Comments | bmenyuk: Too smart for my own good?

bmenyuk

Too smart for my own good?

Nov 20, 2004 23:26

I went hunting for people's LJ's since I have felt somewhat antisocial of late. I also discovered that I don't necessarily remember what real people go to what screen name. Oops. There were a few people notably absent. Not that I can complain ( Read more... )

Comments 9

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Contracting vs. State Work bmenyuk November 23 2004, 16:45:40 UTC

Nahhh, contracting is as bad or worse. Right now I am working at a job where my fellow employees may have a problem with my mindset. As a contractor, I have to sell that mindset to people who may not even understand it. No, thanks.

jillbles November 20 2004, 23:22:06 UTC

Brian, I can't say this really surprises me ( ... )

Chemistry and the Big Picture bmenyuk November 23 2004, 16:57:32 UTC

People have aptitudes. Hey, maybe you're not so good at math and science. Maybe you were sold at an early age that it wasn't a good idea to be good at math and science. (See Barbie) However, On the points where we have common ground, which as many people point out are far more than I care to think about, we talk easily and almost interchangeably, the whole finishing each others' sentences thing.

So, maybe you don't get all the jokes about dihydrogen oxide (H2O) poisoning. You do get the joke on the fridge. "How does it feel to be frozen? Ice Is Nice! Frozen lunches downstairs."

Our father worked with some amazingly brilliant people. They were, however, frequently limited in their breadth of knowledge and experience. I am concerned that, if I am working on a "higher level," than my peers, that I will spend a lifetime explaining myself and what I do to a legion of people who won't get it a decent percentage of the time. No matter how nice you are (I am), that's going to be a problem.

unfortunately... justducky2204 November 21 2004, 03:03:28 UTC

it's just part of life-some people are smarter than others...and to some extent, we scare those who can't resonate at the same frequency as we do...it's just the genetic luck of the draw combined with innate curiosity (and, if we are lucky, familial support ( ... )

Re: unfortunately... bmenyuk November 23 2004, 17:05:49 UTC

I hear you. I just didn't think I was that smart. I still don't know if that's it, though it's likely, the more I think about it. I like my job a lot, and I'm not about to ditch it because of this realization. It is something of a shock, and something that is going to require some adjustment in how I approach things.

The thing I hope to avoid now is talking past people, assuming they know what I am getting at. The people I am working with aren't total dunces. They have engineering degrees, years of experience in the field, and professional licensing. Many, I'm sure can eclipse me on many levels, just not the ones I happen to be dealing with presently. I just have to be more sensitive to "skipping the steps on the chalkboard."

A constant challenge I've faced in every job. mdsteele47 November 21 2004, 08:44:36 UTC

First off, wonderfully elegant and reflective post. I think one thing that tends to distinguish people who are "broadcasting on a higher frequency" (I dig that way of characterizing it) is that we tend to be more deeply reflective, and to reflect more often. If I had to choose one characteristic that is a mark of a different level of intelligence, that would be it. But I digress ( ... )

Re: A constant challenge I've faced in every job. psychowoof November 21 2004, 14:57:28 UTC

They are similarly afraid of "intellectual grandma," because she is extremely intelligent and they feel that they can't compete.

Actually, there is probably some truth to that statement. Part of it is just the "we're not worthy" mantra of grad students. I just sent a message of to Hart the other day (after nearly 1.5 years of being out of touch), and still felt like I should be falling on my sword. Grad school is one way the establishment sucks the self-confidence out of some of the most intelligent people.

Re: A constant challenge I've faced in every job. bmenyuk November 23 2004, 17:48:32 UTC

I really do wonder what would have happened had I not aborted my Ph. D. Looking at things in retrospect, I didn't have the support to really accomplish what anyone would have wanted. It's funny that now I am administering research grants, I know what it takes to apply and receive them, which is something none of my advisors saw fit to have me deal with. That's odd, don't you think ( ... )

Re: A constant challenge I've faced in every job. bmenyuk November 23 2004, 17:21:50 UTC

Yeah, I remember being a kid. It's kind of like that again. I remember feeling very confused and insecure about whether I should be explaining things to people or not. I really pissed my best friend off, because I kept explaining things to him. He understood what I was talking about perfectly, and therefore thought I was treating him like a dunce, which I was. Oops.

Now, nearly 20 years down the line, here I am again. I guess RPI and Earlham spoiled me in that regard. Now it's going to need to be a hardware handshake each time, at least for starters?

Hey, can you run at 56000 bps?
!@#W$%^TWGDS*(JDSDJHSKJDS&^D(S*
I guess not, how about 33.6 kbps?
SDLKUSHSD(()*&*#@WSDBXJS*(&@^&^!D
14.4?
#$%RFGDHJD*((S*&*&^@EGHUDSISU
How about 9600 bps? That's fairly standard. We can work our way up from there.
AT
OK