Intelligence vs Happiness

[YT2095]

Nunbers Mine.

klinka

1) If I take a big dose of heroine, I will be VERY happy.

2) Is that meaningful?

 

1] no, Dead people feel nothing.

2] yes, it demonstrates CNS depression quite nicely.

[Riogho]

I'm the smartest person in the world.

 

I have a really hot girlfriend.

 

Therefore I am very happy.

[SH3RL0CK]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flowers_for_algernon

[Mr Rayon]

I remember watching an episode of "The Simpsons" that briefly discussed the issue of the decline in happiness as intelligence rises. If my memory serves me well, Homer had a crayon lodged in his brain and when this was taken out, his intelligence and knowledge of things increased. However, after he increased his IQ, he fails to socialize with others and as a result becomes almost depressed. His daughter, Lisa, shows him a graph she had made showing the correlation between the decline of happiness as intelligence rises. This causes Homer to have someone put the crayon back in his brain. As a result his IQ and knowledge of things decreased back to normal (whatever that means).

 

Many of our most well-known geniuses were not very happy and over-looking many other relavant factors I can say with confidence that it was probably this that made them what they are.

[scilearner]

There are 2 types of intelligence I suppose

 

1. Just academic stuff

2. Understanding life

 

I think number 2 would have a positive effect on number 1 and make you happy but not vise vera. I'm very bad at both but I'm quite happy I think I'm bit below average and happy however I love spending time on forum and improving my intelligence.

[bontybahr]

I don't think you can conclude based on a web survey... obviously most people here are "above average"

[UC]

This whole thread and nobody has linked this paper yet? http://gagne.homedns.org/~tgagne/contrib/unskilled.html

[Genecks]

I think once a person reaches a level of intelligence, he/she becomes so smart that emotions, such as happiness, are not of great importance. Also, as I become more intelligent, I start to see the world and reality for what it really is and is not. I'm skeptical about a lot of things, but I appreciate that I can be skeptical.

 

Enhanced knowledge of the world (brought forth via wisdom/experience or academic learnings, such as studying sociology) can help bring stability to a person's life. I think a lot of Buddhists will push the idea that being stable is more important than being happy.

[StringJunky]

I think once a person reaches a level of intelligence, he/she becomes so smart that emotions, such as happiness, are not of great importance. Also, as I become more intelligent, I start to see the world and reality for what it really is and is not. I'm skeptical about a lot of things, but I appreciate that I can be skeptical.

 

Enhanced knowledge of the world (brought forth via wisdom/experience or academic learnings, such as studying sociology) can help bring stability to a person's life. I think a lot of Buddhists will push the idea that being stable is more important than being happy.

 

I think happiness is a state of mild exhilaration that is not sustainable and ultimately leads to the opposite negative emotional state...see-sawing between the two through constantly striving for this happy state is not good for one long term. Happiness, ironically, is indicative of a lack of emotional balance! It's a nice state to be in but in my opinion our bodies can't sustain it biochemically for too long.

 

Serenity is a much more desirable state to aspire to long term IMO... a disposition free from stress or emotion.

 

I agree with the Buddhist viewpoint regarding the desirability of balance. It's sustainable.

Edited April 13, 2010 by StringJunky