“Intellect” vs. “smart”

Allow me, if you will, to contemplate the difference between those two terms. My mother once explained it to me, but it was much later that I understood it on a personal level. I know a lot of smart people. My ex-husband is one of them. He is extremely smart. But he is not an intellectual. There’s really no difference in IQ, and one is not necessarily “better” than the other. It is simply a different approach to intelligence.

A smart person grasps concepts quickly, and learns at a faster rate than others. They are very logistically oriented, pragmatic and organized. They are usually high-achievers, and successful in their work and almost anything they decide they want to do. They’re typically ambitious, and place high importance on monetary gain. They usually concern themselves with status and acknowledgment. Mind you, there is nothing wrong with this. It just is. Everyone likes nice stuff. I dream of having the big house, important job, and vacations to exotic places the same as everyone else. The only difference is, I don’t have it…yet.

“Intellectuals”, on the other hand, are inquisitive and have a hunger for knowledge. They usually have an interest in a great many things - not for any particular reason or purpose, but just to know. This is the group that often knows a little about a lot of things, but not a lot about any one thing. They’re not always ambitious or successful, and generally have an appreciation for “quality”, rather than ”quantity”, of life. People with high IQs, but little material acheivement typically make up a large part of this category. I met a man last year that could TALK MY EAR OFF about quantum physics, who was, of all things, a carpet cleaner that drove a beat-up “mystery machine”. Another one I met, had a fascinating perspective on theology and metaphysics, who’d just gotten out of jail and had trouble holding down a job for more than a couple of months at a time.

I’m not saying that “smart” people all have limited interests, or that “intellectuals” are always slackers. There are exceptions to every rule. But if you take each as a group, this is what I have found to be the case. Now, I bet you’re wondering with which one I associate myself. I prefer not to comment on that. It really doesn’t matter. If I say that I’m “smart”, it could mean that I’m “superficial and materialistic”, if I say that I’m an “intellectual”, then, by definition, that could generate images of a homeless bohemian sitting on a street corner, pondering the kinetic elements of a circle. Both have their fair share of gifts and faults.

It’s just interesting to note the difference itself. The more important question is, which one are you?