The Biggest Know-It-All

VoodooDali · Post by **VoodooDali** » Tue Nov 13, 2001 6:09 pm

I tend to think that I'm the biggest Know-It-All that I know, but now on SYM I believe I have some competition.

Who do you think is the biggest Know-It-All on SYM?

Aegis · Post by **Aegis** » Tue Nov 13, 2001 6:11 pm

Depends. Know-it-all facts wise? Or just know-it-all smart ass? For column A, I'd say Fable. for column B, it's definatly I Sage.

dragon wench · Post by **dragon wench** » Tue Nov 13, 2001 6:13 pm

Surely you jest, I'm certain I've never encountered anyone who would fit that description here!

[ 11-13-2001: Message edited by: dragon wench ]

VoodooDali · Post by **VoodooDali** » Tue Nov 13, 2001 6:15 pm

Originally posted by Aegis:
Depends. Know-it-all facts wise? Or just know-it-all smart ass? For column A, I'd say Fable. for column B, it's definatly I Sage.

How about both--a Know-It-All facts wise smart-ass?

fable · Post by **fable** » Tue Nov 13, 2001 6:15 pm

Know-it-all? Nah--I know very little. I just find a lot of stuff in life very interesting, and don't mind sharing it. But there are far more knowledgeable types than me around: CE's a good example. Weasel and DP, too, have a lot of facts at their command.

[ 11-13-2001: Message edited by: fable ]

VoodooDali · Post by **VoodooDali** » Tue Nov 13, 2001 6:22 pm

Originally posted by fable:
Know-it-all? Nah--I know very little. I just find a lot of stuff in life very interesting, and don't mind sharing it. But there are far more knowledgeable types than me around: CE's a good example. Weasel and DP, too, have a lot of facts at their command.

[ 11-13-2001: Message edited by: fable ]

Yep--that's exactly what I've been noticing--esp. you and CE.

Minerva · Post by **Minerva** » Tue Nov 13, 2001 6:40 pm

Waverly, Foul and Gruntboy.

Aegis · Post by **Aegis** » Tue Nov 13, 2001 6:57 pm

Fable, don't be modest, and don't force me to bring I Sage by to explain the importance of *knowing* what you do.

EMINEM · Post by **EMINEM** » Wed Nov 14, 2001 4:46 pm

If this is empty... ("points at his chest"),
this doesn't matter... ("taps his head").

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Wed Nov 14, 2001 4:59 pm

Fable and Yshania, Waverly if we still count him (he's not here very often).

VoDoo seems a good candidate also

Knowledge is "amorph" and assymmetric in nature. People who know very little, tend to believe they know a lot because they don't realise the complexity and depth of many issues, but mostly perhaps because they don't realise the limitations of human knowledge in general. Just look at how most children related to knowledge.

I recently heard of a PhD dissertation that addresed how people related to their own knowledge, and these studies showed that the people who knew least according to tests, were the same people who assessed themselves as knowing very much and being very smart.

Aegis · Post by **Aegis** » Wed Nov 14, 2001 5:41 pm

I think what you *know* is different from *knowing*. For instance, I know George Bush, but I do not *know* him. Or, I know what's going on in the scientific world (Thanks to CE) But I do not *know* whats happening. It's all a matter of perspective, and personnaly feelings. Whether you *know*, or just know depends on how much your willing to learn.

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Wed Nov 14, 2001 5:47 pm

Thank you Aegis

but my little corner of science is rather limited although I try very hard to keep updated with other areas than my own also.

I very much agree with your conclusions, I think knowledge is most about attitude and interest in learning. 500 years ago a person could have a firm grasp of all the collected knowledge of mankind - today, that's a joke.

In your words, I think some people who misjudge their own degree of knowledge or smartness, believe they *know* a lot of things they only know a superficially.

VoodooDali · Post by **VoodooDali** » Wed Nov 14, 2001 6:03 pm

Well, just to compliment SYM'ers, most of them seem to be above the norms. My guess would be that the majority of people attracted to non-linear RPG's are of above average intelligence. I wonder what the Diablo boards are like...probably not so interesting, but I could be wrong.

In college I majored in anthropology and biology--both are fields where the ability to remember a lot of seemingly insignificant, unrelated details pays off. I remember taking Cultural Anthro, reading the articles once, and Ace'ing the tests--I thought, This is great, this is the field for me. I just have this knack for remembering odd facts... Like, why did my brain choose to remember forever the fact that all vertebrates owe the development of their lungs to spiders--spiders have book lungs--the first lungs to be layered and expand surface area...? In SYM, I'm definitely not alone in this memory for the odd fact!

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Wed Nov 14, 2001 6:44 pm

[QUOTE]Originally posted by VoodooDali:
[QB]I wonder what the Diablo boards are like...probably not so interesting, but I could be wrong.[quote][qb]

Hey, not a bad word about Diablo, I love the game, I played my sorceress to level 55

Great combination, biology and anthropology

It's quite interesting to note that long term semantic memory is on of the major components in what is often popularly called "intelligence" and standard IQ-tests (as opposed to G-factor tests) are also very dependant on memory functions. I think we who are lucky enough to have very good memory, is often viewed by society as "knowledgable", "talented for studying"or "intelligent".

Aegis · Post by **Aegis** » Wed Nov 14, 2001 6:55 pm

I don't think inelligence should be measure by what you remember over a long time, but rather as a test of short term memory, or possible even another method.

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Wed Nov 14, 2001 7:11 pm

Short time memory is actually not a good predictor either - even people with long gone Ahlzeimers can have good short time memory.

IQ tests are very outdated as measures of intelligence. The tests that best measure what we commonly call intelligence in normal language (ie stuff like fast learning ability, ability to independent thinking and elaboration of a material, problem solving skills, using information in a creative way, analysis and synthsis of information, etc etc - stuff that makes a difference in how we cope in life) are the so called G-factor tests. They are much broader than the old IQ tests, they test many more different cognitive abilities. They are however not used in schools or by the military, they are almost exclusively used in research and sometimes for diagnostic purposes.

Yshania · Post by **Yshania** » Thu Nov 15, 2001 1:46 am

LOL!! I got a vote - and from CE too

Thank you - but they will never find the evidence *grins*

I don't consider myself to be a know-it-all. In fact I don't know enough in my opinion, I have trouble retaining sometimes - so have to rely on useless and unconnected trivia

I need to sort out my filing system

My vote, in no particular order, would go to:

CE, Fable, Weasel, Waverley, Thantor, Gruntboy, Fas, Eminem...and those good at cryptic and trivia - Mr Sleep and Veh

you get a separate voting category because this is the kind of knowledge I can keep up with

There are so many people to learn from in SYM

Maharlika · Post by **Maharlika** » Thu Nov 15, 2001 5:04 am

Fable and CE.

Hands down for me.

However, I do not like the term "Know-It-All".

It has a bad connotation (arrogance, stubborness, pompous, "feeling great," blah, blah, blah, you name it")

I think Mr and Ms Encyclopedia would be a better term.

These people never gave me an aura of arrogance whenever they share what they know. As far as I see it, they are just doing that --- SHARING what they know. Sure, we may not agree with some of their points of view, but hey, this is what LEARNING is all about. If their views don't jibe with yours, at least their points give you another perspective to look into.

I actually look forward for what these people have to say coz more often than not, they present their cases with concrete examples whenever they have to make their points more convincingly acceptable. This is aside from the regular FYI's that they post here and there.

No, I'm not patronizing both of them. That's just how I see it.

There are a whole lot of others who have contributed significantly in various discussions. I'm just amazed that these two have got the time to share their knowledge despite having hectic skeds. I'm sure these people HAVE A LIFE outside SYM (who doesn't anyway?) yet they are here to share their wealth of knowledge...

...I think it's because they too, feel that they've got lots of things to learn from others...

..."Know-it-alls," wouldn't have that kind of attitude.

...BTW, Sleepy comes into mind too, as a not so distant third...

...this guy scares me coz he pretends not to know much, but he is there lurking, just waiting for the right time to strike.

Smooth Operator, I should say!

Just arrived from a three-day, two-night camp and I see that there are two posts in Sleepy's Gender thread.

I bet Fable is one of them. The other, a double post?

Better check it out after this. Got some learning to do...

[ 11-15-2001: Message edited by: Maharlika ]

Mr Sleep · Post by **Mr Sleep** » Thu Nov 15, 2001 5:18 am

Originally posted by Yshania:
and those good at cryptic and trivia - Mr Sleep and Veh you get a separate voting category because this is the kind of knowledge I can keep up with

We should really bump that thread

Mr Sleep · Post by **Mr Sleep** » Thu Nov 15, 2001 5:20 am

Originally posted by Maharlika:
...BTW, Sleepy comes into mind too, as a not so distant third...

...this guy scares me coz he pretends not to know much, but he is there lurking, just waiting for the right time to strike.

Smooth Operator, I should say!

I assure everyone there is no truth to these statements