In Life, Is It Better To Be "book Smart" Or "street Smart"?

[Nameless14]

Who is the winner, street smart or book smart? Which type of intelligence is better: street smart, book smart, mechanical knowledge, political smarts, EQ or IQ? Explain.

[Baldric]

Street smart is pretty good, I've lived with it for years.

[Mamyalynne]

That's almost an impossible one to give a definite answer to - in my life I have been a Jill of many trades and a mistress of only a few.

I couldn't hold down a position with any great authority on one single topic but can discuss many things with those who can (bar politics).

[anneasquith]

Explain, is this homework?

[kvalidir]

It depends on what's happening, in a civilised society book smarts tend to earn more money very generally, in any sort of crisis situation street smarts prevail, but you can be both, they are not mutually exclusive. I was home educated with a strong leaning to literature and all things which could be considered civilised, but my Dad showed me how to set snares, how to find water, how to shoot, hunt and fish, how to build shelters, how to judge where you are by the sun and stars, how to build survival shelters, how to start and carry fire, what you can and can't eat when you forage, and how to fight. If I ever need any of that I'll be glad I know it, rather than the interpretive meaning of Swan Lake.

[Guilbert53]

>>>Explain, is this homework?

No, but this user just keeps posting loads of trivial pointless questions.

Look back through their previous questions and you see what I mean.

I think they have been "planted" by AnswerBank just to ask trivial questions to keep the activity up on this site.

[Mamyalynne]

You mentioned that the other day Guilbert and someone removed your comment - if you have a problem with a poster please use the report function or ignore.

[kvalidir]

It looks more to me as though he's trying to profile us, the questions, if the same people answer them (I've answered a few) would be very useful in doing that, though why is another matter. He might just find people interesting tbf.

[andres]

There are no winners in this contest. It takes all sorts to make a world. However a person with a good all-round knowledge will be a far more interesting person than one who only concentrates on one particular subject.

[Old_Geezer]

Don't bother being smart. The world will just disappoint you if you do.

[BagPussAA]

I would say that it depends on the situation. I am not very street smart as I suffer from crippling social anxiety and rarely venture out to be around people. I am, however, very book smart as I love to study and love to read. My one close friend is street smart having travelled extensively around the world by herself but she doesn't read a lot so is not book smart. In different situations, we have different strengths.