I've been told I have no common sense, yet I have a high IQ and level of thinking ...Whats up with that ?

Question

seriuosly the simplest things baffle me...I don't know why.

Answer 1

I have a friend who has a PhD in chemistry but no common sense. I'm glad to know that there is at least one other person like that.

Answer 2

Here is a story that shows this example. My Dad is a brilliant scientist, with IQ over 180 and a Masters degree is Food Technology.

We lived in a house when I was 6 or 7 that had a patio. The patio had hills going up on all 3 sides and a house on the fourth side. Of course it collected rain, so there was a small drain in the middle of the patio.

On night it rained so hard that the patio drain could not keep up and water was seeping through the sliding glass door. From in the house, you could see the water 3" high on the glass.

My Dad thought that if he opened the door, the water from in the house would go back out.

At my tender age, even I could see that was bad judgement. Howver, before I could say anything, the door was opened and the remaining water on the patio was now in the house.

Answer 3

LOL! I’ve been told the same thing. I'm 39 and have an IQ of 150, but sometimes have poor common sense. But you have to think of two things...1) Things that are considered 'common sense' in our society were developed and nurtured BY that society...of which has an average IQ of 99. 2) One with a high IQ tends to think on a higher level than the average person. What should seem like common sense is ignored by our brains because, quite frankly, it bores us to tears. We want to know and learn, not just follow the rat maze...so to speak. For example, I failed out of high school three times and eventually quit for good. It was not because I was stupid, but it was a neglect of common sense. I did poorly because high school bored me to tears.
I sense went on to college and made the President's list every semester. So, just remember that societal 'common sense' was developed by those with an IQ of 99!!!!

Answer 4

You are contradicting yourself. A high IQ means you have an ability to figure things out and solve problems, so the simplest things wouldn't baffle you.
Common sense, on the other hand, means you are a good decision maker and have the ability to foresee problems before they arise.
The two things are unrelated.

Answer 5

There is a difference between book smarts (IQ) and street smarts (common sense). You have an apparently high aptitude for learning when you buckle down to something that sounds logical, such as things you learn in a book. However, when it comes to picking up "right" behaviours from your parents, other adults, or other street-smart kids, you have a learning deficiency.

Firstly, don't worry about it. People are smart in different ways, and it's no discredit to you to be smart in one way but not another.

Secondly, don't be afraid to ask for help. I'm sure your mom knows what's going on; the level of each kind of intellegence you have may be genetic. She will definitely be able to advise you; in fact, if you explain what you need, she may be able to make a study list of certain "common sense" behaviours that you need to pick up, especially regarding your interactions with other people, and how to stay safe when you're by yourself. Since you don't pick them up naturally, and you recognize the need for them, you should study them as you do everything else. See if you can even teach yourself to pick them up; I don't know, but it may be another form of studying.

Answer 6

You, are NOT alone! General math baffled me for years in high school, but I passed geometry, algebra, trig with flying colors! Basic biology had me stumped, but I took Chemistry I, II and III and Organic Chemistry I and II and made honor roll.

I think my mind goes too fast to keep up with the "slow stuff"....so the more there is to think about and work out, the better I can do it.

Example: First day in Chemistry...the teacher gave us a problem. She explained how to do the problems on the board, using that first one as the example. After an hour of explaining...she gave us another, to take home for homework. I worked it once, put it inside my notebook, and forgot about it til class the next day. A straight "A" student was asked to put his answer on the board, writing out how he did it...he got it wrong. Everyone did that tried (I was shy, did NOT volunteer, figured mine was wrong)...she finally gave up, gave us the answer, and asked who got it right out of those left who hadn't tried. I was the ONLY one to raise my hand.

Sometimes, the simple goes right over my head...but the detailed, intricate, hard...is the easiest thing in the world to understand. My IQ (by test standards) is 152. Go figure! :)

PS: republicansarecruel is right, I am VERY naive...and brought up a bit sheltered...maybe that has something to do with it?

Answer 7

I've been told the same thing. Sometimes it is because I'm reading too much into something and trying to make things way too difficult. Common sense is what people learn from their parents and grandparents on the farm, in the kitchen, or at the dinner table growing up. I'm often surprised by things that kids, even my kids, don't know. But, since my kids didn't grow up on a farm, and we didn't spend much time fixing food or eating together I didn't teach them because we just didn't live it. You need someone who knows the simple things to help you out. Someone to teach you the stuff you haven't learned.

Answer 8

Common sense is in a different factor than the intelligence found in an IQ test. There are different types of intelligence; book smart, street smart, creativly inclined, etc. U can be good at one thing, but it doesn't mean ur good at another.

Answer 9

being gifted in some thing doesn't makes u be the best in all. X can be very very good in singing but unable to drive, or Y can be great in design but un able to speak.
u are probably very gifted in some things but then u r not high quality n common seance. u should learn about the high IQ thing. understand what it means and realize what u can do and what are ur positive sides in life. can be useful

Answer 10

I think that this usually has to do with life experience. You can be really smart, but if you haven't had experience with some common, everyday things, they may baffle you. I've also seen some people who have this problem where it doesn't seem to occur to them to apply their reasoning and analytical ability to everyday things, as if those abilities were to be reserved for only academic issues. I don't understand that one (?).

IDEA: It would be helpful if you'd add some examples under "details".