I find it both amusing and also a bit sad when clearly intelligent people are not able to use their smarts effectively. Some who are born with gifts of the mind can use their intelligence to their maximum advantage, while others with similar gifts end up as "loser" types, with not much to show for their intellectual potential. Has anyone else noticed the bizarre gap between those who can employ their intelligence successfully, versus those who despite some appreciable mental talents, do not find success in life, at least according to common standards of success? Why do you think this is?
What's a gift? It's just as easy to say that people who end up as "losers" (your word, not mine) aren't smart enough to function in society. So what are these people really gifted with? Society values hard work, especially in sectors that improve our GDP. Art and real science tend to get devalued while investment banking and weapons development are big bucks. I'm more curious why we allow this to happen than why a small number of people don't have the motivation to find some sort of monetary success.
I think it depends on how one defines 'success'. If it's big bucks, fame, high position - then one could call it lack of ambition or perhaps a deficit in practicality (they just don't know how to 'capitalize' on their intelligence). On the other hand, these 'losers' could be 'superior' to those who chase the money. They could be the ones labeled losers by society but who are, in fact, happier and more intellectually stimulated by taking their own path. The lack of ambition could actually be their intelligence telling them there is more to life than running after money, fame, or power.
I agree entirely with shadowwalker; perhaps they just have different values to you? Some people value money more than anything, whilst others value their own personal happiness more than anything, so how can you define who is more successful during their life times: the person with incredible wealth, or the person who is happy? Personally I prefer the latter.
Well, maybe these 'losers' haven't done enough in their lifetime to discover what it is they are good at, and therefore cannot move forward in the area that their gift governs? If that is indeed an answer to your question. And what about the people who are decent enough at a lot of things, but can never quite get ahead at any one thing effectively. Otherwise known as the mail-man from Cheers or the people who play Jeopardy. XD
