Signs Of Intelligence

“The sign of intelligent people is their ability to control emotions by the application of reason.”

-Marya Mannes

 

With all due respect, the world is full of ignorant people.  If there was ever any doubt, the Internet has brought this to light.  Everyone and their brother has an opinion about everything and most of these opinions are not based on facts, logic, or intellectual discernment.  Those with the loudest voices seem to be mostly driven by their emotions.  Emotions are not a bad thing.  Emotions at their best evolve into passion.  Passion at its best is the fuel for positive change.  Emotions and passion need to be guided by the intellect.  Emotions and passion need to be balanced with reason.  An intelligent person can listen to an opposing view and not feel threatened.  An intelligent person does not need to shout.  An intelligent person’s first response is not fear or anger.  An intelligent person listens deeply before forming their response and their response is based on logic or experience.  The current political season is an example of people unable to control their emotions.  It is also an example of people using emotions to prey on people’s fears.  Everyone thinks their point of view is the only correct way to think.  It is the same old problem with dualistic thinking.  It’s the belief that it has to be one way of thinking or the other, i.e., the Democratic point of view or the Republican point of view.  All of these supposedly intelligent leaders and few of them can see things in a non-dualistic way.  Why can’t we take the best of each point of view?  Emotions need to be controlled with the application of reason but also by the willingness to see both sides of an issue and be willing to meet in the middle.  This is called compromise.  It seems to be a lost art in today’s political arena.