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Commonsense v Intelligence

(8 Posts)
paddyann Fri 13-Sep-19 20:27:42

Do you know anyone who is highly intelligent but lacks basic common sense? For instance we have a friend who had straight A's all through school,a brilliant degree and who can discuss scientific matters beyond most of us(well, me ) Yet when he was rewiring his telephone cable he stood downstairs and threaded the cable through a very small hole in the ceiling? It took him an hour and a half to thread it upwards .
We thought he was having a laugh but no he hadn't realised it would have been easier doing it from upstairs down .Tell me your funny stories about intelligent but lacking in common sense friends and family

Marydoll Fri 13-Sep-19 20:40:54

My husband! Degrees, post grads, diplomas and absolutely no common sense! It drives me mad at times! ?

On holiday in Rome last , he spent 5 minutes trying to validate our bus tickets, then told me the machine was broken. Tried another machine on the bus and it was "broken too!"
There was nothing wrong with the machine, the ticket was not only upside down, but back to front. This was despite there being an arrow on the ticket to show the direction to put it in the machine.
What makes it worse, is that we have been to Rome over thirty times and he still can't get it right!

The following day the same thing happened again. I was so frustrated, that huffing and puffing, I took the tickets from him, only for one of the passengers to shout, Non funziona, in other words, the ticket machines really weren't working. blush

M0nica Fri 13-Sep-19 20:48:36

I think the examples given above are of very clever people, not very intelligent people.

Intelligence is cleverness plus common sense.

phoenix Fri 13-Sep-19 20:51:49

My beloved late step father! Degrees in various subjects etc etc, but zero common sense!

I remember my mother leaving a list stuck on the fridge for him that read something like:

1) Collect dry cleaning

2) Add tablet to Bronwen (the dog) food

3) Eat the lunch that I have left for you

4) Phone plumber to confirm appointment

And it ended Sharpen up for Christ's sake! In very bold capital letters!

She was a highly organised person, I could feel her pain (and exasperation) in the final sentence!

KatyK Fri 13-Sep-19 20:52:44

When I was volunteering in a school, we were taking a group of small children on a trip and were given high viz jackets. One of the teachers said to me 'Do we wear these under or over our coats?' confused

GabriellaG54 Fri 13-Sep-19 21:36:27

Most posters have one or the other but not both and often neither.

NotSpaghetti Fri 13-Sep-19 21:41:30

GabriellaG54 grin

BradfordLass72 Fri 13-Sep-19 23:20:00

GabriellaG54

Speak for yourself - I serpently have both and the stertificates to proove it.

grin