Intelligence

What does it mean to be intelligent?
Is it the grade at the top of a test, the mark at which you measure yourself,
The goal at which you strive to succeed?

Is it an achievement in itself or a means to an end?
Is it a promise?
Or a threat?

Is it knowing if something is bad, if it's wrong, knowing when to STOP.
knowing when to put down the phone.
Put down the knife.
Knowing not to do what you so desperately think you want to.

Is it cautiousness? Anxiousness? Looking over your shoulder pretending your not scared?
Is it the careful calculations you make in your head before taking the plunge and seeing
A friend?
Or is it the careless calculations you struggle and forget in math class?

Is it a wisdom?
A degree?
A single copy and pasted text via email of a mark for an essay you'll forget about anyway.

Is intelligence maturity?
An emotional awareness of those around you?
Is it uncaring? Being smart enough to know not to look when they look at you,
Not to answer back
To just sit still and

Shut up.

Is intelligence real? Does it exist?
Or is it just us trying to convince ourselves that we are smart.

Smart, because if we're smart it means we're better than everyone else.
They drill it into you..
Top set, best marks, top class, A-stream.
Gifted kid, special Ed, alternative assessments,
Smart... and stupid.

But that does that mean!!!!?
SOMEBODY TELL ME
I WANT to know.

I want to know why, when we're children were praised for being mature for being smart.
Intelligence, we're proud of it.

But children grow and children change,

Is it arrogance. Is it stupid to feel smart, is it wrong?
Should we just take our participation awards and feel fucking happy about it!!?

Is intelligence the same as talent?
Is it the same as being able to hold a note?
-kick a ball
- read a book
- do a dance.
- entertain us

Show that you are a smart child- a good child.

Work hard, play hard
No
Work hard, work harder

You're not working hard enough
Keep working
Just focus
But remember, don't stress yourself out too much
It's only an exam.

Is it a competition? My parents always told me it was.
"It's always a competition between the bright kids, that's a good thing keeps you motivated"
No mum it keeps me on edge.

Constantly competing- each exam each equation each question,
Is it wrong to be wrong?

To be afraid to put your hand up, to ask for help- to make a mistake?
[Because if you need help your not really smart are you?]

Because you can't be.
"Smart" kids don't need help,
They're smart enough to figure it out by themselves.
"Stupid" kids just need to try harder.
Just need to focus.
Come on, focus.

It doesn't work like that. It's never worked like that.

And then when you need help they seem surprised.

Is that intelligence? The act of surprise.
Is it intelligent to know what's going to happen?
To have so many anxiety fuelled predictions and scenarios playing in your head that honestly?
Nothing would surprise you.

Is it a list of questions and answers? A curiosity? A need to know
An innocence? A want to learn, love of knowledge and urge to explore the world.
Adventure untouched
Untarnished

Or is it facts? Useless, meaningless, annoying info dumping bullshit,
Clogging up your brain cells driving you insane but hey!!
You can quote ShAkEspHeRe

Is it knowing when to leave?

An intelligence that can only come with experience.

Is it the wise old wizard in the movies with long, winding, mystery beard who seems so, so old.
Or is it the rebellious underdog kid, with one life and a knife. And a need to survive.
But a want of death...

What does it mean to be intelligent?
I'm tired of not knowing?
Is it healthy?
Is it good?
Or is it just sad?

Is it an expectation?

Is it a record of mistakes,
Or a book of achievements.

Can it be learned?
Or are you born with it.

My mother taught me: "the bright kids will do well anywhere"
I think she's wrong

The "bright" kids need help.
The gifted kids, destined for oxbridge, told time and again that they will do great things.
Member of every school club
Sold their childhood away for pieces of paper
Pieces of PAPER!!!
Like that will fix the damage already done..

The "stupid" kids need help.
Support for all the times they weren't supported.
A chance to learn the way they needed to not the way they were supposed to.
The non academic kids. The kids who were told that they were dumb.
The kids who were brought down every time they went up.
- who just needed to try
Often teased, bullied, belittled and for what?
PIECES OF FUCKING PAPER.

All kids need help
Deserve help
Deserve to learn the way that fits them, not be confined- trapped, suffocated
In a system designed to only cage them.

So what is intelligence?
I want you to tell me.
I am begging you, I am pleading on my hands and knees,
I am screaming it, till my voice grows horse and face turns red.
I am whispering it, till my voice disappears into the air
Like it never existed in the first place

Intelligence

It has many names:
Intellect
Genius
Smart
Wisdom
Critical thinking
Cleverness
Aptness
Brain power
Natural ability
Perspicacity
Knowledgable

I'm sure there's more,
But Mr Google can only provide so many synonyms when I ask.

I wish I could say in full confidence what intelligence is?
If I could just ask it the questions the way I ask everything else.
I try to ask other people, but they don't get it.
It's feeble to think that writing this down will help
Is that intelligence?
I'm laughing, can you tell?

What is intelligence?

Answer

please..