The Era of Women Playing Dumb For Men Has Ended

[MrsSpringsteen]

Guess I'm smart enough not to care that you think that makes me stupid, or that anyone else does either.

[financeguy]

Originally Posted by MrsSpringsteen

Guess I'm smart enough not to care that you think that makes me stupid, or that anyone else does either.

Well done.

[Moonlit_Angel]

Yeah, I don't get into the snobbery thing, either. I can't stand people who feel the need to look down on others because of their taste in pop culture or where they live or how much money they make or whatever. It's really obnoxious and, if a man is acting that way, a definite turn-off for me.

Originally Posted by BonosSaint

I find a lot of women who may not downplay their intelligence deliberately, but don't know how smart they are.

This is very true. Either they're very modest or they don't have people pointing out how smart they really are as often as they should.

Originally Posted by BonosSaint

I don't know a lot of women who overestimate their intelligence, but I know a fair amount of men who overestimate their own intelligence and are apt to demean women's intelligence (and other men's).

Oh, hell, yes.

Originally Posted by BonosSaint

Me, I think's it's nice if I can discuss Thomas Wolfe with somebody, but I can do that. So if I see somebody who has a skill I can't fathom (look at at a complex math problem and understand what it means, let alone solve it, or can fix my car engine or build my house) I'm absolutely respectful.

Agreed on this as well. I firmly believe everyone has something they're particularly good at.

[ladyfreckles]

Originally Posted by BonosSaint

I never played down my intelligence. Never made a big deal of it either. I never confused it with brilliance (allowed myself a brilliant flash now and again ) Didn't want to get married, so that wasn't an issue. Had nobody want to marry me, which was a whole other issue. I get along fine with men and women. I know plenty of people smarter than I am. I know some people not as smart. And I know people who are not as quick as I am, but understand things deeper and much more profoundly. We all have our places, our skills, our talents. I don't demean other people (well,usually. I have my limits) I don't demean myself and I don't let anyone demean me.

Exactly! Intelligence is just like any other skill or trait a person can have. There are many things that make up who someone is and intelligence is never the be-all-end-all of anything. I know so many people who are way smarter than I am and have different talents than me.

I find a lot of women who may not downplay their intelligence deliberately, but don't know how smart they are. I don't know a lot of women who overestimate their intelligence, but I know a fair amount of men who overestimate their own intelligence and are apt to demean women's intelligence (and other men's). Me, I think's it's nice if I can discuss Thomas Wolfe with somebody, but I can do that. So if I see somebody who has a skill I can't fathom (look at at a complex math problem and understand what it means, let alone solve it, or can fix my car engine or build my house) I'm absolutely respectful.

This is exactly how I feel.

There is a time and a place for shallow and play and comic strips.

I think it's important for people to have a balance between intelligent and "shallow" activities. It's important to be silly and have a little fun sometimes.

[anitram]

Originally Posted by ladyfreckles

I think it's important for people to have a balance between intelligent and "shallow" activities. It's important to be silly and have a little fun sometimes.

This.

I can't believe the implication that reading a pop culture blog now and then or picking up a trashy magazine to read when on vacation or a rainy weekend makes women dumb. Hello, we don't all want to come home from a 12-hour work day and read Anna Karenina.

[MrsSpringsteen]

Originally Posted by anitram

Anna Karenina.

Is she one of the new New York real housewives?

I'm going to delete all my books off my Kindle and download only the classics. The only ones I have on it are Little Women and Pride and Prejudice-of course those are just chick books by chicks.

I'm still trying to figure out how I got through two years of college with about a 3.5 GPA and two transfer years with a perfect 4, all the while being so stupid. That was long ago, so maybe I've just become progressively more stupid and vapid. Or I just cheated off some gun totin sex crazed guys.

[corianderstem]

Originally Posted by anitram

Hello, we don't all want to come home from a 12-hour work day and read Anna Karenina.

pfft. That's romantic twaddle.

I come home from a 12-hour work day and read Ulysses.

[purpleoscar]

Originally Posted by corianderstem

pfft. That's romantic twaddle.

I come home from a 12-hour work day and read Ulysses.

Now that's impressive!

[Steved1998]

Originally Posted by MrsSpringsteen

I wonder if men ever play dumb, does that ever even have to come into play?

"Do I look fat in this?"

" I don't know."

[Danny Boy]

In high school I actually had a girl tell me that she couldn't follow a lot of what I said and she asked me if I could dumb it down a little. She's now an elementary school teacher.