If you are speaking about raw intellect? Then I look at it as challenge and an opportunity to learn from them. However as some of indicated already, there are different degrees of "smart." The ability to grow and learn is an aspect of smart, people who stubbornly keep making the same mistakes over and over again, and are incapable of, or are to stubborn to learn, are lacking in smart behavior.

Not all intelligent people are socially inept! I have met many many people that are highly intelligent and far more socially mature than most people of average intelligence. I just don't find that to be true at all except in the case of people who have a level of extremely high intelligence. I worked in sales for years and they teach you phsycology and social skills in sales training. Some people of average intelligence will consider themselves having common sense and good social skills but i never seen it! Some people consider social skills as knowing which band has the recent hit record and so on, That's not social skills but it helps you be more involved! Women are intimidated by intelligence in most cases and so are men! I dated a woman that was extremely intelligent and I loved that about her! It is very hard to find someone of high intelligence and frustrating searching for it. There are so many levels of inteligence, but the thing i find most attractive about intelligent people is they tend to be more intellectually honest because they can challenge with their own thoughts and do not need a script. I love to debate issues and hear others brilliance!

That's why I put "smart" in quotes. There are different kinds and some of it is subjective.

I am one of those people who doesn't know a whole lot about any one particular area. But I know a lot of miscellaneous crap.

I am pretty good a conceptualization ( my boss calls it my ability to ' think around corners ' ) but when it comes to math or working on something like studying for the tests to get an electrician apprenticeship, I might as well be trying to read Martian. I just can't manage to grasp it.

I have been in MANY situations where I have been interested in someone, talked to them for a bit, and here something along the lines of " You are just too smart for me ". Usually because I actually know things when they ask questions.

I have also been told ( by someone that I was dating ) that, even though they thought me being intelligent was a good thing for a little while, they found that they just couldn't keep up with the way I think.

* shrug *

I can't relate to most of the world. I'm basically a shut-in.

Women have a stronger IQ in language and arts! Men are stronger in science and mathmatics. Women are socially more inept than men and men and more mechanically inclined. Each level of intelligence is used in different areas of the brain and the brain works very much like a muscle except that lack of usage young will create a defeciency. A well rounded intelligence comes from exploring all areas if you have the capacity. I will admit i lack language! Usually people lack something but some have it all!

Maybe you could win some money on Jeopardy.

Define intelligence for me?

Define smart for me?

Smart by who's standards?

The average joe blow? or the people in Mensa?

Smart in what areas?

Book smart?

Mechanically smart?

Street smart?

Nahhhh.

But I was pretty good at knowing the answers on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. LOL

Maybe just highly intelligent?

That's sweet. Ya' just made me smile.

No thanks. That's why I put this in the "Dating and Relationships" forum and not "Science and Philosophy".

It actually has been pretty well defined except that broadening types of intelligence is infinity! As the world invents and creates new types of intelligence develop and it's an endless proccess. For example music and arts or electronics. Like I said before the human brain is like a muscle, except it has an age of maturity when higher learning is somewhat unacheivable if you haven't used it. Someone locked up away from the world that becomes incaple of language is a perfect example.

What I think you have to watch out for, is someone who SEEMS smart, only because they are either very oblique in their communication style (speaking in generalities when specifics are in order), or who continually claims you aren't understanding them.

Sometimes I feel out of the loop with someone, and I figure out later that it wasn't that I was missing what they were about, it's that they weren't interested in including me in their lives enough to connect with me.

Sounds like Obama!

you mean there is someone out there smarter than me

There are a lot of people smarter than me and it doesn't bother me one bit. On the contrary, I make it a point to learn from everyone and everything.

I'm tryin' to rock the smart/stupid hybrid. How am I doin'?