Matthew Henry John Bartlett

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Wednesday 24 January, 02007

e-/i-Generic Question #1

by Matthew Bartlett @ 3:56 pm

Who is/are the smartest person/people you know (of)?

9 responses to “e-/i-Generic Question #1”

  1. Richard D. Bartlett says:

    Smartness is a slightly unusual quality to rate people on. I know a guy with a lot of stripey shirts, I’d say he’s a smart dresser. There are also a whole pile of people that emulate the kind of smartness embodied in, say, Mr. W. Peters that I wouldn’t like to glorify by any means. But I assume your asking after the kind of smartness that relates to nimble minds being put to some sort of good use. In that case I’d answer your four questions thusly:

    Person I know of – Mr. Kunstler;
    Person I know – 50-50 tie between you and me, brother;
    People I know of – Mr. Morgan & Son;
    People I know – Kiwis in general.

    Why do you ask?

  2. Matthew says:

    I ask because I’m always advertising who I think is smart via links and I wondered who the loyal commenters would pick. Smart is a somewhat nasty American-ish word, but it does connote that quick sometimes practical intelligence, getting things done, like fast wisdom, or people who are fonts of good ideas: Paul Hawken, Amory Lovins, Kim Stanley Robinson, or analysis/synthesis: JH Kunstler, Clay Shirky, maybe Pirsig. … o and David! Foster! Wallace! [via like Richie F]

  3. Matthew B says:

    There are so many kinds of smarts and smartness ‘specialities’ I wouldnt know where to begin.

  4. To be honest, the people you link to are certainly smart. No doubt about it. Intelligent people. But 70% of the time, they’re incapable of winning me over to their views – which admittedly have been decided before they argue their point. So. Does that mean I’m not-smart because I’m unable to be budged, or does it mean they’re not as good at communicating as could be possible?

    Or… does it mean I’m smart for continuing to read this site regardless of agreement ratios, and double-check that my views are so steadfast that they’re able to withstand questioning?

  5. Matthew says:

    Yes, smart to keep reading while disagreeing (I find that hard); No, your contrary views aren’t able to withstand questioning (ha).

  6. Hahaha. Ace. That probably makes you one of the smarter people I know.

  7. dan w says:

    People I know: My father is probably the smartest person I know. Closely followed by my father-in-law.

    People I know of: I couldn’t reliably answer this one. Einstein was pretty smart. But then, smartness is relative.

  8. Anonymous says:

    his personel life was a bit of a disaster so you could say his ’emotional intelegence’ was subnormal

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