can you be intelligent but have no common sense?

Answer 1

That is absolutely true. I'm a great example of that. I'm in college and am what they call quite intelligent but I have absolutely no common sense! There are too many examples of this in my case but here are a few:

In the past year alone I have set my nightgown on fire and burnt a hole in the floor after putting a hot lamp without a shade on the carpet because I wanted to read on the floor.
I saw a wisp of smoke in the air but thought it were my eyes playing tricks on me. then I saw another then it finally clicked that I could smell something burning and looked down to see my nightgown melting away in front of my eyes.
We now have this brown circular mysterious hole where the unfortunate event happened.

I used to do fish fingers in the microwave. I mashed up the sponge biscuits that were supposed to be left to be dissolved in the hot jelly whilst making Trifle. I cleaned the mirrors in my house with furniture polish.

Just simple tasks like cooking and cleaning that I struggle with. Have sympathy on my poor educated yet common sense and life-skill lacking brain :(

Answer 2

I think there are many kinds of "smarts". Book smarts, Street smarts, Cooking smarts, and so on. You can be intelligent and have no common sense. That comes from not applying youself in ordinary situations. Where others have made decisions for you and you have not. You may be "Book Smart Intelligent" and know absolutely nothing about common sense. In that case, Start making your OWN decisions and then you "Common Sense Smarts" will start to shine.

Answer 3

Yes .. Most young people who have been to university are intelligent but have no common sense

A lot of young people who haven't been to university have neither intelligence or common sense. My 16 year old son is in this category at the moment ... when he's 18 he will probably be in the first category!!

Answer 4

There are different types of inteligencies. The common sense would fall in the social iteligence category. So when you overload one of the inteligencies (as scientists, doctors etc.) there is no room for the other inteligencies to develop. So, if it is not the case that the common sence was developed early (until 20) in the person, usually people with various degrees are without or with very little common sence.

Answer 5

I read an awful lot and have attained a fair level of intelligence. Apart from occasional bouts of extreme silliness, I think very deeply and methodically with very little to none by way of emotion - seriously precise and logical. In response people behave irrationally confusing me easily (and I them, or so they say). Having had a lifetime somewhat at odds with society as it stands, I have tended to miss out on certain worldly knowledge that is gained by interaction with one's peers (I haven't got any) - so I can seem hopelessly dimwitted at times, especially as I'm uncertain about the reactions of the people I am with and try factorise these elements (and about 20 others) into any given decision that I have to make. I read a lot of psychology, philosophy, quantum physics, organisational theory, etc. but tend to find the mundane boring and give it a miss - so my education (pretty much self-taught) is hopelessly lopsided which compounds the problem. People tend to be intolerant, unhelpful and withhold information - accusingly stating that I am a rampaging intellectual, a bit thick or both.

Answer 6

Oh yes absolutely! They're two compeltely different things and is easy to have one but not the other...Look...

Intelligent - having good understanding or a high mental capacity; quick to comprehend

Common Sense - sound practical judgment that is independent of specialized knowledge, training, or the like; normal native intelligence.

Answer 7

The fact is that if you are very intelligent it's actually more likely that you have little or no common sense. I have a friend who is a doctor, and needless to say is very intellegent but he still burns the toast, gets lost, locks himself out the house etc

Answer 8

Yes - I have a very good freind who is a a genius at anything science related, but can burn down a house making a sandwich. I am amazed he can get dressed some days.

Very intelligent = zero common sense

Answer 9

Yes, without a doubt. Many times you'll see this in children, where the kid is really bright in school but absolutely clueless when it comes to common sense. The older you get, the more common sense you get (usually).

Answer 10

yes because you have to have the common sense to know when to use intelligence