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Since joining this site I have had an ongoing question that I ask myself. Is it better to be one of the smartest in the room, or one of the dumbest and learn something? Knowledge vs ego....

Rudy1962 9 Feb 20
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13 comments

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1

I certainly learn more by being the dumbest in the room. It can be a frightening though.

1

It is better to buy the worst house in the best street rather than the other way around.
I like to learn, I like to keep interested in things, hmmm, back seat in a kindergarten class or a university class?

1

I think it is best not to judge and compare so often. There are different types of intelligence, and everyone you meet knows something you don't. We can learn something from each person, and we can teach something to each person. We just have to couch our vanity and pride to do so, and be open to all kinds of knowledge and learning.

CatV Level 3 Feb 21, 2018
2

Learning is an always occurrence. Not sure ego should be starved but I really try to keep mine very hungry. Also lots of different kinds of intelligence and no one is brilliant in all of them.

3

I prefer to learn.

2

I remember the day I became a birding "expert."
When I lived near Morehead, KY, I attended two years of the Beginner Birding Weekends at Jenny Wiley National Resort Park, 1998-99, to learn from the attending birding experts. I was in awe of their abilities and constantly practiced at home identifying birds by ear and from quick glimpses, using field guides and CDs.

In 2000, when attendants were boarding little pontoon boats for the usual birding trip on Dewey Lake, I protested that my own boat didn't have a "expert" onboard. The staff member launching the boat looked puzzled and said, "Sure we do..YOU."
I looked around and all the beginner birders were looking at me expectantly. I then realized that an "expert" is sometimes the most knowledgeable person present.

3

Life is about learning and only a fool knows everything. I'm more than happy to be corrected if it increases my knowledge

I think you nailed it with this answer, Leigh.

thank you @WickedNicki

3

Even being the smarter in the room you can learn something from those seen as "not so knowledgeable". Try.

in a classroom, the pupils should not be the only things learning.

@LeighShelton And who said they are? Your answer doesn't have anything to do with your OP and/or my first answer.

Even being the smarter in the room you can learn something from those seen as "not so knowledgeable". Try. your own words @DUCHESSA. I was agreeing with you.

@LeighShelton YOU HAVE A WAY TO EXPRESS YOUR IDEAS THAT'S NOT THE MOST "alluring"....LOL

I was actually agreeing with you @DUCHESSA and I don't see how you're missing that. at least I'm being honest

it has everything to do with your first answer ie the pupils being less intelligent and wise by default and the teacher being smarter because they are the teacher?????????????

@LeighSheltonThat was not my message since by "BEING THE SMARTER" I was not referring to teachers or students but to people in general. ...but i WON'T CRY ABOUT YOU ASSUMING I WAS REFERRING TO A SCHOOL SETTING. lol.

4

I think it's best to just be honest and not worry about what others think. The exchange of information need not have any relation to ego, no matter which direction it's going.

skado Level 9 Feb 20, 2018

I agree....I for one am learning so much here...

I used to feel this way, and speak freely, IRL--mostly to ask questions--on subjects that interest me.

Stuff happened, I learned things--about people. Now I keep my mouth shut.

@CeciRosane60 Well, keeping your mouth shut equals to preventing others from getting what you know.Learning to me is a "give n take"...The way used to provide the knowledge could be questionable but that's a different topic.

5

The smartest person in the room knows they still have a lot to learn as does the dumbest, it's some arrogant schmuck somewhere in between that is sure they have all the answers.

Kimba Level 7 Feb 20, 2018

Dunning & Kruger disagree with you. 😛

@JeffMurray actually Dunning & Kruger agree with me, at least if you are in a small town, there will usually be someone in the room with zero competence and we all know who they are because we give them lifts and help them fill out their paperwork and all the other day to day things they can't quite get a handle on.

@Kimba Please explain what about their study/conclusions supports your claim that the dumbest person in the room knows they have a lot to learn...

@Troy Do you know who I'm talking about??

4

Being the smartest one in the room doesn't mean you know everything there is to know. As Dwight pointed out, it could mean that you are the one most able to absorb, analyze and categorize a new bit of knowledge. One who would dismiss that information without consideration is likely the "dumbest" .

My faulty eidetic memory (not 100 percent but dang I remember so much more than most do?) and I agree with you! I have a friend with the same type of memory. - Neither of us realized what we shared until I said "That's not what I see in my head?". I'm often the one saying "I don't know why I know this but I do.". Then someone else can go look it up for once! lol

2

Although I would feel a bit intimidated, I think I would prefer to be the least educated and learn something

4

If you can learn something, then you are the smartest person in the room!

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