This post, and specially its inverted parabola plot, raise another very interesting question:
- What advice would you give to a fellow hacker that is more intelligent than attractive?
Speak up!
- What advice would you give to a fellow hacker that is more intelligent than attractive?
Speak up!
One aspect this article didn't mention is that people who are smarter than average may have an asocial reason for it. For example, a kid being bullied at school may spend more time studying math or reading instead of with other kids. He will do better at IQ tests, but his social skills will be so-so. It's not always the case, I've met a few very burning-hot-smart people that were also exceptional socialites.
Here is what I would tell my younger self:
Make your intelligence work out for you in a social setting, and not the other way around. Listen more than you talk, but go above and beyond to be emotive, sympathetic and understanding. People will notice you if you notice then. When you talk, do your best to be sensible and sharp about the things you say.
The most important thing I've learned though: widen your tastes, learn to love quirks and defects, and to love in general. Be adventurous, and don't listen to the Pope.
Ah, here is another hack. Some people exude intelligence in the way they talk: long sentences, exquisite grammar, good diction. But my experience aligns with the article: despite what they say, women select for average or low intelligence. So go to live in a foreign country where you struggle with the language; women will automatically divide your IQ by 2 or 3 when you speak with a heavy accent and your grammar sucks, and they won't be able to help it. When they discover that your salary is in the high quantiles, they will go as far as to attribute it to your good luck and good looks. They may even logically deduce that you are smart, but it won't percolate to the part of the brain where instinct and hormones are produced.
And speaking of it, all of it varies with age; hormones have a lesser grip on us as we age, so it is possible that women above 30 would be consistent and really go for the smart guys.
People like people who take care of themselves: working out 3x a week will be a huge booster you’ll see.
For the parent of the post, try to introduce a potential partner to a female friend. Study the questions she ask and the ones she don't. It will reveal to you what she seeks and what she already has, or what don't value now.