Intelligence is a collection of multiple things. Curiosity is a contributor, but far from an integral part.
Someone can be a brilliant mathematician, capable of computing complex equations that would stump most computers (metaphorically at least), but they may utterly lack creativity and curiosity. In any definition of intelligence we would consider them highly intelligent.
On the flip side someone may be completely filled with curiosity about the world, but lack the intelligence to read or write.
Technically that is a learned skill, this is why intelligence is really a fairly useless measure. What is intelligence? Memorizing lots of facts? Having loads of education? A built in understanding of the world that others lack (common sense)?
I think what really matters is that you find the thing in life where you fit, rather than worrying about how we measure up. I have known very intelligent people who were worthless human beings, and simple minded people who made the world more special every day. We focus too much on being smart, it is one of the least important attributes.
There’s also always a million reasons why your intelligence test might not be quite accurate, and certainly a person themselves will never be able to accurately assess their intelligence without some sort of test. An objective ruler to measure intelligence by is far from trivial, and essentially impossible. It’s especially impossible in the sense that a single test could accurately sum up a person’s capacity to be a productive human being as one number.
Oh, and the other mind-bending realization is that our perception of what it means to be intelligent is ultimately influenced by our own intelligence. So, chances are we’re all probably conceptualizing what it means to be successful in different ways anyway. In this way, there is a chance that the things you envy, like talent or skills you lack, are something that you can teach yourself. The things you’re aware of and can grasp conceptually are probably things you can learn to fully understand. Whether you have the time or motivation to learn new things is ultimately a different question entirely. So, take time to learn new things. In that sense, everyone can always become smarter than they are right now.
What is intelligence?
(1) : the ability to learn or understand or to deal with new or trying situations : reason
also : the skilled use of reason
(2) : the ability to apply knowledge to manipulate one’s environment or to think abstractly as measured by objective criteria (such as tests)
How does one spark curiosity?
Ask questions. Either people will or won’t engage but if you have any credibility with them, they have a little bit of buy in to listen to your shit. Then you just might get them curious.
Just the other day I was walking through our local VA campus and I was curious about why every roof of the buildings built in the 1920s has a bunch of little house looking vent things on the top. I think I know the answer but I’m still curious about it.
Probably not a good example of something to spark curiosity with, but you never know what will.
