As I was reading Postman, (and chastising myself for throwing it aside and opting to do easier work instead) I started to think about intelligence. In the middle of chapter two, Postman writes about intelligence being determined by media. He speaks about intelligence, in the past, meaning memorizing proverbs. He describes intelligence in the eighteenth to nineteenth century being all about the written word. He then talks about how television is now becoming our main source of media.
If this is the case, then where is intelligence headed in the future? Will measures of intelligence soon be based on how entertaining or beautiful a person is, rather than what he knows or his ability to reason. In that case, shouldn't we all just break out the jokebooks and treadmills now?
But is a person's ability to reason a good way to measure intelligence? What is the best way? Can I assume I am more intelligent than another person based solely on my grades, or my SAT scores? It's doubtful. What then, is the ultimate measure of intelligence? My answer, there isn't one. Each person may be intelligent in their own unique way. Who am I to say that I am more intelligent than the girl who doesn't have time for homework because she has to babysit all her younger siblings in most of her free time, or the guy who can make works of art that would make even Picasso "eat his heart out".
Do you believe there is a single measure of intelligence? Multiple measures? And, on that note, is the single measure of intelligence in our society changing from its current form (whatever that may be) to an individual's entertainment value?
Tashiana Hudson
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3 comments:
I agree completely. After reading about half of Postman, more like chapter 2, I was realizing that if the media continous to take control of society we are heading to a dead end of colors and flashing lights to blind us from whats really happening in the world.
Michael Morales
I liked your title for the sole reason that I was using the treadmill while reading Postman.
Anyways, onto your questions. I don't believe there is a single measure of intelligence at all. If there was then why would we have a need for both GPAs and SAT scores? Then again these also fail to represent an accurate measure of intelligence as well in my opinion.
As for your second question, I can't come up with anything since there is nothing that really defines intelligence as it is.
-- Elizabeth Ly
After reading Tashiana’s post, it made me realize that there is no one measure of intelligence. For example, I may be a genius when it comes to sports but a complete nit-wit when it comes to, say, astrophysics; there could be some other guy (or girl) whom is the exact opposite. Just because that other person is an expert in a field that has much more complexity doesn’t mean they are more intelligent. I too believe that there are many different kinds of intelligence and that there isn’t one thing that you can excel in that makes you more intelligent than anyone else.
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