# Who's smarter than you? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 30, 2012, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-smarter-than-you/629892 "2012-07-30T20:46:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-smarter-than-you/629892/1 "2012-07-30T20:46:19Z")
Recently I heard the Spin Doctors’ \*Cleopatra’s Cat \*(My girlfriend’s cat is smarter than me), and today at lunch everyone in my highly skilled technical support group agreed that we are not smarter than a fifth grader. Who’s smarter than you? I nominate the tree service guy who persuaded me to give him $300 for feeding “vitamins” to my trees. ---
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-smarter-than-you/629892/2 "2012-07-30T22:44:00Z")
My dad…and he still is at 81. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-smarter-than-you/629892/3 "2012-07-30T23:41:45Z")
It has taken 10 years, but I’m finally beginning to suspect my husband is more intelligent than I am. He’s been a Ph.D. student for the last five years (wheee) so for a long time I was like, ''Not smarter, just more educated." But lately I’m noticing his brain do things that my brain cannot. When he starts blathering on about complex statistical concepts my eyes glaze over. This is not an easy thing for me to admit, and I haven’t told him. I’m not sure he would agree. We’re smart in different ways, which makes it harder to compare. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-smarter-than-you/629892/4 "2012-07-30T23:43:50Z")
My husband, and every other romantic partner I’ve had save one (who was a big mistake). I am apparently incapable of being seriously attracted to someone if I don’t think he’s smarter than me in at least some ways. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-smarter-than-you/629892/5 "2012-07-31T00:31:50Z")
My partner is smarter than I am . . . but I have better taste in men. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-smarter-than-you/629892/6 "2012-07-31T01:10:59Z")
Some days it’s everyone I know. Other days, it’s almost everyone. I am not bad in book learning, but my common sense isn’t great. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-smarter-than-you/629892/7 "2012-07-31T02:09:08Z")
What is “smarter?” Leaving the definintion to others, I"m smarter than 95% of the people alive today. What has it got me? That’s the sad part… ---
**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:** [July 31, 2012, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-smarter-than-you/629892/8 "2012-07-31T14:26:44Z")
Despite being a prof in Computer Science, publishing papers, etc., I used to meet people all the time that just amazed me. Keeps you humble. E.g., [Volker Strassen](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volker_Strassen), the matrix algorithm guy, sat in on a seminar I was presenting on my research when I was a grad student. Despite being on a topic completely unrelated to anything he ever worked on, he was one slide ahead of me. That is, I was talking about something, he would point a problem with that, and of course that was what my next slide is about. He just kept doing that. Sort of annoying to be interrupted like that. (I just wanted to say “Hey, just wait a slide and then ask a question.”) But also amazing he was figuring this stuff out in real time. Furthermore, most of these people are fairly nice and friendly. Not at all the usual stereotype. ---
**Author:** ![Marconi\_N.Cheese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Marconi\_N.Cheese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marconi_N.Cheese)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-smarter-than-you/629892/9 "2012-07-31T14:39:09Z")
99% of the people on this board. And my wife. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-smarter-than-you/629892/10 "2012-07-31T15:00:30Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > E.g., [Volker Strassen](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volker_Strassen), the matrix algorithm guy, sat in on a seminar I was presenting on my research when I was a grad student. Despite being on a topic completely unrelated to anything he ever worked on, he was one slide ahead of me. That is, I was talking about something, he would point a problem with that, and of course that was what my next slide is about. He just kept doing that. > > Sort of annoying to be interrupted like that. (I just wanted to say “Hey, just wait a slide and then ask a question.”) But also amazing he was figuring this stuff out in real time. I did have a similar situation at work once, with the CEO of one of Spain’s biggest companies. After his third question, I pointed out that so far each of his three questions had been answered in “the next slide”, and this means he and our team apparently thought along similar lines, so maybe from then on he should wait for “the next slide” before asking a question? He agreed; several times he suppresed snorts; at the end, admitted that each question he would have asked had been answered in “the next slide” - and the presentation took a lot less time than if he’d continued interrupting. My niece is smarter than me: it took me a long time to learn how to manipulate people and I usually hate doing it (my Gramps from Hell was a master manipulator - I can play people like a violin when I want to, but damnit if I could I’d erase that gene knowing it came from him). She can twirl about anybody around her little finger within minutes and she’s not afraid to use said finger. The way I see it, our duty is to try and drive her toward using it in decent ways… ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-smarter-than-you/629892/11 "2012-07-31T15:11:04Z")
Freaking **everybody**. And **Marconi** ’s wife. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-smarter-than-you/629892/12 "2012-07-31T15:14:17Z")
Almost everyone… That’s why I come here. I’m smart enough to know that It’s beneficial for me to stick around people with more brains than I. That’s why I hang out with my brother a lot. He’s very smart. The fact that I don’t believe in anything supernatural makes me feel smart sometimes… ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-smarter-than-you/629892/13 "2012-07-31T15:18:07Z")
Ke$ha (the pop singer). She was an excellent student in high school and got close to perfect SAT scores. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-smarter-than-you/629892/14 "2012-07-31T15:20:49Z")
My boss; every boss I’ve ever had except for one or two. My kids; I know more things, but it’s just a matter of time before I’ll be playing catch-up. My dad; the guy’s as sharp as a tack and thinks through issues in a way that continues to amaze me. He’s in his 70’s and has shown no signs of slowing down (mentally). As I get older, I realize more and more that I know less and less. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-smarter-than-you/629892/15 "2012-07-31T15:31:31Z")
Architects, engineers, people who build stuff. I’m constantly in awe of people who can figure out complex stuff like building an entire house, when I couldn’t even construct a birdbox. ---
**Author:** ![grama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@grama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grama)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-smarter-than-you/629892/16 "2012-07-31T17:01:19Z")
A lot of people, obviously, but people I know personally?. I had a friend that was way, way smarter than me, by far, but the rest of the people?, I don’t know, I have a HUGE superiority complex. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-smarter-than-you/629892/17 "2012-07-31T17:04:13Z")
Cecil Adams. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-smarter-than-you/629892/18 "2012-07-31T17:20:10Z")
Nobody is smarter than I am. However, there are many people who are more intelligent, more creative, more clever, more productive, make better decisions, better focused, and know way more shit than I do. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-smarter-than-you/629892/19 "2012-07-31T17:26:47Z")
The average bear. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-smarter-than-you/629892/20 "2012-07-31T18:09:23Z")
The below-average bear. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-smarter-than-you/629892.md?page=2)