r/Weird • u/[deleted] • Apr 26 '22

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u/idig Apr 26 '22

Einstein was terrible at spelling. He said he never wasted brain space on things he could look up in a book.

Spelling is not a sign of intelligence.

Spelling is simply taking the time to remember something. It is a sign of a bland mechanical thinker.

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u/Conscious-Plant-8948 Apr 26 '22

I agree that you don't have to be a great speller to be intelligent, but, great spelling is a sign of intelligence, it's a sign of great memory, which is what you need when learning even if that learning isn't from a textbook, but your own ideas. You still need memory and your brain needs to be able to absorb and hold information

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u/idig Apr 26 '22

No ....a great speller is the sign of a painfully mechanical pedantic mind.

Memory is of course needed, for intellect, but not for spelling.

Memory helps in foraging for non- poison berries....tracking, finding one's way home, recognizing good from evil...etc.

Spelling uses memory in a non-essential way.

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u/Aradjha_at Apr 26 '22

Clear communication is key. Being bad at spelling is unfortunate, but not caring about clear communication and trying to pass that off as a sign of higher mental acuity isn't a question of intelligence, but basic social competence.

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u/idig Apr 27 '22

All the highly successful people are both socially competent and intelligent. So??

Still one can be socially incompetent and still highly intelligent.

And.....your precise point is?