat.
Aren’t we talking Education here? In Pinas, pag hindi ka nakatapos, you look kawawa - but having a college degree is sometimes not the only way to get a job. Technically, nowadays, if you apply for jobs, they actually look at your CV and see if you have work experience or ability to handle the job.
The country which I live/work, they don’t look at the diploma, they think, it’s only a ‘passport’ without a stamp printed on it. And I still wonder kung bakit maraming kababayan natin na mga professionals na andito sa HK na karamihan Nanny, hirap isipin pero ganun ang nangyayari.
I remembered I worked in Manila for FREE sa public hospitals to get “experience” pero walang kwenta, pagdating ko dito, hindi naman valid.
Teach me how to drive then.
I was always seated at the front row, not because of my intelligence but because my name starts with the letter c . I always wanted to sit in the back though.
Hi Ate Cha, me too, lagi ako nasa unahan during the flag ceremony, just because we lined up according to height. Pandak ako so kaya nagkataon na late ako sa flag ceremony, HULI agad.
I’ve always been the “notorious” kid then, so obviously it was I who chose to sit right behind in the class and also because I wasn’t interested… I didn’t know there was such a thing as the smart ones sitting infront, and now that you have mentioned; thinking back… damn it, its so true… cos the front ones did so well… wherelse me… ah, never mind me.
Enjoyed reading this post. Nice one K.
“I’ve always been the “notorious” kid then,…”
Did you take drugs? Or an absentee? Hahaha Ash. I think I was a notorious College Junior my time. I would stroll with books in a “jeepney” for a joyriding spree. I think in HS I werent’ that “studious”, I can recite, draw or perfect a word spelling but I was rather active in other activities such as Camping, Junior & Senior prom but I never skipped classes or my parents would not allow me to sit on the table for dinner. I was a self-reliant student, no one helped us read books, but when I was already in my college, I’d place 2 sticks of cigarettes between my Biology book. Memorizing such this and that about Skeletons & Human brains weren’t exciting at all.
But hey, I was a good kid, I didn’t take drugs.
That “row” classification was (I guess) a system of reward for the children from their teacher. I don’t really know if it works.
a person’s intelligence can be measured in different ways. School enhances it though. Some people can also be “street smart” and just average with school standards. I guess it really all depends on the way one measures it.
Inteligence though, makes a difference. if you are helplessly stupid, there are lesser opportunities for you in the society. sad but true.
That “row” classification was (I guess) a system of reward for the children from their teacher. I don’t really know if it works.
That reminds me of the time about “pa-kopya” of test answers. In elementary grades, the one who behaves, goes to the 1st row. As we grew up, we teases each other about “row 4″ (row poor) seating arrangement, funny to think but it’s true that getting an Education has a good opportunities for you to fit into a society. Pansin ko lang karamihan talaga sa mga Asians and magkaroon ng proper Education and Diploma.
Teka, san na kaya yung College Diploma ko nun?
para sa akin, mas magaling ang maabilidad kaysa sa matalino.
At sana kinuha ko na lang Architecture or Designs. I really wanted that course, kaso that time, getting a Medical course was so “in” nasunod lang ako sa utos ng mga magulang hehehe.
But I have a chatter Intelligence. I know a lot of chat-lingo and what ROTFLMAO really means.
that’s a very subjective thing.. intelligence. depends on the area of intelligence too… some people have better emotional intelligence and others have better scientific intelligence, etc.
that row system.. hehe, brings back memories although it wasn’t always the “intelligent” kids that sat in the front row. sometimes, you get the troublemakers there too so the teacher has an easier time keeping an eye on them during class =P
I’m not quite savvy when it comes to emotional intelligence. I’m not good as a team leader really. Sometimes, when I have recently been assigned as young manager in my team, and I have noticed that I appeared to be unable to make the simplest of decisions without seeking advice from my big boss. I guess that’s one of my weaknesses or maybe just afraid my Boss would not be in favor of my ideas.
But what I think it’s just about trying to taking the risks to make myself available to act as a mentor. In my job, I really find it difficult to communicate with them since I don’t speak their language, I can’t express much of the exact ideas/thoughts about what I am trying to share.
smart kid indeed!
the row system was not practiced in our school but all smart kids belonged to one section, the not-too-smart on another and so on…
aside from being smart, you have to be “ma-abilidad” to become successful these days
“…you have to be “ma-abilidad” to become successful these days.”
I think I feel that I am on a different “path” from most people in my workplace. I have these sense of imagination that, it seems, few of them understand. I remembered I had been told that I am “too sensitive,” “think too much” or is “too much of a perfectionist”. And that may be I am a highly creative person and I remain unaware that I am, in fact, creative. Hehehe, kapal ba?
K, I would count all those criticisms as massive compliments—these are all pluses!
Let’s see… I’m the most learned in my group of high school friends back then (bookish, erudite, walking encyclopedia/dictionary/thesaurus) even though my math skills are… moot, as I could put them, but that’s okay because I’m more of an artistic person
and I’m quite glad of it 
After all, don’t we many types of “smarts” like street-smarts, emotional intelligence and so on?