# The Big Bang Theory - Sheldon - how the ..... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 15, 2012, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981 "2012-05-15T12:46:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Barking\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Barking\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barking_Dog)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/141 "2012-08-03T16:40:56Z")
> [@teela\_brown](#): > > Which I missed because the DVR stopped recording a minute or two before the end! What happened? He asks her out on an in-game date and she agrees. It cuts to her in her apartment, she gets a scared look on her face and throws the laptop away onto the couch. The implication being she just realized she hit rock bottom. ETA: oh no! Ninja’d! Twice even! ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/142 "2012-08-03T20:09:43Z")
> [@a35362](#): > > \ > > I just hate to see these guys wasting so much money on comic books and all that plastic junk. They could be saving that money or giving it to charity or something. Baderdash. It’s called disposable income–the money people spend on things they don’t need. Maybe you’d be happier if they spent it on blow and hookers? ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/143 "2012-08-03T20:30:19Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Yeah, Penny is stupid only by comparison with the other main characters. As sitcom characters as a whole go, she’s on the smart side of average. She’s only “stupid” (I agree that the more accurate description is ignorant, _not_ stupid) by comparison with the other main characters when it comes to science and geek pop culture. **garygnu** is absolutely correct; Penny is extremely intelligent in the area of social interactions and human behavior and she can learn new things quickly. Honestly, attitudes like this are extremely common in people who are like the BBT guys, IME, and part of why the show and adherents like them bug the crap out of me. \*\*Intelligence comes in many forms and many subject areas. Science, math, computers and whatnot are not the only “valuable” or worthwhile areas of knowledge. \*\* If Penny is stupid for not being well-versed in the above things, Sheldon is also stupid for not being well-versed in … anything _not_ the above things. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/144 "2012-08-03T23:20:33Z")
My beef with the series and Penny in general is that no effort is made to show the value of their work as scientists, how the work they do benefits humanity. Take the episode where Sheldon tries to teach Penny physics and she asks what are sub atomic particles, that could have been a golden opportunity to really teach a little science. Penny probably had an MRI when she dislocated her shoulder MRI’s work because of scientists understanding particle physics and quantum mechanics. This fact could have been a little plot element to show the value of the science Leonard and the boys do. I understand the show is a comedy but it seem like science is cast as a joke that only geeks can be interested in with no practical value. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/145 "2012-08-03T23:47:02Z")
> [@Icerigger](#): > > My beef with the series and Penny in general is that no effort is made to show the value of their work as scientists, how the work they do benefits humanity. Take the episode where Sheldon tries to teach Penny physics and she asks what are sub atomic particles, that could have been a golden opportunity to really teach a little science. Penny probably had an MRI when she dislocated her shoulder MRI’s work because of scientists understanding particle physics and quantum mechanics. This fact could have been a little plot element to show the value of the science Leonard and the boys do. I understand the show is a comedy but it seem like science is cast as a joke that only geeks can be interested in with no practical value. My understanding is it’s long been a running joke in the series that the only two people who actually do anything practical in the series are Penny (Waitress, feeds people, and is by far the most socially functional and clued in of the main characters because she actually has a life so to speak) and Howard (Engineer, builds stuff that’s been used in space is now an Astronaut). This is despite the fact Penny may not have even finished High School and Howard “only” has an MA, while the other main cast all have Doctorates. ---
**Author:** ![Tapiotar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3be4f8/32.png) [@Tapiotar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapiotar)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/146 "2012-08-04T00:21:54Z")
Of the nine types of intelligence, 1. Naturalist Intelligence (“Nature Smart”) 2. Musical Intelligence (“Musical Smart”) 3. Logical-Mathematical Intelligence (Number/Reasoning Smart) 4. Existential Intelligence 5. Interpersonal Intelligence (People Smart”) 6. Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence (“Body Smart”) 7. Linguistic Intelligence (Word Smart) 8. Intra-personal Intelligence (Self Smart”) 9. Spatial Intelligence (“Picture Smart”) I’d say that Penny is best at Bodily-Kinesthetic, with Interpersonal next. Sheldon is best at Logical-Mathematical, with strong skills in Linguistic and some in Spacial, as far as it concerns him, and, I would guess, musical, though that isn’t mentioned in the show, as far as I know. Except that he sings well. they are all pretty lacking in naturalist, existential, and intrapersonal intelligences, which makes perfect sense for a sit-com. Thinking within the parameters of the show, I suppose they all interact because they complement one another, fulfill each other’s lacks. Thinking as a viewer, they interact because the misunderstandings of “odd couple” situations are funny. ---
**Author:** ![Tapiotar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3be4f8/32.png) [@Tapiotar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapiotar)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/147 "2012-08-04T00:32:56Z")
> [@Icerigger](#): > > My beef with the series and Penny in general is that no effort is made to show the value of their work as scientists, how the work they do benefits humanity. … I understand the show is a comedy but it seem like science is cast as a joke that only geeks can be interested in with no practical value. I have a physicist relative, who is a very normal, well-rounded person, loves music, sports, nature, is married, has a good circle of friends, etc. I, a literature type who can’t understand even the first sentence of his latest publication, am much nerdier. But he does watch the show, and it does make him laugh. ---
**Author:** ![Fair\_Rarity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fair_rarity/32/153_2.png) [@Fair\_Rarity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fair_Rarity)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/148 "2012-08-04T01:11:01Z")
I think Penny IS shown as intelligent, just not in an academic way. She has fixed as many social-context problems as she’s been stumped by science and math issues. I know people all look at the show differently, but I feel it does show that book smart isn’t always real-life smart and/or better. But at the same time, it doesn’t (always) denigrate the nerdiness. It struggles sometimes to find a balance, but overall I think it’s achieved. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/149 "2012-08-04T02:11:30Z")
When I said that Penny was “stupid” by comparison with the other characters, I meant, to put it in D&D terms, that she has a lower Int score. She certainly has a higher Wis and Cha than the rest of them, though, which could reasonably be lumped in under the general category of “smarts”. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/150 "2012-08-04T02:24:25Z")
What I think we’re trying to get to is that Penny is less intellectual than the others. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/151 "2012-08-06T13:26:24Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > This is despite the fact Penny may not have even finished High School and Howard “only” has an MA, while the other main cast all have Doctorates. Penny went to community college for a while, so she either has a high school diploma or a GED. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/152 "2012-08-06T16:11:42Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Penny went to community college for a while, so she either has a high school diploma or a GED. Depends on the CC, the program, etc. A lot of places allow any resident to take many classes without enrolling in the college, you just sign up for the class. And since they generally have GED courses at CCs, that’s how you get a GED while a student at a CC. Otherwise those would be very empty classes. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/153 "2012-08-07T17:59:21Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > I would like to see some of Sheldon’s rudeness toned down a bit. Heck, I could say the same for the title character on Bones, altho I find her much more obnoxious. Anyway, Sheldon has had several years of interacting and being friends with intelligent, but slightly more socially adept people. Is it likely that he’d continue to be as self-centered and clueless, especially when Penny is quick to call him on it? Would someone that intelligent really be that stupid? I read this a few years ago: [“Tact Filters”](http://www.mit.edu/~jcb/tact.html), and found it enlightening. ---
**Author:** ![texam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/96bed5/32.png) [@texam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/texam)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/154 "2012-08-24T13:17:05Z")
> [@Hogfather65](#): > > OK I love The Big Bang Theory but why oh why would anyone be friendly with Sheldon. > > I know he is the main point of the comedy but if he was around - why would anyone want to be friends, or even hang around him.. > > Not me !! - he would be avoided after the first mouth off. > > WHAT WOULD YOU DO??? He’s an annoying sod who survives a beating only because of his frailty. Funny fkr though! Iv’e read the “adult”. Peni and Sheldin short story in "A threesome of erotic fiction book 3, and although it’s not them it’s fkn good… ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/155 "2012-08-24T19:02:14Z")
He’s funny and, once you know how not to annoy him - which is easy, since he writes it all down for you - you could mostly avoid annoying him, and the worst that would happen from annoying him is a scathing put-down. He’s interested in the same things the other guys in the show are interested in. He’s generous in a way - lends money without a qualm, has people to stay in his own room without questioning it. And loyalty goes a long way, both his to his friends and his friends’ to him. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/156 "2012-08-24T20:38:58Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > . . .He’s generous in a way - . . .\*\* has people to stay in his own room without questioning it.\*\* . . . Agree with the rest, but whaaaaa?!? He doesn’t even like people _entering_ his room! ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/157 "2012-08-24T20:56:37Z")
> [@Icerigger](#): > > My beef with the series and Penny in general is that no effort is made to show the value of their work as scientists, how the work they do benefits humanity. Take the episode where Sheldon tries to teach Penny physics and she asks what are sub atomic particles, that could have been a golden opportunity to really teach a little science. Penny probably had an MRI when she dislocated her shoulder MRI’s work because of scientists understanding particle physics and quantum mechanics. This fact could have been a little plot element to show the value of the science Leonard and the boys do. I understand the show is a comedy but it seem like science is cast as a joke that only geeks can be interested in with no practical value. The character of Sheldon has been shown numerous times to be totally wrapped up in the basics of the universe and have no real interest in the real world application of physics. Given his utter lack of respect for the work of Howard, and for that matter, Raj and Leonard, why would he condescend to tell Penny that physics has real-life applications? As for the others, they’re desperate to connect with Penny on her level, not raise her to theirs. You may think that’s a flaw in the show, but it’s no more a flaw than, for example, the portrayal of Dr. Gregory House, who sees his patients only in terms of their diagnosis. And if I want real science, I’ll watch PBS rather than hoping to get an offhand mention in a situation comedy. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/158 "2012-08-24T22:05:55Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > Agree with the rest, but whaaaaa?!? He doesn’t even like people _entering_ his room! He let Dr. Judy Greer (I don’t remember the character’s name) sleep in his room when she was giving a talk at USC. But then Dr. Judy Greer snuck into Leonard’s room and give him a _revealing_ look at how she wrote her book. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/159 "2012-08-24T22:18:54Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > He let Dr. Judy Greer (I don’t remember the character’s name) sleep in his room when she was giving a talk at USC. But then Dr. Judy Greer snuck into Leonard’s room and give him a _revealing_ look at how she wrote her book. She was Sheldon’s friend, and Leonard “played with her”. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981.md?page=7)