I think about how we view intelligence a lot, and it's something that I've analyzed for years. Ever since I was a kid, I've felt that the way we talk about and assess intelligence makes little to no sense at all. Recently, I've seen how many heated debates happen around the topic of IQ when it comes to race, genetics, education systems, and more. The way I see it, all of these debates are a waste of time because they're starting at a terrible premise.
So far, in 2021, I've read almost 280 books, and it's only September. Some of my favorite topics are cognitive psychology, decision making, human irrationality, and pretty much anything that not only helps explain human behavior but also helps me be less dumb. One of the first books that really captured my interest in these topics was Annie Duke's phenomenal book Thinking in Bets.
Recently, I've had some amazing guests on The Rewired Soul podcast who have written incredible books on intelligence, thinking, and other related topics. Being so curious about how we define intelligence, I love asking these types of authors, "How do you define intelligence?", and it's really interesting to listen to their answers. Two guests I've had on include Annie Murphy Paul to discuss her book The Extended Mind and David Robson to chat about The Intelligence Trap. Neither guest nor any other, when asked have said that IQ is the best way to gauge intelligence.
Like most topics, this topic around intelligence is extremely nuanced. So, this will be the first of a series I'll be writing to break down different aspects of the conversations around intelligence to challenge the current narrative.
The Smartest Idiot Around You Know
What better way to start this conversation than to share some of my personal experiences?
Personally, I wrestled with the idea of even writing this first piece because what kind of egotistical jerk would do this? I hate talking about myself, especially if it's to say I'm "intelligent", but it's a lot easier to analyze myself and my experiences than it is to make assumptions and generalizations about others.
So, I hope this doesn't come off as me tooting my own horn. The most important lesson I've learned is that I'm not all that smart and I do plenty of really dumb things. My ego is my worst enemy, so I try to keep it in check by remembering that I always have more to learn and that I have to practice intellectual humility on a daily basis.
Lately, I've had more and more people be kind of surprised at how much I know about various topics, and many have complimented me. I feel silly even talking about it, but I feel I need to qualify by sharing this in order for you, the reader, to understand my perspective and arguments.
On my podcast, I talk with scientists, philosophers, and many others who are some of the smartest people in their fields. From neuroscientists to psychologists, biologists, and more, I talk to them all. Some of them are even ivy-league professors. When I chat with them about various studies and other topics, some have recognized how I can keep up and engage with these conversations as though I'm an educated person with high intelligence.
Well, the reality is that I'm a college dropout. I'm currently 36 years old, and I dropped out of Feather River Junior College after a semester when I was 18. After spending a decade as a drug addict and alcoholic, I was able to get sober, and it was only in the last few years that I started following my curiosity and devouring books.
And it's crazy when you think about it. There are an endless amount of experts who have spent years researching and studying various topics, and they put that all in a book that any of us can buy and read.
Most of my day is spent reading books to learn as much as possible because I had an epiphany that it's a real waste of time on this planet if we're not actively trying to learn as much as possible. One of the main reasons I started reading was strictly to avoid a relapse.
I was about two or three years sober, and I was really pissed and couldn't stop ruminating about the fact that I couldn't drink or use drugs like other people. To avoid that relapse, I thought, "I bet someone has written a book about the science of addiction. If I could better understand what separates addicts from non-addicts, it'd help me understand why I shouldn't drink or use." And that's when I came across Clean: Overcoming Addiction and Ending America’s Greatest Tragedy by David Sheff.
That book from David Sheff may have saved my life by teaching me quite a bit about the science of addiction. After realizing how useful that was, I started having more questions and wanted to learn more about neuroscience, psychology, and mental health. A couple years later, I found myself working at a dual diagnosis drug and alcohol rehab facility. Part of my job was doing groups with the clients, and I loved teaching them what I learned, and many would say that they learned more from me than their therapists.
Again, not to toot the ol' horn, but I'm a college dropout and former drug addict who just loves to learn. And to ensure I'm not misinterpreting information, I've always made sure to chat with professionals and experts to make sure I'm understanding the concepts properly.
How Smart Am I?
When we talk about intelligence, oftentimes, we talk about IQ. There are a ton of other things we deem "intelligent", but I'm saving that for some other posts (so make sure you're subscribed to my Substack lol). As for my personal IQ, I have no idea what it is. I was tested as a kid, and I remember my mom saying I was a genius and bragging to her friends. I wasn't even 10 years old yet, and I know that most parents call their kid a genius, so I didn't put too much stock into this.
In school, I slacked off quite a bit. Was that smart? Of course not. I'd say a smart person would recognize the value of getting good grades to have a better future. There's that idea that really smart kids just get bored, so they slack off, but I still wouldn't say that kid is "intelligent" because that's making a very poor decision. Not only that, but I watched friends go into accelerated classes, but I knew they weren't all that intelligent either.
My mom was an alcoholic, so I swore I'd never drink or use drugs. Obviously, that didn't work out. Although I knew that addiction ran in my family and saw what it did to my mom, I started drinking at the end of my senior year, and within a few years, I got into drugs. Was this a smart decision? Was it a good idea to start drinking and using drugs knowing that I was at risk of addiction? Well, no intelligent person would say this was the right decision.
I was able to get sober in 2012, but I still make dumb decisions to this day. If you don't believe me, ask my girlfriend. No matter how many books I read and how many topics I may understand, I'm still as vulnerable to being stupid just like everyone else. So, regardless of whatever my IQ is, it doesn't matter because IQ is a terrible way to measure intelligence.
How many high IQ people have died from a drug overdose? How many have destroyed their lives because they don't know how to manage their emotions, so they push everyone away? How many extremely intelligent people have more than enough money to afford therapy, but would rather be miserable instead?
Room to Grow
I'm a fan of Carol Dweck's work involving the growth mindset, and that's probably because I'm living proof. By now, you've learned about my ups and downs. You've seen how I've made really dumb decisions, but I've also managed to learn about some pretty complex subjects. And this is why I believe the entire conversation around IQ needs to shift.
Recently, a profile piece in The New Yorker was written about Kathryn Paige Harden and her upcoming book The Genetic Lottery. I was fortunate enough to read an early copy, and I can't wait to talk to her about it on the podcast because one of the main topics she discusses is intelligence. While I already had this series in mind, I really felt motivated to start it after I saw the mixed reviews of the piece and her book.
First, I always find it interesting when people have strong opinions about something that hasn't come out yet like books, movies, and TV shows. But I also saw people arguing that Harden is wrong about intelligence and the research shows that there are racial differences when it comes to IQ.
This is where I'm interested.
I have mixed opinions about Sam Harris, but I know he's talked about this quite a bit. But aside from Harris, you have all of these other intellectuals discussing genetics, race, and intelligence.
When we start from that premise, we're almost implying that intelligence is something that's fixed. And if it's not implying that intelligence is fixed, then why is this even a point of debate? It seems silly that people dedicate so much time and resources to arguing about this topic when it doesn't seem to matter.
My personal story is proof that provided the right resources and curiosity, I can learn quite a bit. So, even if IQ was a solid measure of intelligence (which I don't think it is), don't we have enough evidence that provided the resources, someone could improve their score?
But regardless of what people can or can't learn, it really doesn't matter because IQ is irrelevant. And if IQ is irrelevant, what makes a person intelligent? Is it their schooling? How well they handle social relationships? Their level of happiness? Or is it something else entirely?
Well, those are future topics for this series, so stay tuned. For now, do me a favor and leave a comment about how you define intelligence because I'm always curious to see what people say.
I’ve been working on organizing all the books I’ve read, and I have multiple lists of books on becoming a better thinker. There are lists for education, social issues, critical thinking, self-deception, and biases. For the rest of the categories, click here.
I’m always open for a conversation and to be shown what I might be missing or where I may be wrong, so feel free to email me at TheRewiredSoul@gmail.com
In my opinion, trying to measure intelligence in one linear scale is extremely crude. Some of the smartest people I know are complete fools in other areas. At the end of the day, none of us know just how much we don't know. Additionally we are all susceptible to emotional bias, varying exposure/ perspective, and other influences causing our thinking to skew away from a true center. I am near clairvoyant in some things and could take lessons from a 5th grader in others. Society (and specifically much of academia) tries to treat IQ and EQ separately. Ultimately if one knows everything there is to know but cannot teach or convey what they know they are little more useful than the fifth grader (and at much higher risk of mental health issues) It seems a more complicated scale would be necessary, but am not sure the required intelligence to design the scale is available. I think there would need to be multiple tests for both IQ and EQ with results that modify each other, but would need to put much more contemplation into a confident answer.