We are seeing a more and more of the I am smarter then you BS and he is a stupid sob but I would like to know how you define smart.

Personally it does not matter if I agree with the person I am more interested in if the person can teach me something, if you do nothing but associate with people you agree with you will likely surround yourself with like minded morons.

My wifes grandfather is one of the smartest people I have ever met he was a glider pilot in WWII and his picture was on the front page of the Wall Street Journal when he retired. One thing that I have learned from him is the only people he called an idiot was someone that thought they knew it all.

From my experience, the "smartest" people I met, felt humbled by the vast untapped mysteries of the universe yet to be learned, and therefore, kept that statement as far from their lips as possible.

Same went for anyone extremely accomplished in their respected craft.

Those folks I've met that felt any need to "toot their own horn" about their respective prowess, pretty much didn't deserve the credit they gave themselves.

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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car

The older I become the more I understand my Grandfather's injunction to"keep your eyes and ears open and your Goddam mouth shut".

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I worked with a guy once back in the early 70s who'd been one of those glider pilots. I said something like, "I'll bet that was cool!" He said (roughly), "Are you kidding? Those damn things sank like a rock."

I read conservative columnists I don't always agree with because I think singing with only your own choir is a sure ticket to mediocrity. You raise some good points. Jesus' thing about judgement is right on, IMHO: "...and whatever measure ye mete out, shall be meted unto you..."

I think flexibility is key and an ability to look closely and possibly forsake long held security-blanket-type opinions. One thing you hear from the bio-world is that organisms that can adapt best to changing circumstances are the organisms most likely to survive.

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Te futueo et caballum tuum

1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

Intelligence comes in many different forms. I know musicians who I consider geniuses but who are really not safe when they go outside on their own.

Creativity and imagination are admirable qualities.

There are a lot of really smart people who get trapped into marketing and propaganda hype and logical fallacies and who don't really use much of their intelligence. I admire people who try to think for themselves even though they may not have as much intellectual horsepower; they use more of what they have.

understanding what you know and dont know seems like a good quality.

so by that definition i know a lot of folks who are very smart even though they might not score very high on a standardized test.

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Yup.

Take the cotton out of your ears and put it in your mouth.

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1994 C 280 117.5k, White (Good as new)
1997 Toyota Camry 149k Miles (Not so pretty anymore)

1990 190e 2.6 95k (Sold-Should not have)
1981 240d Stick ??? Miles...sold

Wayyy true.

Someone who is smart ,doesn't act arrogant and self absorbed about being a recepticle of vast amounts of knowledge. all their brain cells are firing in the correct order...

Unlike the nice, feelgood people, I define someone as smart when they can solve problems in their field. Wanna claim you are a smart mechanic? Fine. Lets see your record. Lets see what complex issues you diagnose and fix. You are an arrogant SOB? No problem. Results speak. Typical example is like the show House. He is the worst doctor a patient can have as far as bedside manner. He does have results so if I had someone like that and their results are not exceeded by their cost and they can solve more complex issues than the average, works for me.

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01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

"Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt."
-Abraham Lincoln
16th president of US (1809 - 1865)

Able to hold unresolved problems in the mind and mentally attack the problems with increasingly novel solutions until a reasonable alternative presents itself. Yet able to live with the realization that some problems maybe insoluble.

Those with an open mind towards new ideas, who are always willing to listen regardless of how "out there" the idea or statement may seem to be. I agree with t_walgamuth though. I had a history teacher who said "It's not what you know, but how much you know about what you know" Almost a Yogism, but I understood. Never said he was an English teacher

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http://www.betten.mercedescenter.com...n_banner_1.jpg
1976 300D
190,000 Miles
Colorado Beige

1975 300D
Parts Car
78,000 Miles
Rustbucket
Also Colorado Beige

1984 190D 2.2 (Dad's)
156,000 miles
Champagne Metallic Clearcoat

For "Father's Day" here is what my father in law remembers about his father's wisdom as spoken to him:

"Son, your father is not half the father my father was."

Memory retention, problem solving, and the application of wisdom... There's lots of kinds of smart, but the kind that matters most concerns the establishment and attainment of goals.