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Many things have been written about what it means to be smart. Generally, we consider it to be a magnificent event when we meet smart people, when we are ourselves perform well in everyday activities. Ι mean, how common is it to find someone who actually is intellectually high up there?

If you ask though what it means to be smart, you’ll never get a straight answer. What does it mean to be smart really? Is it about getting good grades and reviews from teachers at school? Acing your SATs? Having a good GPA in college? Being weird, antisocial, spending all of your time surrounded with books and scientific magazines? Wearing glasses?

The answers vary, as the opinions we all seem to have are endless, without a limit to tell us we’ve actually found the right answer. I was recently discussing about this with a friend — being unable to find one straight answer to this subject; the one that beats all the rest in hand.

I’ve come to think one thing as -the closest to- correct answer: being smart -or intelligent, or bright, or whatever else you want to call it- isn’t about books, glasses, high grades and performance. It isn’t about being a loner either; haven’t you ever seen a loner that is actually slacking off the entire time? Don’t tell you haven’t, please.

Definitely all of these characteristics may be the one side of the coin, but not in the way you think. I’ll ask you one question: have you ever been able to distinguish, between two people, who is the one that actually reads and knows what he/she’s talking about from the one who pretends to read, knows basically nothing and plays at being the “smart” one to others?

Well, my point exactly. It actually gets worse. Let’s try this. Have you ever met people that read, know what they’re talking about, but still there is something off or completely wrong about them?

My point exactly for the second time.

Thinking about all of these things I came to realize that being smart doesn’t have to do with books, grades, exams, diplomas; or generally academia. It isn’t about the knowledge you gain from what you read and focus on. Even if you do all these things, guess what — you still need to have the ability to use them correctly and in a matter that is beneficial to you; and those around you.

Translation: whatever it is, it has to make your life easier, better, happier. And not only for you, but for others too.  I’ve come to conclude that being smart is first when you’re able to use any information you have, and use it to make the world a bit better day by day.

Now, another thing. Most people on this planet sometimes (most of the time) actually forget that we’re not alone here. We work better in groups; whether you take it from an evolutionary or social perspective. This means, that every day we encounter countless of peopl; for the simplest thing we have to do to the most complex one. And when you coexist with other beings in a context, in an environment again… you have to use whatever information you’ve got to successfully create communication, genuine connections and feelings.

You might not understand where I’m going with this, right? Well, let me tell you. We’re human, we make mistakes, we have feelings, we have an ego. What makes us different from each other, is our own personal characteristics; and among all of that, our behavior. You can be as smart as you like — but if you behave badly towards others, disrespect them, judge or criticize them for their choices and their mistakes, you are NOT smart at all.

In fact, you’re probably an asshole; and stupid too. And trust me, no one cares about the diplomas you have displayed on your wall. Or the money you have in your pockets. If you carry that arrogance and belief that you know everything and anything along with you everywhere you go, you’re a total fool. And you don’t know shit.

Smart is knowing when to be compassionate, when to support one another and forgive each other’s mistakes. Smart is having the wisdom and, above all, the selflessness to say that you can’t know it all; and then, making the damn effort to find out what it is you don’t know. This should be the keyword. Smart is respecting others around you and not thinking you’re above them. Smart is knowing when to start and stop talking, because you know it’s meaningful to say some good words just as it is meaningless to spend your words all over the place.

But most of all, smart is about wanting to make the world a better place for you, for us, for everyone.

Author: Victoria A. Dimou

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