The bad side of good

This may surprise people, but I'm generally an optimist - a fact that occasionally results in frustration. That's not to say I'm not frustrated - a lot - by other things or in other methods. Probably half the time (or more) the frustration is caused, directly or indirectly, by my optimism.

One example: I don't consider myself extraordinarily intelligent. I know I'm better at pattern recognition that pretty much anyone I know, but while that certainly has broad-scale implications, it feels more like a quirk than anything major. Regardless, my default assumption - and this is done subconsciously - is that everyone I meet is as capable as I am when it comes to understanding concepts: that most people have had a similar background to information (I'm a college drop-out, so it's not like I've had excessive trianing) and can extrapolate similarly from given information.

If I'm discussing something which I don't consider to be my specialization (namely computer technology) - say, philosophy - I expect the other person to have a similar background level of information on the subject; perhaps the known facts are different, but the overall level of competence should be similar (unless it's someone with a degree or advanced training, when I expect to get trounced).

For example, if I'm discussing population (or overpopulation) with someone, I expect them to know: the general rate of increase in world population, the relative rates in industrialized and nonindustrialized areas, the factors that led to such growth (improvements in grain harvests through breeding and genetic engineering, technological improvements for housing, medical breakthroughs for longevity, etc.), the problems inherent in it (resource scarcity, pollution, social destabilization, etc.)... All of this is stuff I've picked up from random reading and logical deduction; I assume anyone else with any casual interest in the topic could easily gather the same information and (especially if they're pontificating on the subject) probably has. I'm by no means an expert on the subject, but to me this all constitutes entry-level "generalist knowledge".

... which is, of course, where I run into the problem. Most people, it seems, are far less informed (by my reckoning) than they "should" be about almost every topic. Furthermore, most people don't seem to understand the basic concepts of logical deduction, rational approach, or even practical extrapolation. I don't think it's necessarily the educational system itself, since many people obviously apply these concepts in specialized areas of their lives: they have the knowledge. They just don't apply it to a wider set of situations.

Despite running up against this wall time and again, I'm constantly surprised by the - "ignorance" isn't necessarily correct; how about "informational blindspots" - of the general population. There are exceptions, of course: exceptions who seem to gravitate together, raising a tendancy for those-who-know to isolate themselves from those-who-don't. I can't completely condone (or condemn) that, but I also don't seem to make much headway on the other side.

I guess one fundamental difference is that I like information, and most people seem anxious about (or even antithetical to) anything they don't already know. Again, I don't think it's a reflection of intelligence: I think it's something else, an attitude or something.

7 comments:

TwoLives said...

A guess: you have an excellent memory - better than most - and your ability to quickly recall general information is better than most.

Another possibility: you are less selective than most when it comes to absorbing general information. Our brains are bombarded with information and stimulation at all times, yet, our conscious minds maintain a very narrow focus amongst all that information. Maybe your brain functions more like a vacuum cleaner, ingesting all information in your path, whereas the average person functions like a tweezers, selectively picking up information.

Glad to see that you are an optimist. Dare I ask how your optimism interacts with probabilities?

A college drop out. Do you wish you had a degree?

"I also don't seem to make much headway on the other side." What headway would you like to make and how do you think that could be accomplished?

Austin said...

Well, yes, I've got a better recall than most people I know. And, I *am* an information junky. I don't expect people to know all the random trivia I know. I just expect people to have general information about the subjects they have active opinions on. If you want to talk about communications, you really ought to have at least a general understanding of communications theory.

I'm also ADHD - in my case, overactive reticular formation, e.g. high focus on peripheral attention. That probably makes me the perfect storm of "annoying": high energy, high retention, broad focus and easily diverted to tangents with a heavy dose of curiosity. Yeah, I'm one of those people who can get lost on the web for hours.

As far as optimism interacting with probabilities - the same way pessimism would, I guess? I'm still realistic about what could happen, but I probably try and aim for the "good" ones more.

No, I don't wish I had a degree. There are certain kinds of classes I'd like to take, information I'd like to get - but that's for the information itself, not any kind of formal recognition.

Much headway with regards to getting people who don't really have much in the way of "general information" interested in gathering it. As far as a universal how, well, if I had that, I'd be doing it.

TwoLives said...

Do you take any medications for the ADHD? Any thoughts about the effectiveness of such medications and their side-effects?

Generally speaking, a bachelor's degree has become little more than an employment screening tool. In this poor job market, anyone without a degree is often systematically ignored, regardless of their talent or experience. Do you feel that your lack of a degree will negatively impact your ability to secure a job you'd like at any time in the future?

I wonder if I'm a pessimist because I don't expect people to have informed opinions about subjects about which they speak? Perhaps I am just have too much life experience and now I'm jaded. I'm optimistic that, given enough life experience, you can be jaded too.

Austin said...

No medications. First off, I tend to react oddly to meds of almost any kind, and second, I actually like being me rather than someone else's idea of what I should be. I know some people are far worse-off and *can't* cope with their ADD, and if medication offers them some relief, more power to them.

I'm in IT, which means a degree is mostly useless. It doesn't even get you an interview, really, unless you're going for one of the top-tier companies. And no, I don't think it severely impacts me.

I don't know that being jaded is a good thing. I'd rather encourage people to be more than expect them to be less.

tommy s. said...

I feel like an "optimist" would appreciate the knowledge that someone else has rather than dwelling on the fact that someone else doesn't seem to have the same "logic" as you do.
Sometimes even simple logic needs to be pointed out to people. It's not that they don't understand it, it's just that they may not have thought of it before. Maybe they don't spend as much time thinking about it as you do.

Austin said...

tommy,

I think you missed the point. I explicitly stated:

"If I'm discussing something which I don't consider to be my specialization (namely computer technology) - say, philosophy - I expect the other person to have a similar background level of information on the subject; perhaps the known facts are different, but the overall level of competence should be similar (unless it's someone with a degree or advanced training, when I expect to get trounced)."

Note "similar background level of information", not "similar information". This is especially true if someone brings up a topic; I mean, we all discuss things about which we're not qualified, but if someone is going to actively espouse a position on a subject, I assume they're qualified (in some manner) to hold such an opinion.

As for your "simple logic" statement - again, that's why I consider myself (in this area) an optimist: to me, simple logic shouldn't need to be pointed out, so I assume others don't need me pointing it out to them (that's why we call it "simple"). That is, in essence, the whole basis for this post.

PSR said...

Austin,

What you find is a common experience for most people with a technical / scentific interest. It's as if many people have a very different internalised model of the world from us.

You have to rememeber that many people can't even work out percentages correctly (including people using them - especially politicians) so that they can't grasp stats and big numbers properly. Also many people are so immersed in religious dogma or extreme politics (like they even think Fox news presents an even handed view, and that the Catholic church is a force for good!) that they refuse to acknowledge any sense of reality which can be deduced from a basic knowledge of science and math - simple logic as you say, or common sense as I might say.

Sorry, I don't know of any solution to this (if that's what you were after) other than better (real) scientific education.

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