Street Smarts vs Book Smarts

[Cath!]

I have noticed a lot of younger people who have gone to University, etc that think they know more than others who have lived and learned through life experiences (my sister for example).

Do you think that you only learn what you need to learn in University or do you think that you can learn just as much, if not more, by living life and learning from your mistakes?

 

[espressolover]

street smarts vervus book smarts

I absolutely think that we learn more from experiencing life day by day.

Book smarts are fine...they help to attain career goals.

But, as far as believing that since a person finishes college they have learned all there is to know...that is deluded thinking.
They will expereince alot of hard knocks in life with an attitude like that.

The only way we can learn is just living life...experiencing love..experiencing pain and moving on and learning the lessons that come from making mistakes.

espressolover

 

[seXieleXie]

i think both kinds of "smarts" are necesary, but you're not in suspended animation while you are attending university. especially if you move out of the house you learn a lot more than what the professors lecture on in class.

i don't think it is possible to know "everything there is to know," no matter how much time you've spent learning from the school of hard knocks or any other school. street smarts aren't everything, but book smarts aren't either.

 

[cymbidia]

Ah! The eternal conundrum. Which is better: the School of Hard Knocks versus a more formal education.

One needs them both, imo.

Formal education open doors, it has a decided propensity to round a person with regard to general knowledge about the world and specific knowledge about a field that is of personal interest.

Living one's life without the initial advantages of a formal education serves to temper and season a person, often allowing them an earlier appreciation for the values of honesty and hard work.

Neither is better.
Neither is worse.
They are different.

In the end, most of us come to realize that there's no eclipsing value to either and that "worth" depends on each peson as an indivudual.

 

[Andreina]

neither of my parents have gone to university and that certainly doesnt make them stupid (I know for a fact that they are really smart). I'm fortunate enough to attend a very good university, and have the opportunity to study and learn. However, I realized pretty quickly that only half of wisdom comes from books, the other comes from common sense, general knowledge and learning by living.
I try to combine my academic side with as much travelling as possible in order to learn... learn for life that is.

 

[espressolover]

I'll amend that statement

I do think they are both important...

We learn lessons either way...in books at school and life lessons out of school.

I hope I didn't tread on any toes with the statement that i made before- I just happen to think life lessons are the best.

espressolover

 

[Cath!]

Re: I'll amend that statement

I do think they are both important...

We learn lessons either way...in books at school and life lessons out of school.

I hope I didn't tread on any toes with the statement that i made before- I just happen to think life lessons are the best.

espressolover

life lessons are the best hands-on experience that you could ever have. You just need to know when to turn to the books when you don't understand something.

 

[YogiBare]

Hi Cath!

I believe that you need them both and can never have enough of either one. Book larnin' provides context and perspective for life experience, while experience teach how to apply what you've learned in school. I look forward to the day when I can go back to grad school yet again.

 

[Fly_On_Wall]

I'm gonna say like most everyone else here.... you need both you can't rely on just the one kind.

street smarts won't get you a good job. and education won't get you ready to deal with the world around you.

 

[pleasteasme]

I agree ~ a good blend of both common sense and book smarts is ideal.

I know people that are so damn intelligent, but not a lick of common sense. Those people do not survive in real life.

If I had to choose one type of knowledge, it would have to be common sense. . .how else could you survive?

 

[cymbidia]

Book larnin' provides context and perspective for life experience, while experience teach how to apply what you've learned in school.

~deeply admiring the deft way in which you take more complex concepts and present them in simple, easily-understood terms~