Why Geniuses Don't Make Money

[Terry]

I suggest that there just isn’t a correlation between intelligence and a desire to make money.

I suggest that anyone even approaching normal intelligence who has the desire and who is willing to do what is necessary can get rich.

A side note: I don’t know if this is still the case but at the time I was looking for a “career” (30 or so years ago), the big corporations specifically did not want people with very high IQs, except for those directly involved in scientific endeavors. 120 was about the cap for general business related jobs. The thinking was that smart people tend to rock the boat.

[MicroBob]

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there just isn’t a correlation between intelligence and a desire to make money.

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In other words: IQ is not the same as motivation/desire.



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The thinking was that smart people tend to rock the boat.

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Agreed.

But the truly smart people are smart enough to keep their opinions to themselves and NOT rock the boat.


Or if they have an idea that is truly worth implementing they will be smart enough to bring it up at the appropriate time when it is most likely to received positively.


This approaches different levels of intelligence. People skills don't necessarily correlate to IQ.


Stupid people with strong people-skills can go further than smart people with poor people skills.

[Terry]

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But the truly smart people are smart enough to keep their opinions to themselves and NOT rock the boat.

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Firmly disagree. Politicians and ass kissers, yes – but not necessarily smart people – because –

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People skills don't necessarily correlate to IQ.

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In fact, there is some evidence that the correlation is inverse.

And don’t forget, when it comes to getting a job, if your are obviously much smarter than your boss-to-be he is much more likely to fear you than to hire you.

[tek]

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A side note: I don’t know if this is still the case but at the time I was looking for a “career” (30 or so years ago), the big corporations specifically did not want people with very high IQs, except for those directly involved in scientific endeavors. 120 was about the cap for general business related jobs. The thinking was that smart people tend to rock the boat.

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How exactly did they determine your IQ in those days? Did they infer it from speaking to you as David Sklansky has (seriously) stated he is able to do?

[Terry]

The applicant was given a battery of tests to determine IQ, aptitude, personality type, psychological fitness, etc.

I’m not familiar with Sklansky’s claim but I see no reason to doubt it. Vocabulary and sentence structure themselves are very good indicators of intelligence. Add in a few intentionally probing questions and, well, even people who are not very bright tend to eventually realize that a smart person is smart.

[Kaz The Original]

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Vocabulary and sentence structure themselves are very good indicators of intelligence.

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This is very incorrect.

[Terry]

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This is very incorrect.

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That’s a very convincing argument – as well as, perhaps, evidence as to which of us is right.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

Bill Gates made his money because he knew how to read a contract. When IBM first approached him to license his operating system, he read the agreement and noticed there was nothing barring him from selling his OS the other computer companies. He asked them about this. IBM, in their arrogance, basically answered his question "other computer companies??? Bwah-ha-ha-ha, that's the funniest thing weve ever heard." The rest, as they say, is history.

Is Gates a genius? Someone (Edison, maybe?) once said genius was 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration. Gates was notoious for his inhuman work schedule. I've heard it said that a typical work "day" for Gates was, arrive at work 7 AM Monday and leave, 11 PM Wednesday.

[MicroBob]

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if your are obviously much smarter than your boss-to-be he is much more likely to fear you than to hire you.

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exactly....so the TRULY smart ones should be better able to 'tone it down' when it matter instead of coming off as being 'too' smart.

[Terry]

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People skills don't necessarily correlate to IQ.

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