Which is more important intelligence or common sense?

Question

I have more common sense than intelligence. I am successful student with the exception of math. I will need a math tutor for my class in the spring.

I vote common sense because I fall into that category.

flawless · Accepted Answer

They go hand to hand and it all depends how deep do you want to explore this topic. To be intelligent, you need to have some degree of common sense to process those information. To have common sense, you need to develop your sixth sense which comes from intelligence.

Intelligence alone wont' do you any good if you can't use non of it. That is when you need common sense to determine if the things you have learned "intelligence" have any real value to you and how will you use it.

My types of intelligence goes pretty deep from processing information logically down to managing finance. Common sense to me is basically your intuition towards a specific subject another words your mastery.

I will use finance as an example, if I asked you a question "Saving money or Invest money?"

How would you use your intelligence and common sense to determine which one to do?

Common sense might tell you to save money, because it is the easiest to do and everyone does it with no risks. That is what you were taught when you are young, that is what you will do, it is basic financial intuition that is passed down from parent to child. Don't Gamble, Don't take Risk, Don't spend all your money in one place, Don't buy useless things. Those are all basic financial common sense.

An intelligent person might say, investing will yield you higher returns than saving, but there is a risk of losing some money if something goes wrong, but if I invest at a certain time, I might make some money and walk away before I loss them. An intelligent person can evaluate complex data and able to determine many results from a single action.

If you combine both common sense and intelligence, you have someone that have sixth sense. The ability to access both pros and cons, in addition when to executes those action and when to stop. Back to our finance example, I might say... OK, I will invest my money for the next two years in XYZ, I will pull out and save my money in a bank when I get the news to sell my investments.

I don't think either have greater importance than another, you really have to use both in combination in the real world.

If you have too much intelligence, you will get the issues of over analyzing things. The more you know, the less information you have.

Basic common sense really doesn't do you any good, it keeps you out of trouble that's about it.

What you want is intuition, which is both intelligence and common sense.

martyfellow · Accepted Answer

These aren't really different. It's just that some people never got exposed to reading and studying and learning seriously. They have common sense but don't 'know' much.

It's really a lifestyle difference. Their brains are the same!

Some people may have a lot of learning, but they don't have a chance to interact a lot with people, so they seem to lack 'common sense' in much the same way some people seem to lack 'intelligence', but understand people and social situations instinctively.

These people all get along after an initial awkwardness, as they adjust to each others' lifestyles.

thelittlelostbear · Accepted Answer

In a love relation, Common sense en knowledge of the world.

In a friend relation or school, Intelligence!

But you don't have to be a straight A/B student to be a intelligent person. That just means you have it a bit harder on some subjects.

Common sense is super duper important because other wise the conversations you will have will all be about subjects, facts and not feelings or even humor.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

Intelligence without common sense is just about as close to worthless as you can get, in my book.  If I had to choose one over the other to possess or have people I care about possess, it would be common sense hands down.  The most well rounded people have both.

PastelColours · Accepted Answer

You need both but I think it's more important to have intelligence. If you're a successful student, I'm sure you're very intelligent! Maybe you should give a bit more credit to yourself :)

Anonymous · Answer

There are different types of intelligence. If someone is weak in one type of intelligence they lack what is called common sense. Such as if someone is really smart but their brain just can't read people at all, they can get into all sorts of trouble.

A good example would be how Sheldon, in the big bang theory, is unable to understand how people are feeling and gets into all sorts of misunderstandings.

https://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=vII68LSluUc

Pennies character isn't as gifted, as Sheldon, but she doesn't really have any really big weakness in any one type of intelligence, so she tends to have more common sense.

Stache · Answer

They're like a couple of best-friends, Intelligence gets you into trouble and common sense gets you out. Then again, sometimes common sense fails and intelligence gets you out. I love them both.

Confucius16 · Answer

What do you mean by common sense?

I'm not sure what exactly you mean by common sense, but I would prefer to have common sense than intelligence.

Some people who lack common sense, may have strengths in other areas, so just because someone doesn't have "common sense", does not mean they don't know anything.

Roney1990 · Answer

I feel common sense. It helps in day to day affair of life and to become successful it is not compulsory to become intelligent having enough common sense. Yes intelligence does matter but, it's okay if feel you're not much intelligent even I am also not one :-).

But, try to improve it you'll definitely have enough

All the best

Michaelmwm19 · Answer

I'm not sure, common sense you are more or less born with it like intuition and stuff. Intelligence in most cases can be learned. I just can't decide! Don't make me do it lol xD.

davdus · Answer

I would like to have Logic more than common sense or intelligence. Logic can actually get you high paying jobs and can really make you do well in the world

madhatters4 · Answer

common sense. but having both is obviously the best

Koldhearted · Answer

You need both but Intel is way more important. If ya don't think so then its pretty clear you have none Common sense won't get you anywhere if you're as dumb as a rock.

rocksongwriter · Answer

More important regarding what?  Life?  In that case, probably common sense.  More important regarding getting into Yale?  Probably intelligence.

moaterboat · Answer

Intelligence simply because it is more rare and capable of doing more things.

bh6676r942 · Answer

oh yes common sense is very important because without it you're just a plain idiot in at least one dimension.

Anonymous · Answer

Intelligence. Common sense is just a lot of kind of arbitrary rules that cripple people's creativity.

Anonymous · Answer

common sense is really useful, but let's be honest, common sense hasn't pushed mankind forward, intelligence has.

Anonymous · Answer

Commonsense...by far.  I've been around some brilliant people, who acted as smart as a box of rocks when faced with lifes simple things.

Anonymous · Answer

I'd say common sense, seeing as how I don't think you could be very intelligent if you don't at least have common sense to build from.

Anonymous · Answer

Common sense is more important, it's more useful in more situations. Fortunately, I have both common sense and intelligence.

Anonymous · Answer

Intelligence gets you further, common sense basically keeps you out of trouble

anthony8x · Answer

Common sense trumps intelligence any day.

carmelo · Answer

both of them but first intelligence

jacquesvol · Answer

You need both.

VeohTV · Answer

common sense

mike52197 · Answer

Intelligence

Anonymous · Answer

Intelligence

Anonymous · Answer

common sense

Which is more important intelligence or common sense?

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Common sense or Intelligence... which do you prefer?

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