are you smart? S-M-R-T?

i think true intelligence is based on one's grasp of logic and reasoning.

a very general example:

MOST people of average intelligence can tell you how to get from point A to, let's say, point C. there's the obstacle of point B in the middle, and intelligence is what helps us get around that.

above average intelligence helps us get from point A to (i'm just throwing a letter out there) point L (and beyond). in this instance, points B-K stand in the way. your job is to figure out how to get around them and get where you need to go. furthermore, intelligence can help you find shortcuts and sort out necessary and unecessary information. like, maybe points E and G can be skipped over to get you to your mental destination faster.

anyway, i think this applies to basically every thought process we go through. in school, these processes were very clearly mapped out, especially in math where there literally were steps for each equation. now math isn't the end-all be-all of intelligence, but it is a good example. as math gets harder in school, people tend to drop off. i think that's because the number of steps you have to go through to get to the answer become so numerous, that average joe cannot wrap his head around it.

this can be applied to pretty much every topic that comes up in life. some people are able to navigate complex ideas, and some are not. bottom line. the mistake is that we often associate KNOWLEDGE of facts to intelligence, when that is simply incorrect. my theory is that people who have advanced logical capabilities tend to sometimes know many facts and figures because they were able to make the CONNECTIONS associated with those facts.

intelligence is and endless game of connect-the-dots.