Do you feel intellectually deficient?

[Tal]

Do you feel intellectually deficient? Do you feel that you can never achieve the things you want due to not having a good enough mind?

I borrowed this thread idea from another forum so I know at least a few other people feel the same way and I do wonder if its partly to do with shyness and low self-confidence, but I've always felt like I'm just not clever enough or creative enough or have a good enough memory to realise my intellectual ambitions...e.g. learning a language, writing a book, becoming an expert in something, being able to recite a subject I'm interested in to someone.

I'm always forgetting what I just read, or losing concentration every few paragraphs in a book, or not being able to express ideas or knowledge in a coherent way. It's so frustrating sometimes, especially because there's so much out there that I want to learn and understand.

I did go through a phase of being very jealous of people who were clearly more intelligent that I, but thankfully I'm not so bothered now. I just have a go at myself every time I forget things or can't grasp a concept quickly.

However I suppose that just being aware of one's intellectual limitations is a sign of a half-decent mind. A lot of people seem to be oblivious to how little they know or how little they think. I'd hate to be like that.

Anyone else feel this way?

[peekaboo]

Yes, totally get jealous of those who seem to obtain all of the things I wish I could. I have a younger sister who has all of the things I wish I had, a degree, a good job, friends, a place of her own, smarts, wisdom she has it all and sometimes my being jealous of her kind of gets in the way of our relationship. I wish I weren't so jealous because then I would feel free, I just don't know how to let it go, I'm so freakin insecure and sometimes I feel like there is a hole in my brain that is suppose to obtain information but it doesn't for some odd reason because Im realizing that I do forget alot, which I question.

Hmmmm...what was I saying again uh um...heck

[Twice-Shy]

Aug 13, 2010 13:59:03 GMT -5 Tal said:

Do you feel intellectually deficient? Do you feel that you can never achieve the things you want due to not having a good enough mind?

I borrowed this thread idea from another forum so I know at least a few other people feel the same way and I do wonder if its partly to do with shyness and low self-confidence, but I've always felt like I'm just not clever enough or creative enough or have a good enough memory to realize my intellectual ambitions...e.g. learning a language, writing a book, becoming an expert in something, being able to recite a subject I'm interested in to someone.

I'm always forgetting what I just read, or losing concentration every few paragraphs in a book, or not being able to express ideas or knowledge in a coherent way. It's so frustrating sometimes, especially because there's so much out there that I want to learn and understand.

I did go through a phase of being very jealous of people who were clearly more intelligent that I, but thankfully I'm not so bothered now. I just have a go at myself every time I forget things or can't grasp a concept quickly.

However I suppose that just being aware of one's intellectual limitations is a sign of a half-decent mind. A lot of people seem to be oblivious to how little they know or how little they think. I'd hate to be like that.

Anyone else feel this way?

I can not speak for anyone else... but I have almost always felt inferior to everyone around me.

Reading your post, it made me think of one thing though... I do not feel as if it has a direct relationship to a person's intelligence. What I think it boils down to is ones ability to express their thoughts or ideas in a BOLD fashion. The ability to BS, without regards to how it may look or sound to to others they are talking to.

I have a tendency to stay along the side lines and observe. At least sometimes... the people that run the show in a crowd... are not really that much more knowledgeable, but are more able to "lay it on thick". This is strictly my opinion.

I have found that the older I get, the less it bothers me to voice my opinion, though. Sometimes not a good thing, but none the less... it is what it is. ;D

[Rose]

I don't know what the heck to call myself but it isn't intellectually deficient. Sure there are times I don't feel smart, but everyone has those moments.

Studying bores the heck out of me. Conversations make me zone out. I am terrible with remembering short-term facts and peoples names. Reading long things makes my eyes glaze over. Most of the time I can't pay attention worth squat... my motivation is sometimes low and I daydream a lot. Do I think that makes me dumb? No. I am also artistic, unique, young-minded, more positive than negative, and highly intuitive (can pick things up that many people can't). I have my strengths and weaknesses... my strengths are just different than most peoples and I have to learn how to harness them for the better.

[Astroruss]

Nearly all the psychological topics I've read about have separated intellect from emotional health. They are entirely unrelated, but both can be factors and results in a person's state of wellness.

Just like child geniuses don't fit in with their peers and have a tough time growing up because they are so different from others in their proximity, intellectually average people would have an easier time fitting in and relating better with their social peers.

[fightingspirit]

Aug 13, 2010 13:59:03 GMT -5 Tal said:

Do you feel intellectually deficient? Do you feel that you can never achieve the things you want due to not having a good enough mind?

I borrowed this thread idea from another forum so I know at least a few other people feel the same way and I do wonder if its partly to do with shyness and low self-confidence, but I've always felt like I'm just not clever enough or creative enough or have a good enough memory to realise my intellectual ambitions...e.g. learning a language, writing a book, becoming an expert in something, being able to recite a subject I'm interested in to someone.

I'm always forgetting what I just read, or losing concentration every few paragraphs in a book, or not being able to express ideas or knowledge in a coherent way. It's so frustrating sometimes, especially because there's so much out there that I want to learn and understand.

I did go through a phase of being very jealous of people who were clearly more intelligent that I, but thankfully I'm not so bothered now. I just have a go at myself every time I forget things or can't grasp a concept quickly.

However I suppose that just being aware of one's intellectual limitations is a sign of a half-decent mind. A lot of people seem to be oblivious to how little they know or how little they think. I'd hate to be like that.

Anyone else feel this way?

I find that it's very important to keep the brain not only occupied, but also challenged. Wits tend to sharpen and the ability to concentrate on the task at hand goes up dramatically as long as there are incentives for the mind to do so.

There will always be instances where we miss an important detail or get lost in some complex issue. All it takes to resolve is do another run around. The problem that most people have is that they give up immediately if they've failed to grasp a concept on first attempt. A typical scenario is in any class setting where most people become oblivious to the discussed topic within 10 minutes. Perhaps it's a matter of pride that we give up so easily and would rather pretend to understand than bite the bullet and get caught up.

[Tal]

Aug 13, 2010 16:14:53 GMT -5 peekaboo said:

I feel like there is a hole in my brain that is suppose to obtain information but it doesn't for some odd reason because Im realizing that I do forget alot, which I question.

Hmmmm...what was I saying again uh um...heck

lol yeah, I think my poor memory for facts and 'strings' of text is one of my biggest intellectual flaws. I can read and read and read and still only remember a small fraction of what I read. I can't even remember lyrics to songs despite hearing them hundreds of times. Conversely, I'm actually not too bad at remembering 'processes'...like how to use software or technology.
I suspect there's some psycological jargon to describe different types of memory, but I don't know it.

Aug 14, 2010 7:11:55 GMT -5 Twice-Shy said:

Reading your post, it made me think of one thing though... I do not feel as if it has a direct relationship to a person's intelligence. What I think it boils down to is ones ability to express their thoughts or ideas in a BOLD fashion. The ability to BS, without regards to how it may look or sound to to others they are talking to.

Yeah I think you've got a good point there. There's a lot to be said for the confiden and ability to express an idea or make something up on the spot and appear to know what you're taling about. Spending hours studying things and then being unable to present them or demonstrate the knowledge gets depressing and the more you fail to show you understand something the worse it gets.

That's part of the reason I avoid debating online...because even if I have an opinion I find it difficult to express it and defend it against much more confident people.

Aug 16, 2010 1:05:35 GMT -5 fightingspirit said:

There will always be instances where we miss an important detail or get lost in some complex issue. All it takes to resolve is do another run around. The problem that most people have is that they give up immediately if they've failed to grasp a concept on first attempt. A typical scenario is in any class setting where most people become oblivious to the discussed topic within 10 minutes. Perhaps it's a matter of pride that we give up so easily and would rather pretend to understand than bite the bullet and get caught up.

Well this is true and I often have to read things many times before they stick in my mind. In fact I found that the only way for me to to really grasp anything is to make notes and actually think about and then write down what I'm trying to memorise, which is great for when you're at school, but isn't really practicle for every general interest book you read. I guess I am a bit impatient with myself though. I always want to get things right first time...to understand something on the first reading, to not have to read a book a dozen times...
Perhaps I'm trying to make up for my failure to achieve things in my social life by trying to reach above my intellectual capacity if such a limit exists.

damn brain *smacks head*

[nervousreader]

Aug 16, 2010 12:32:02 GMT -5 Tal said:

I suspect there's some psycological jargon to describe different types of memory, but I don't know it.

I don't know about different types of memory, but there are supposed to be three major learning styles: visual, tactile ... and if I remember rightly, the other has to do with audio and listening to things. Based upon these categorizations, it sounds like you would be classed as a tactile learner, meaning that you learn best through physically performing an action, following a process or even just writing out the facts you want to memorize. (I think having a visual learning style would be like having one of those photographic memories I've heard of, where you only have to read something once or glance at a picture or something, and the information from it just sticks in your head).

I can recall information almost flawlessly if I've written it out a few times, but I'm with you in that I'd feel a fool writing things out over and over again unless I was preparing for an important exam.

I used to be able to comprehend and retain things I read without any problems, but now I'm just a very nervous reader who can go back and read a passage over and over again without taking much of it in. My problem is concentration and self-consciousness: I don't comprehend what I read because I'm too busy worrying about whether I'm comprehending it or not and whether I'm going to remember it. And I also give up too easily; I get discouraged because of how long it takes me to read a paragraph and how little of it I comprehend.

I used to be a quick and confident reader with no hang-ups, but not anymore, so I do feel intellectually deficient now. I hope I'll be able to get over the reading hang-ups I've developed, through persistence and perseverance, but I haven't really started trying yet because I get upset and frustrated at every single attempt and then leave it for a while. So when I pick it up again, I'm still at square 1, or square -21, as I'd really call it.

The only way for me to read without all the anxiety is to read aloud, which is a non-frustrating way of reading at a slow, but steady pace. Reading aloud is a way of regulating myself so that I read at a steady pace without constantly going back and re-reading things or losing my concentration or panicking because I'm reading too slowly or not comprehending anything. But, of course, reading aloud is not a practical way of expanding general knowledge, either.

I know what I'm doing wrong and what prevents me from reading quickly and confidently like I used to, but in order to fix the root problem, I'll have to persevere in trying to overcome a lot of anxiety, self-consciousness and concentration problems. The root problem is that I am talking to myself as I read: I'm reading every word individually and saying it to myself (in my head) as I read. What I need to do is what I used to do before I had all the anxiety and reading hang-ups, when I used to read quickly and confidently without thinking about it: I used to just look at the words, moving quickly from one word to the next, comprehending whole sentences without dwelling on individual words.

But I dwell on everything now, so getting back to that confident reading style is going to take a lot of patience, perseverance and self-discipline. I'll have to endure the frustration, nerves, humiliation and uncomfortable feelings of arousal that currently accompany my attempts at trying to read. I'll have to somehow force myself to stay focused on the task at hand, without becoming distracted and allowing my mind to wander away from the perceived enormity and hopelessness of the task and the fact that I don't seem to be getting anywhere and therefore feel like an aimless fool. I must rebuild my powers of concentration, which are currently very weak.

[Tal]

Aug 16, 2010 19:28:45 GMT -5 nervousreader said:

I don't know about different types of memory, but there are supposed to be three major learning styles: visual, tactile ... and if I remember rightly, the other has to do with audio and listening to things. Based upon these categorizations, it sounds like you would be classed as a tactile learner, meaning that you learn best through physically performing an action, following a process or even just writing out the facts you want to memorize. (I think having a visual learning style would be like having one of those photographic memories I've heard of, where you only have to read something once or glance at a picture or something, and the information from it just sticks in your head).

I can recall information almost flawlessly if I've written it out a few times, but I'm with you in that I'd feel a fool writing things out over and over again unless I was preparing for an important exam.

I used to be able to comprehend and retain things I read without any problems, but now I'm just a very nervous reader who can go back and read a passage over and over again without taking much of it in. My problem is concentration and self-consciousness: I don't comprehend what I read because I'm too busy worrying about whether I'm comprehending it or not and whether I'm going to remember it. And I also give up too easily; I get discouraged because of how long it takes me to read a paragraph and how little of it I comprehend.

That's quite interesting. I think you're right about me having a tactile memory. Reading and listening have never really been enough on their own.

I've never heard of nervous reading before. I do sometimes feel like I'm focusing on the words more than the meaning, but I can usually snap out of that just by looking away for a moment. It sounds like a pretty crap problem though...reading's one of the few pleasures in life, even if I can't remember as much of what I read as I'd like.

I do often catch myself reading, yet not actually concentrating on what I'm reading. So I could be reading a paragraph in a book whilst thinking about something totally unrelated. Needless to say nothing I've read sticks in my mind even though I am semi-consciously working my way down the paragraph, so I have to go back and re-read again. I really have to concentrate when I read (mainly non-fiction) otherwise I'm liable to start doing that.

[Tal]

Aug 16, 2010 19:28:45 GMT -5 nervousreader said:

I don't know about different types of memory, but there are supposed to be three major learning styles: visual, tactile ... and if I remember rightly, the other has to do with audio and listening to things. Based upon these categorizations, it sounds like you would be classed as a tactile learner, meaning that you learn best through physically performing an action, following a process or even just writing out the facts you want to memorize. (I think having a visual learning style would be like having one of those photographic memories I've heard of, where you only have to read something once or glance at a picture or something, and the information from it just sticks in your head).

I can recall information almost flawlessly if I've written it out a few times, but I'm with you in that I'd feel a fool writing things out over and over again unless I was preparing for an important exam.

I used to be able to comprehend and retain things I read without any problems, but now I'm just a very nervous reader who can go back and read a passage over and over again without taking much of it in. My problem is concentration and self-consciousness: I don't comprehend what I read because I'm too busy worrying about whether I'm comprehending it or not and whether I'm going to remember it. And I also give up too easily; I get discouraged because of how long it takes me to read a paragraph and how little of it I comprehend.

That's quite interesting. I think you're right about me having a tactile memory. Reading and listening have never really been enough on their own.

I've never heard of nervous reading before. I do sometimes feel like I'm focusing on the words more than the meaning, but I can usually snap out of that just by looking away for a moment. It sounds like a pretty crap problem though...reading's one of the few pleasures in life, even if I can't remember as much of what I read as I'd like.

I do often catch myself reading, yet not actually concentrating on what I'm reading. So I could be reading a paragraph in a book whilst thinking about something totally unrelated. Needless to say nothing I've read sticks in my mind even though I am semi-consciously working my way down the paragraph, so I have to go back and re-read again. I really have to concentrate when I read (mainly non-fiction) otherwise I'm liable to start doing that.

[Paulinus]

Sometimes I feel I am intelligent and sometimes I feel really dumb depending on what it is I'm trying to do. I relate to the bad reading comprehension, its hard for me to read something for very long without my mind starting to glaze over and I start just reading the words and barely connecting them. Also my short term memory can really be atrocious, it take me a while to remember names or even something I just looked at a second ago

I wonder though I'm just overly harsh on myself. There are many aspects to intelligence and we probably don't give ourselves enough credit for what we can do, simply because if you can do something easily then you do on autopilot and don't consider what your doing a skill.

Socializing is a skill and yet to many people without shyness it just feels natural to them and they wont see it so much and hence they give us great advice like "don't be shy". We only acknowledge its a skill because we struggle with it. I can't think of any examples now but I know I've been guilty of being on the other side and wondering why cant some person do something that I find easy.

Now I feel like I'm missing something important I wanted to say...there's that poor short term memory for you

[nervousreader]

Aug 17, 2010 12:52:56 GMT -5 Tal said:

That's quite interesting. I think you're right about me having a tactile memory. Reading and listening have never really been enough on their own.

Do you play any musical instruments? One of my greatest ambitions is to learn how to play the piano and/or guitar. It sounds like that might be the sort of thing you could pick up relatively easily, having a tactile memory? (It doesn't come easily to me because I'm not really very good with my hands).

Even though I struggle with reading now and I do remember things better when I've written them down, I think I have more of an audio/visual memory. I learned German and French to a fairly high level at school, and that was mostly through reading and listening. I actually prefer to read books in German and French in a way, because at least then I have an excuse for being slow (if I'm reading in a foreign language)! And it's like even if I don't remember much from what I've read, I've still achieved something because I've read a passage in a different language, so I can feel some sense of accomplishment.

Aug 17, 2010 12:52:56 GMT -5 Tal said:

I've never heard of nervous reading before. I do sometimes feel like I'm focusing on the words more than the meaning, but I can usually snap out of that just by looking away for a moment. It sounds like a pretty crap problem though...reading's one of the few pleasures in life, even if I can't remember as much of what I read as I'd like.

I don't know how common my reading complex is or if somebody somewhere has given it another name, but I think it goes back to my inferiority complex. Lots of people read slowly and not very confidently, but I would imagine most of these people don't get anxious about it and panic like I do.

I think my real root problem is feeling inferior to my peers because of my shyness and poor social skills. I have this idea that I need to compensate for my social inferiority by becoming intellectually superior, so the pleasure is squeezed out of activities that should be fun (like reading, for example), and the pleasure is replaced by pressure and anxiety. I used to love reading, but I started feeling like there was no room in my life for fun anymore because I needed to spend every waking moment improving myself in some way to compensate for my social inferiority. I still ultimately feel this way, which is why I can't allow myself to relax and read at a normal tempo or a leisurely pace. It's not a conscious thing, but it's just the reason why I can't concentrate to read because I'm too busy scalding myself for not reading fast enough or not comprehending enough of what I'm reading, so falling short of my intellectual ideals.

Aug 17, 2010 12:52:56 GMT -5 Tal said:

I do often catch myself reading, yet not actually concentrating on what I'm reading. So I could be reading a paragraph in a book whilst thinking about something totally unrelated. Needless to say nothing I've read sticks in my mind even though I am semi-consciously working my way down the paragraph, so I have to go back and re-read again. I really have to concentrate when I read (mainly non-fiction) otherwise I'm liable to start doing that.

Does that happen even when you're reading about something you find interesting?

[Tal]

Aug 19, 2010 6:43:29 GMT -5 nervousreader said:

Do you play any musical instruments? One of my greatest ambitions is to learn how to play the piano and/or guitar. It sounds like that might be the sort of thing you could pick up relatively easily, having a tactile memory? (It doesn't come easily to me because I'm not really very good with my hands).

Nah...I have no musical talent that I'm aware of. I'd never be able to remember all the notes.

Aug 19, 2010 6:43:29 GMT -5 nervousreader said:

I think my real root problem is feeling inferior to my peers because of my shyness and poor social skills. I have this idea that I need to compensate for my social inferiority by becoming intellectually superior, so the pleasure is squeezed out of activities that should be fun (like reading, for example), and the pleasure is replaced by pressure and anxiety. I used to love reading, but I started feeling like there was no room in my life for fun anymore because I needed to spend every waking moment improving myself in some way to compensate for my social inferiority. I still ultimately feel this way, which is why I can't allow myself to relax and read at a normal tempo or a leisurely pace. It's not a conscious thing, but it's just the reason why I can't concentrate to read because I'm too busy scalding myself for not reading fast enough or not comprehending enough of what I'm reading, so falling short of my intellectual ideals.

I can understand that. It's the only way I know of to make myself feel like I'm on some kind of level footing with all those who are socially successful. I'm definitely putting more pressure on myself to be more knowledgeable and well-read than a lot of people I know, though its not much fun when you don't feel like you're achieving it.

Aug 19, 2010 6:43:29 GMT -5 nervousreader said:

Aug 17, 2010 12:52:56 GMT -5 Tal said:

I do often catch myself reading, yet not actually concentrating on what I'm reading. So I could be reading a paragraph in a book whilst thinking about something totally unrelated. Needless to say nothing I've read sticks in my mind even though I am semi-consciously working my way down the paragraph, so I have to go back and re-read again. I really have to concentrate when I read (mainly non-fiction) otherwise I'm liable to start doing that.

Does that happen even when you're reading about something you find interesting?

Yeah, even then. Maybe I just have an over-active mind or something....or too much imagination. lol

[nervousreader]

Aug 20, 2010 13:20:19 GMT -5 Tal said:

Maybe I just have an over-active mind or something....or too much imagination. lol

Do you do any creative writing? If you have a good imagination, perhaps you could be good at writing fiction?

I used to write stories, but I couldn't do it anymore as I felt more disconnected from the world, like I couldn't write anything that would be of any relevance to anyone. I hope I'll be able to write creatively again one day, though, because creative writing is one of the few things that can make me feel as if I have some value.

[strawberrysweetie]

Aug 13, 2010 13:59:03 GMT -5 Tal said:

Anyone else feel this way?

Most definitely. I relate to most everything you said.

Honestly, I think of myself as an all around idiot. I do feel like a bit of a slow learner (I can have lots of trouble focusing). And after 4 years of college, I feel I've learned virtually nothing....I could do well enough to score fairly high in classes, but I don't seem to really remember anything after tests. And I never feel as though I'm competent enough to apply anything.

Basically, I just don't believe in myself at all. My self-confidence is just nil. Shy people can definitely be intellectual, so I don't correlate my feelings of stupidity with that. I just blame the way my mind works, feeling so slow in figuring things out. And the lack of focus may have a lot to do with my worrying/depression related symptoms.

That and the fact that I can't seem to interact with people properly just makes me feel like I don't have any capabilities whatsoever. It's really a scary feeling.


You know...I think I did take some sort of online test which measured the different sort of intelligences. I think I scored highest on intrapersonal intelligence (self-understanding type). Which might make sense for me. And I remember thinking....how pointless! It feels like a sort of selfish type of intelligence. Like it can't really be applied to anything of value. And I can't even seem to use it to help myself really, lol. So bleh! I'd rather have interpersonal intelligence/people skills.