Why I am a Neanderthal and Paris Hilton isn't

[chickenfeet]

I have long been convinced that there is no real advantage, evolutionary or otherwise, in being highly intelligent. Certainly it pales into insignificance compared to a real talent for ass licking or being vacuously decorative. This article in The Scotsman (of all places) seems to confirm it.

I need a neanderthal icon.

Comments

[badasstronaut.livejournal.com]

Are you saying you're a superbrain?

[chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com]

Compared to the average cabinet minister or CEO, yes. Admittedly that's not a very high benchmark.

[a-d-medievalist.livejournal.com]

Unless it's less about being smart and more about being nice. In which case, you still win, I'm guessing.

[chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com]

"Being nice" implies, to me at least, a degree of disinterestedness whereas this sounds a lot more like "networking".

[a-d-medievalist.livejournal.com]

Yeah ... I guess that my deal is that I'm a natural networker. Or so I've been told. I loathe people who play politics and network consciously, and distrust people like that. Still, I've somehow managed to connect with many of the 'right people' wherever I am -- and especially in academic circles. And since I'm not particularly gorgeous (striking, perhaps, but I've got a beaky nose and teeth I hate) I'm guessing that my looks have little to do with it. Since I don't actually approach people unless I have a real question or comment, I can only chalk up the successful networking to the fact that I'm fairly intelligent and nice, because I just don't have time to kiss people's bums.

[blonde222.livejournal.com]

Robbie Savage?

Vinnie Jones?

[chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com]

Australopithicenes won't do

[oakenguy.livejournal.com]

Well.....reading between the lines (always fun), it also sounds like a huge advantage came from travelling widely and being open-minded about other cultures. Which would put you back on the evolutionary cutting edge.

[shezan.livejournal.com]

You mean clubbing will get you higher on the evolutionary pole?

[frankie-ecap.livejournal.com]

there is no real advantage, evolutionary or otherwise, in being highly intelligent.

Word.

[rhythmaning.livejournal.com]

Doh!

[dyddgu.livejournal.com]

knirirr and I were talking about this in re: the whole Wayne Rooney £700K gambling debts thing. Chap on the news said "and that's almost six months' salary for him" and we thought "gods, our hearts bleed." All of my family are cursed with talents for generally fairly intellectual things which have rubbish rates of pay, and it sucks.

[rhythmaning.livejournal.com]

But probably better pay than many other people? Well, I hope so!

[dyddgu.livejournal.com]

Depressingly, I could probably earn more flipping burgers than I do as a library assistant. knirirr is on way lower than the average given his level of education, too. Though he at least is earning enough to pay off his student loan...