Long term relationship with someone less intelligent?

Former Member

I like to think of myself as a renaissance man...

Former Member

Are people confusing education and ambition with general brightness?

I wouldn't care if my boyfriend had no A grades, but I think it's vital that you can have an interesting, challenging conversation with your other half, and that you can understand each other, and most importantly that your relationship is equal.

An unequal relationship will never work, whether you're measuring equality by intelligence, attachment or anything else. One would get bored and the other would feel inadequate.

Former Member

ShyBoy wrote: »

Don't you think it's shallow though to judge people on whether they've gone to University or not, and prefer them?

I mean, it's not unusual, 'studies have shown' that women tend to go for smarter / more successful men - it's just plain more attractive.

But I've travelled a little bit and found people with more interesting opinions than people at Uni who read something in a book and don't question it, but rather relish the opportunity to smite others with their 'superior intellect'.

The odd thing is most people I meet at uni don't tend to be (as) judgemental but there seems to be a common link in this thread about academics saying they would actively prefer people they data to have more intelligence / go to university, and even an underlying implication that those who haven't gone to university somehow don't want to learn / aren't capable.

Everyone's entitled to their tastes though, whether it's for tall, slim, intelligent, charismatic or worldly.

I think I agree most with Briggi. Education doesn't make you automatically better, it's what you do with it.

you have to take the "academic people are more intelligent"-statement with a grain of salt. Man, looking at the economy university here in vienna, there is a high density of absolut airheads and dipshits.

It's just a trend, that people who are aspiring higher education, are more interested in learning, broadening their horizont and have an opinion and can defend it cleverly in an argument, for example.
a trend, not a law.

Doesn't mean tho, that they are empathic, socially compatible, practically intelligent (like too dumb to spread butter on a bread), or not just annoying know-it-alls.

Like everything else in this world, it's just a stereotype. But you know, if someone asked me to find such a person, I'd start to look at an university.

Former Member

emilythestrange wrote: »

Are people confusing education and ambition with general brightness?

Possibly, although the two often come coupled. The trouble with a lot of students these days is that they have learning without comprehension. I really can't deal with people who have an intellectual capacity for facts, but none for logic. That's why I hate it when people get taught how to pass exams. It's educating them with what they need to know, but not giving them the skills to effectively expand that knowledge and apply that elsewhere.

That's why Socrates is an inspiration. Whenever I am in a position to impart knowledge, I insist on using the Socratic Method. It not only teaches people what they need to know, it teaches thought process too.

Skive

emilythestrange wrote: »

Are people confusing education and ambition with general brightness?

I wouldn't care if my boyfriend had no A grades, but I think it's vital that you can have an interesting, challenging conversation with your other half, and that you can understand each other, and most importantly that your relationship is equal.

:yes: Infact highly educated woman are a bit of a turn off for me, though I like a girls who's bright and sharp.

And there are other attributes that matter more to me, such as passion, dedication and a nice arse.

Former Member

People are confusing intelligence with education. I've got more qualifications than my other half but we're both of similar intelligence and often discuss and debate with each other. The great thing is our knowledge is in different areas so we constantly teach each other new things.

But I couldn't have a relationship with someone who couldn't hold an intellectual conversation, I'd be bored. Whether they'd dropped out of school or been to uni.