Is intellect a gift or curse?

Because he's an idiot.

 

I'd say it's a gift and a curse.

 

I don't see intellect as a curse just because there are certain thoughts and realities that only stress the mind. We will a die, no matter what. Acceptance of the thoughts that you cannot change is the only solution. I don't know about you but I would take intellect over instinct any day.

 

The only way 'out' is up...not ignorance.

 

I think it depends on the way you look at it. It's a gift to use your intellect to develop your own theories about life. It's a curse when you realize that after this life, there probably isn't anything else but darkness.

 

look, i've been there. all i can give is my experience. read my first post and i'll add to that. i know what you mean about seeing things as they "really" are and it can be a real downer (e.g. death of god for some).

but what does seeing things as the "really" are actually mean? i'm thinking you're at the stage in life where you need to start letting your creative side out. we are social and creative beings. perhaps your intellect is bogging you down a bit. perhaps you just need some fresh air or a night at the club. some of the best remedies are completely natural, whether society accepts them or not.

some good advice from a buddy of mine: when forced to make a life decision, choose either one way or the other way, either way you'll regret it. do what you gotta do to be you.

 

The more good you have, the more bad you have to face, so think of the good and the bad as one.

If you're worried about death try taking extra precautions in life, you will appreciate it..

I think a balance of passive awareness is nice.

 

oooooooooh! you really know how to turn a guy on! will you marry me? LOL
[qote]There's as much good as bad, depending on your perception. [/quote]really there's a lot more good in the world, especially in other countries that don't have their "you can't do this to me! i'm an american!" heads up their proctology zones, but if you run across 1,000 nice people in a day, you're only going to remember the one sphincter.

outside of human nature which pretty much disgusts me as everyone tends to listen to the poop flinger with the loudest mouth over the do gooder trying to steer everyone towards doing the right thing, but you bring up a good point that has science to back it up. sometimes, stupidity is a CHOICE if your thinking style is rooted in fear, or the reptilian brain. being intelligent means you're much more open to new things and i share that same fascination with the unknown. other cultures don't scare me as much as my own one does really. i've learned from experience, if you're down on your luck and need to panhandle for gas money, you'll get kicked out of a yuppie store when some uppity beemer driving wench starts and argument with you and calls security, but you'll get a $5 bill from the first mexican old lady at the same store in her neighborhood, and she'll refuse to lower the amount or let you repay her.

here's the science behind why republicans are militantly ignorant aholes:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/376166/brain_differences_found_between_democrats.html
not that they trust science. it's just a big conspiracy to make them look stupid and take their guns & SUVs away from them and make their children marry black homosexuals, practice witchcraft (wasn't that literal witch that won an election a republican? oh the irony on that!) and go on welfare.

 

The only reason why this question is asked by OP because higher level of intelligence/self-awareness, whatever it may be that he meant, makes one realize how shitty reality is. I mean, not to be a pessimist, but we're here for a finite amount of time, with no real goal, and we have to deal with survival and oppression, with no input as to whether we wanted to be born or not. We are launched into this situation, and to those who realize just what that situation is, they ask this question.

With that said, it's definitely a gift.

 

oh, aren't the blindly optimistic and their "this isn't happening! this isn't happening!" crap annoying?

this crap IS happening and will keep on happening as long as you're in freakin' denial.

 

It's a curse if you can't control your emotions; or rather if you let them control you.

 

EVERYONE except the autistic maybe are ruled by their emotions to some degree even if they lean more towards logical detachment. maybe then you don't make your decisions based on emotions, but put up with the crap from people that do creates it's own set of emotions, namely impatience.

 

I don't believe that there is really a black or white in this situation, more of a grey area. There are different levels of intellect for a variety of subjects, each with a benefit and cons. Nowadays for society as a whole, it does seem to manifest itself as a curse, since nowadays idiocy is all too often rewarded and ignorance is encouraged. Unsatisfying as it is to be in such a dull physical world, however, internally intellect becomes a grace. Personal enlightenment / discovery is a gift of its own nature.

 

there aren't just different levels of intellect, but different STYLES too. i'm name & number dyslexic with an aversion to abstraction but can connect seemingly unrelated objects with ease to improvise solutions that elude others where i can't remember a name or date for more than 10 seconds. social studies drove me nuts because tests only asked the statistical questions of who, where and when but NEVER the why and underlying form of what actually freakin' happened.

there are something like 8 distinct thinking styles. someone can be a genius in one area, but a complete moron in another.

 

It's a curse.

You ever seen someone with down syndrome sad?

No, they are the happiest motherfuckers ever.

 

I've seen some look sad. Or scared...

 

generally, ignorance is bliss, but you've never seen someone with down's syndrome angry have you? you'd be surprised at how vicious their tempers can get, even over stupid stuff like bumping into them trying to walk by them on a bus. i think a part of that person's issue though was a general hatred of whites, but dude was one angry person.

 

This is where "Ignorance is bliss" came from. If you're not smart, you don't focus on the negatives.