Intelligence

[Boo Radley]

Are some people born more intelligent than others?
Can parents have a factor on their child's intelligence?
Is there a relationship between knowledge and intelligence?
How do you become more intelligent?
At what point do you give up?

[Julie Andrews]

I think it's all a matter of interest in the subject and aptitude in it. I think we all start off with this natural curiosity in just about everything, but then we get streamlined into this 'academic' way of thinking and measuring intelligence based on that. However, even though I may do really well at academic subjects I have real problems with maps, directions, longitude and lattitude and anything having to do with geography.

Someone else may be able to glance at a map and know exactly what it's saying or just hear an intersection and can find where they are going with no problems. That same person may not be able to do well in an academic test... but in my mind they are brilliant!

Parents have a big role to play in their children's intelligence... there is an interplay of nature vs. nurture. Naturally we are all inquisitive... parents can either encourage it or quash it. If the parent shows an interest in the child's interests it goes SO FAR in encouraging them. Say for example your child loves robots, helping him or her to build one can be so educational and also help build a solid relationship with the child. Major confidence booster there with that one act.

There is some sort of relationship between knowledge and intelligence, but they are not one in the same. I've met alot of 'geniuses' (what's the plural of genius??) that can reel off fact after fact but have no clue how to work it into a conversation or how to apply that knowledge to real life. In fact intelligence, common sense and being able to socialize well with others are such different skillsets that it's really hard finding people with a nice blend of all 3.