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HandSolo -> RE: People in the lifestyle = higher intelligence (4/9/2008 9:25:25 AM)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: LadyPact
No, I'm not making this particular claim, though I've seen it posted as an opinion time and time again. Many do assume it to be fact. Since there is no way to prove or disprove the theory, I'll just go with the bit that the subject has come up in more than one venue, so there are some people who obviously believe it.
I think it is true that BDSM practitioners, on average, are more intelligent than average. The explanation is that more intelligence equals more curiosity, and less prejudice. Ergo, one with kinky tendacies and intelligence is more likely to seek out answers than one who lacks intelligence. This does not mean, by extension, that intelligence means kink, or vice versa.
Also of note: in my experience, "above average" does not necessarilly mean "not stupid." I'd go so far as to say the average person is, based on election results, the mortgage collapse, forwarded emails, Nigerian scams, my morning commute, pyramid schemes (read: Social Security), popular TV/movies/music etc ad nauseum, a complete imbecile. Being slightly smarter than an imbecile does not put one in the running for a Nobel prize.
quote:
ORIGINAL: LadyPact
The question is, if we believe this to be true, that people involved in BDSM are of generally higher intelligence, why do we feel the need to act as though folks new to the lifestyle are twits? It isn't the intelligence level that changes over the course of time, rather a person's experience level. While people may become more educated in certain areas as they gain experience, their basic level of intelligence doesn't change.
Yes, exactly. However, it is difficult for many people to distiguish ignorance from stupidity. In popular culture, the two terms are used interchangibly.
quote:
ORIGINAL: LadyPact
I'm not talking about skill, experience, or any other attribute that comes with time with wiitwd. I'm wondering why it is that, at times, new people are subjected to others thinking they have little in the areas of street smarts, or common sense
Insecurity can cause one to seek self-aggrandizement via diminishing others. I am aware of the inherent irony of the juxtaposition of this sentiment with my first point in this post.
On the other hand, throughout the Web there is an ethic that promote the use of the powerful tools available to anyone to help themselves before asking for help. Most of the scorned posters have asked questions they could have answered themselves in a minute's time.
On another forum, dedicated to audio recording techniques and equipment, there is a plague of new poster registering, and asking how to duplicate professional recordings on absurdly small budgets. One day, there were literally five threads on the front page asking "What is the Best Vocal Mic for Under $100?" except in hastily mis-spelled IM gibberish. The replies were superficially unhelpful, but upon further examination, said exactly what the poster needed (albeit not what he wanted): go do some reading.
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