To want to know how to become more intelligent?

[ethelfleda]

This question probably makes me sound stupid to begin with!
But I revere intelligence! I’m always incredibly impressed with intelligence in other people and it’d be more important to me than improving my looks, for example. I see so many posts by intelligent women on here.
I didn’t go to university. I didn’t even stay on to complete A-Levels - something I feel a little ashamed of at times. I can’t really go back and study at this point in my life. So what small things can you recommend I do to increase my intelligence?
Please be kind to this thicko

I love radio 4 mullet

It’s the language as well - you can already tell the difference between and and others posting on this thread. I love language but don’t seem to know how to use it effectively.

It sounds like what you are looking for is Critical thinking.

This is not something which is readily taught. And I’m sure DDIJ’s experience is common. In fact the UK’s education system has historically been good in patches for this, compared to other countries.

I do not consider myself intelligent academically, (but i’m Not interested in academia) I am surprised to hear people saying that intelligence can’t be developed. Has anybody got any interesting links which discuss this?

If its the way intelligent people deliver their knowledge instead of what they know that you're impressed by, it sounds like you want to be more quick witted/better at public speaking.

Bit of an unorthodox suggestion but have you considered improv comedy? Amateur groups are generally very accepting to beginners.

Read books. Not magazines, not social media, proper books, fiction or non-fiction, something every day.

I'd recommend podcasts too. Two that I've really enjoyed are the History of the world in 100 objects and In our time, both on the BBC.

To become a critical thinker, I think it is necessary to develop questioning skills. When you read, do you pick holes in the argument? Do you ask questions?

Gaaaa, in our time does my head in. Melvyn whatsisname rushes the guests so much. He is knowledgeable, and seems to assume everyone has the same level of background knowledge that he does, and rushes the guests past anything he isn’t interested in exploring. What arrogance. I consider him to be unintelligent.
Try thinking aloud with Laurie Taylor. He models a questioning approach to a wide range of topics.

Intelligence isn’t about knowing lots of facts, it’s about being able to discern which are the relevant facts, and ask questions to fill in the gaps. In my opinion.

I think reading more news is a good idea. I don’t use Facebook and I only use instagram occasionally (but do follow art history accounts etc) I spend far too much time on MN.
I would be a natural guardian reader I guess, but I don’t like the thought of being stuck in an echo chamber. One good thing I think about myself is that I am open minded and will change my view on something if I read a well reasoned argument for it. Or maybe that’s a bad thing?

Thank you for your suggestions!

I’ve just completed a masters course. The Professors were all terrifically intelligent. Some of them can thrill you with their subject so that you’d be happy listening to them all day. Others, equally intelligent, make you lose the will to live within 10 minutes. Constructing an argument and conveying your knowledge is a separate skill from subject expertise.

Thistly thinking allowed is one of my favourite features on radio 4 but some weeks, I find it hard to keep up with him/his guests
I also like more or less!

Someone said upthread about some intelligent people they know also being arrogant with it - I don’t believe these people are all that intelligent, tbh. Emotional intelligence is just as important as cognitive intelligence imo.
I mean, how stupid must you have to be to possess all this knowledge but use it to beat other people over the head with, rather than sharing it. Or even being willing to concede that you might be wrong about something.
One guy I used to work with thought himself every clever. But then he also said that once he had formed a view on something, he would never change it. To me, that is a huge contradiction.

I drive lot for work and listen to R4 when I am driving. I come across all sorts of interesting and thought provoking programmes on there, on topics I would never normally think to think about.

I am educated (post grad) and reasonably intelligent, but not firey bright, with super quick fire ideaas and opinions. I find that being informed and listening to debate (on anything really!) makes me better at critical thinking.

Very clever! I meant!

Try 'Escape Rooms'. Really tests your intelligence on the spot!

Look up an app called Peak. I love it. A little bit of brain exercise every day.

There's a site called Kialo that aims to create a helpful space for debating, discussion and critical thinking. Could be worth signing up for that and joining in with some of the discussions!

@DDIJ your dad is cruel to say that to you and clearly not very emotionally intelligent himself.
I have worked and studied with lots of intelligent people, some are complete idiots they have no common sense, others are arseholes. I believe human connection and emotional IQ are the most important skill anything else you can get from other people but if you want to have a happy life full of laughter it's about connecting with other people.

Also we all have our strengths and weaknesses I use my strengths and find solutions for my weaknesses. I'm dyslexic and for a course 5 years ago had an updated test it showed I'm really linguistically intelligent but have the short term and auditory memory of a goldfish no offense to any Goldfish reading this

I just returned to this thread to add a thought and have seen your updates OP. No word of a lie - you sounds very intelligent according to my understanding. I think the ability to listen critically and evolve your views is key. You don't want an echo chamber. Listen to yourself and look at your actions. Are they the actions and words of an intelligent person? I would suggest they are.

It's taken me years to value my intelligence and not view it as flaky. Our world seems to elevate those with passionate, fixed views and dismiss or ridicule those who can listen and empathise and so shift their thoughts on a matter or respectfully disagree.

I agree with those suggest learning more about critical thinking skills and practical philosophy. These might help you see and value the skills you already have

I think you're being hard on yourself, you clearly love learning and I don't see the difference you see between your posts and those of other posters on the thread.

Why not continue to do what you love?

The only thing I'd suggest is that it sounds to me more like you'd like to learn to debate than to increase your intelligence so perhaps that's something worth looking into? You could try find debates to watch in a subject you know about or look for courses.

Read read read!
Read the a level textbooks for a few subjects.
Do an open uni course.
Watch educational YouTube videos.
Watch ted talks.
Read the non fiction bestsellers (non celebrity)
Read broadsheets.
Read political magazines eg economist/ spectator/ prospect.
Read other mags like national geographic or history/ other obscure ones.
Buy an atlas and encyclopaedia and read both cover to cover.

When reading a book by someone who likes to use lots of big fancy words (eg Steven pinker) keep a notebook to hand and write down any words you don’t know the meaning of or don’t use a lot and keep this book with the dictionary definition somewhere you can reread it regularly.

Write letters- it’s a good way of practicing your writing and thinking skills.

Keep up to date with what’s happening politically - nationally and locally. ie read consultation documents and respond to them, start/ respond to petitions

Watch documentaries eg look up the big list on iplayer or their content on bbc4. I really like their archive films.

Go to charity shops in upmarket/ trendy areas or next to a uni. Have a browse through the different non fiction and academic subjects.

For history it can be easier to start with historical biographies rather than straight history books.

If you are thinking of reading literature then I’d recommend getting the study guides to go with the book or get some general books on literary criticism.

Or you could cheat and get a book of summaries of all the best known novels etc!

I don't think intelligence is all it's cracked up to be! Curiosity and wisdom are more important. Curiosity will fire you up to try to understand and keep going until you do. An interested person is an interesting person. (And you sound like an interested person!) Wisdom comes with accumulated experiences and is hard to avoid unless you are very resistant to the lessons life teaches you.

There's nothing magical about universities and the people that get to go there. Some of those people are very clever in a book-learning sense but may not necessarily be rewarding company.

It’s never to late to study and learn. There are octogenarians who have completed degrees.
Reading things that are challenging and which you would maybe not usually read - join a book club to discuss what you’ve read and start developing your critical thinking skills.
Read a broadsheet a few times a week and where you don’t know much about a topic that interests you, do a little research until you understand more. So at the moment it’s Hunt or Johnson for PM. What do you really know about their political careers, their beliefs and likely policy direction?
Radio four definitely.
Learn a language. Start with duolingo but then move on to something like a DK course - French in Fifteen minutes a day or go to local classes.
Visit art galleries occasionally. If there’s a new exhibition near you, perhaps. Research the collection beforehand. I knew little of El Greco before my daughter decided she wanted to study Spanish not medicine. A day in London was lovely and informative/eye opening. Seeing some famous works through fresh and honest eyes was fascinating. I’ve never known anyone look at a Rembrandt and declare it not very good.
Sign up for an A level in a subject that interests you - or another vocational type course (bookkeeping, counselling, coaching, teaching yoga, jewellery making). It’s fun and you won’t be the oldest. I’m doing cake decorating and icing flower making at the moment. Take a friend and make it sociable.

What kind of things impress you? It's great to have a knowledge of history and science - but do you wish to be intelligent or interesting? Do you mean for stimulating conversation or do to show off fun facts?

If you find yourself developing a fixed view on something then look at it critically. A few years ago I did a course on modern art, mainly with a load of post A level students who were working on their art school portfolio, because I had “views” about modern art. It really challenged me to look at things from a different perspective. Some of their ideas were so different and perceptive.