to want people to realise that theres more to me than my IQ?

[sickoftheholidays]

going to try not to come accross as arrogant here, but I have a high IQ. Great you might think, but I am so heartily sick of everyone assuming that because I am (apparently) very intelligent, that to have any job which doesnt really need a high IQ is a waste of my talents?
I mean I have lots of talents, I can dance, I can sing, I am a great mum, hell I'd even go so far as to say I'm attractive (on a good day with make up on)
why cant people see that although I have this gift, that to use my other gifts instead isnt actually a waste?

loving the responses ladies, you have cheered me up.
Edgar - I am blonde. And I have big norks too. I think thats the thing - its my choice to do what I'm doing, and that should be justification enough?

Here.

Should help the swelling.

How do your boss and your vicar know what your iq is?

Well, with regard to "wasting your education", there's always the "Educate a woman, educate the world" line. Meaning that, precisely because we're mothers, no education is ever wasted on us, we pass it on.

That one's going to get trickier to trot out in the whole post-tuition fees hike climate, however.

Btw, my IQ is much lower than most of the people who're doing what I do, and quite often people point that out in a hurtful way - trust me, that is not fun either!

Weeeell, I was always expected to be academic but instead got a fruity little drug habit.

The expectation can be a bit suffocating.

Not doing anything with your "gift" and regretting it is worse though, imo.

OP, if you are happy, what's the problem?

nutmeg -
"In fact, the only time my IQ is mentioned as being high is when I've been by told by family members (OK, parents,) that intelligent women damage their children, and I shouldn't have become a mother."

Well tell them that can't possibly be the case because if they believe that IQ equals intelligence and is a set measurable 'thing' then it must be inborn and must be proof of nature over nurture - which means that you can't possibly damage your children because they can't have it both ways

Do you have your IQ tattooed on your forehead dear?

Read the posts ladies - she doesn't have a t-shirt but she does have a medical degree.

And I have to say, I think I know chaps who have not become the surgeons their parents' wanted, and women who didn't become serious lawyers, who get much the same.

And I suspect it is worse if you have a medicine degree, because you're supposed to be out there, being hero-doc, saving lives, being good, as well as prosperous, and a visible sign of parental success.

Perhaps you could embroider complex maths equations on your muffs

That'll shut them up.

What is your IQ?

More importantly is it higher than mine?

Animula - the OP said she dropped out of medical school (read the posts....)

I do think that quite a lot of people are silly about medics. You do not have to be an uber-super-amazing genius to be a medic. You have to be bright. You also have to have all sorts of other skills than are rare and important, yet little attention seems to be paid to these as far as I've seen.

It is strange, I think.

I dont know how people guess, I have never ever made any reference to it, I got bullied at school for always doing well, and my mother was forever harping on about it, so I
kind of went the opposite way, I mean who actually needs to know? does it have any real relevance in everyday life? not as far as I can see.
actually I was taking the piss about singing and dancing, I have two left feet, and sing like a tone deaf hedgehog, but lots of folk will vouch for me being very handy with the sewing machine!

Zachary - missed that. Well, I'd say that just makes it worse.

I can imagine how her mother introduces her to people ....

But that, of course, is unfair. Perhaps her mother is decent (as we all would be, I hope,) and accepting of her daughter's choices.

Oh believe me everyone realises there's more to me than my IQ (mutters-thank fuck for that)

How where when and why are you people getting your IQ's tested. Repeatedly?

That suggests to me these are not valid tests. Actual IQ test are closed tests which can only be administered by limited professionals and cannot be readministerd within 4yrs. There should be a valid professional reason for testing and not just curiosity.

Having a high IQ and having common sense are two totally different things.

Most employers want common sense, I know that is what I looked for in my employees when I was working.

My son has an IQ of 172 and is a Mensa member, but heck the dude has a sense of humour.

If you want a mundane job that requires less qualifications don't put them on the CV when you apply for the job, downplay your academic side.

smiley, I've not heard of the 4 year restriction?

My IQ has been tested quite often because I'm dyslexic and you need an up-to-date assessment at GCSE, A-level, university and afterwards. It usually includes an IQ test. Given dyslexia is quite common (and I guess plenty of people are tested for it, thus getting the IQ result even if they're not diagnosed with it), why is it surprising that lots of us have had IQ tests?

(Agree about the crappiness of unofficial IQ tests - there's one we loved when we were at university, where virtually everyone got 130-200! )

Tests carried out by schools are usually IQ indictator tests and not the full closed tests

Much misunderstanding about IQ tests IQ scores and what they actually mean or represent exists.

As this thread nicely illustrates.

animula - my mother is not accepting of my choices. She is still (17 years later) harping on about bloody medical school.
She hasnt quite understood that I didnt actually ever want to be a doctor.
Its a standing joke in the family that if you want to get my mum going just mention me leaving medical school. She will be ranting within minutes,

Well I suppose less can be more and a little humility has never gone amiss.

There's more to me than my IQ (in the top 2%), I've got great tits too.