Why don't academically intelligent peoplehave common sense?

Question

I know this is not true for all...but i have no common sense!!! Why is this and what can i do about it? I mean is there a book i could read or something<< lol typical accademically intelligent persons solution!?

Answer 1

Intelligence is a rather over-used and misunderstood word in some circles. It tends to imply excellence at certain academic subjects (particularly sciences, maths and English), or perhaps the kind of person who can do well in IQ tests.


Yet we probably all know of highly intelligent people who are terrible at any kind of number-work, or who might do very badly on an IQ test that required pattern-spotting and the ability to imagine objects in 3d space. Equally we probably know of very academic people, perhaps brilliant at maths or sciences, who seem to lack any common sense or ability to communicate with other people. It seems self-evident that there are many kinds of intelligence, and that nearly everyone excels at something.

What do we mean by intelligences?
Experts have isolated seven main strands of intelligence: inter-personal, intra-personal, kinaesthetic, musical, logical/mathematical, verbal/linguistic, and visual/spatial. The last three of these tend to be measured on IQ tests, but the first four are equally important.

A site which outlines what these mean, with a checklist of traits associated with each intelligence, is Learning Styles: multiple intelligences. The site name is a little confusing, since the phrase 'learning styles' (described briefly on this page) is more commonly used to refer to the way we learn. While there is some overlap, learning styles do not usually include either of the personal intelligences, nor does it mention logic/maths as such, since people can learn it in various ways.

Another useful site, with a lengthy questionnaire and longer explanations (and, once again, a confusing title), is at Learning-Styles-Online. Here the seven intelligences have slightly different names: social, solitary, physical, aural, logical, verbal and visual, but in essence they are the same. It's an interesting exercise to take these questionnaires and determine your own preferences, before looking at your children's skills.

Summary of the seven standard intelligences
In a nutshell, a person with high social/inter-personal intelligence tends to require discussion and group learning. He or she may well be an Extravert, needing other people around to feel energised. Or they may simply need other people for bouncing ideas. Someone with high solitary/intra-personal intelligence contrasts with this, and is more likely to be an Introvert. These people need time to themselves to reflect, and may learn best away from other people.

Someone with high physical/kinaesthetic intelligence tends to need constant action, perhaps wanting to take part in sports or other physical activities such as gardening or juggling. Someone with high aural/musical intelligence probably has a good sense of rhythm and pitch, and will benefit more than most from learning a musical instrument or dancing, particularly if they also have high kinaesthetic intelligence.

Someone with high logical/mathematical intelligence is naturally good with reasoning, likely to grasp new concepts easily, and think clearly. Someone with high verbal/linguistic intelligence will probably be confident with both spoken and written language, and enjoy communicating and playing with words. Someone with high visual/spatial intelligence will be likely to have a good sense of direction, and be happiest with artwork, images, diagrams or other visual media.

Multiple intelligences not always encouraged in traditional education systems
Traditional education - including some American homeschooling curricula - usually encourages verbal and mathematical skills, and a child high in these may benefit from some kind of curriculum. If you prefer not to use a curriculum, you will need to provide plenty of relevant books and computer games.

Many people still feel that education is synonymous with formal academics, and that a child who finds maths or English difficult must either be rebellious or stupid. However if you take account of both his learning style and his intelligence, you will help him gain confidence in areas in which he can excel, and may find that he will then learn academic skills as a sideline.

Obviously it's important in today's world to be able to read and communicate, to have familiarity with arithmetic and some logical thinking skills. But if these are not your child's primary intelligences, it's vital that he is not made to feel inferior to more academically inclined children. If his main intelligence is visual, encourage art, photography, or computer graphics.

One of my sons has high visual intelligence; one day, when he was around 13 and working on some computer graphics, he came across sines and cosines in a computer arts magazine. He asked me what they were, and I was able to teach him in about half an hour what would have taken at least a term in school. A few weeks later he was using them confidently and at a level far beyond what I had explained, because he was motivated to do so.

He never did learn the algebraic theories that go alongside trigonometry, but was able to work out easily those which he needed. Mathematics and logic were a sideline to visuals, and learned when he was motivated by his visual intelligence.

What about balance of intelligences?
The theory of autonomous education (similar to American 'unschooling') is that children learn all they need to learn, when they're ready to do so, in their own way. Those who follow this principle may suggest activities, or offer books or CD-Roms, but most of the time the child will follow his or her own interests, whether mathematical workbooks or painting murals on walls, or kicking a ball around the yard. Their choices are likely to reflect their main intelligences, and as they practise so they develop in skill.

But many parents tend to think that their children need balance, and a variety of skills. We may worry that they will lack skills they need as adults if we leave them to their own choices all the time. We read about prodigies like Mozart, whose musical skills were at genius level, but who had little chance to develop any others, and ended up depressed and neurotic, dying young.

Naturally we want our children to be well-rounded as people. But does this mean we should attempt to teach them to use all the intelligences, or even to study all the subjects covered in schools? Of course not. Nobody would force a tone-deaf child to take singing lessons, or expect a blind child to study art.

Those are extreme examples, but all children have strengths and weaknesses, and there are some topics and intelligences which may be totally inappropriate for them. A very quiet child with high solitary intelligence may never develop strong social intelligence. Trying to make him do so may have the reverse effect, pushing him more into his solitary state and becoming phobic about other people.

On the other hand, if you treat your child gently and give him respect, he may - sooner or later - decide to work with other people in order to gain skill in other intelligences. A solitary musical child, for instance, may want to join a band or a choir. A solitary logical child may want to find someone to play chess with, or delight in helping people solve computer problems.

Home education can be enriching and rewarding for both parents and children, and a positive learning experience for all. But don't try to make your children fit into your own preconceived ideas of what they 'should' learn, or follow your own intelligences if theirs are different. Listen to them, learn with them, and encourage each other to explore and develop skills as and when they are appropriate.

Answer 2

Do you know what? i've asked myself this question loads of times. My mother is ver very intelligent but really has no common sense at all, i find it frustrating and funny.

Maybe its because of all the time spent safely at home reading a book etc instead of having to problem solve the little things in life that more 'out doors-ey' type people may encounter out and about.

Actually, i have no idea, but its a darn good question

Answer 3

Don't know the solution, but it may have something to do with the left-brain/right-brain thing, if there's anything to that! My common-sensical ex-wife never understood me, but she could keep the household running. My intellectually-bent girlfriend understands too well... but I wonder, once we're together in a more permanent way, just who will step to the plate with the common sense?!?

In answer to your question, I think it depends on what aspects of "common sense" you know you are lacking. If it's people skills, there are books on understanding others ("body language" and all that). If it's stuff like how business works, there are simple economic texts for people like us.

I find the "complete idiot's guides" books very useful, as well as the "... for dummies" and "Everything [whatever] answer" books. Many of these are available at your library.

Answer 4

Good question. A great example is my bf who has common sense and street smarts vs. his best friend, Jim, who is Harvard graduate (undergrad and MBA). It just seems that Jim tended to study more, read more books, knows how to do thorough research,and concentrated on school... while my bf has life experience. Bf seems to take in new knowledge and integrate it into his life experience and when faced with a problem, he has life experience as a resource (i.e., he doesn't over-anlayze a situation, he knows how to solve a problem in the moment)...while Jim will take in new knowledge and try to analyze it with old knowledge and when faced with a life problem, he has to do online research or call my bf for advice.

Books will not give you common sense. Hang out with different types of people or try new activities. Always challenge yourself and try new things.

Answer 5

My experience has been that many (not all) academically intelligent people have dedicated so much of their lives to the theoretical pursuit of their chosen profession that they have not allowed themselves the opportunity to learn "street smarts." It really isn't a lack of common sense...it's more a lack of training of that aspect of innate abilities present in everyone. If you don't use it...it atrophies.

Answer 6

This is a phenomenon that I have also observed. It is not always the case, but it happens often enough to be obvious. I am not sure I have the answer, but perhaps I have a little more insight on the question. I believe another way to look at this is that knowledge does not equal wisdom. There is a book of wisdom that guarantees to advance wisdom if you study it. It is the ancient book of Proverbs contained in the Bible. You may find the thoughtful study of this book helpful. I did. PS ... You do not have to be religious to get a lot from this study

Answer 7

Individuals have real problems and genuine change they wish to make, your problem is genuine and this is method you require a genuine option. You need to seem like you in fact have a method to begin making the changes in your life. This is where this guide Manifestation Miracle that you can find here https://tr.im/fOcuO excels due to the fact that, if your life isn't the life that you desire, isn't really best YOU Can Possibly Do something to make it your method.
In this guide you aren't taught anything magical about Manifestation. Instead you're taught the ways you require to believe in order to alter the environment around you. When you alter your environment, you're able to change your conditions. Altering your conditions suggests changing your circumstances. When you alter your circumstance you alter your ideas and this is turn will result in various behavior on your part. This various behavior is going to assist you to bring about all sorts of modification that will draw particular things to you like never previously.

Answer 8

Too focussed. ( do all those esses look right?)
You can be really good at something but miss whats going on either side of you, as it were.
I suggest, and this comes with experience. Alchohol. Depressant .(esses again) and relaxant.
Taken in excess it can loosen the cerebral hiatus and you can just sit back and think (and this is the best bit) Bugger all! Academia brings its own problems. Are you reading or have you graduated I wonder?

Answer 9

Who has created all things in the best possible way. He commenced the creation of man from clay; then produced his seed from an extract of base fluid; then formed him and breathed His Spirit into him and gave you hearing, sight, and hearts. What little thanks you show! (Surat as-Sajda: 7-9) O people, if you should be in doubt about the Resurrection, then [consider that] indeed, We created you from dust, then from a sperm-drop, then from a clinging clot, and then from a lump of flesh, formed and unformed – that We may show you. And We settle in the wombs whom We will for a specified term, then We bring you out as a child, and then [We develop you] that you may reach your [time of] maturity. And among you is he who is taken in [early] death, and among you is he who is returned to the most decrepit [old] age so that he knows, after [once having] knowledge, nothing. And you see the earth barren, but when We send down upon it rain, it quivers and swells and grows [something] of every beautiful kind. Have you ever wondered about your tongue? It is one of the wonderful creations of Allah. Allah Ta'ala gave each of us one tongue. But this one tongue is able to taste thousands of different types of food and drinks. If our taste buds on the tongue were to become inactive, we would not know the difference between an orange or a stone.. Our eyes are taking 10 pictures per second. So on a daily basis, the eyes are constantly taking 576,000 pictures if a person sleeps for 8 hours. Which camera in this world can continue to function for years and years without being electronically charged like the eyes? Indeed, the creations of Allah are something to think about. In addition, an average eye blinks 12 times a minute. That's an amazing 11,520 blinks a day if a person sleeps for 8 hours. There are diseases which prevent a person from blinking by causing the eye lids not to open or close. The people suffering from such diseases trully understand the value of blinking. Let us thank Allah for allowing us to blink over 10,000 times a day without paying a dollar Moreover, like finger print, everyone has a different tongue print. Allah knows that we need water. As a result, He created a system in the sky that produces water even as we talk, read, sleep, work and do other activities. This system is visible to us through the clouds. Clouds are amazing creations of Allah. At least once in our lifetime we look at Fruits and vegetables spring from the same soil and are watered with the same water, yet they come in a dazzling variety. When we consider the multitude of different tastes and smells of fruits and vegetables, the question of how such a variety ever came about in the first place comes to mind. What causes this miscellany of the tastes and fragrances of grapes, melons, kiwis, pineapples and the like, using the same water and minerals for centuries on end, yet without ever mixing them up with each other and without ever getting them confused? Allah gives them their matchless tastes and appearances.

Answer 10

This site contains photography tutorials and courses for you to study at your own pace. https://tr.im/rlFgD

To get started, all you need is a camera, whether it be the latest digital camera or a traditional film-based apparatus!

Read about what is ISO, aperture and exposure. Discover different types of lenses and flash techniques. Explore portrait photography, black and white photography, HDR photography, wedding photography and more.

Answer 11

Probably you never had to do anything that really matters in your life eg struggle to make ends meet,work for a living(i mean real work not pen pushing)or even a bit of danger. Try it it makes you think on your feet cant get experience from no book.