Is it possible to get smarter, or is it something you're just born with?

Question:What if you're not happy with your level of intelligence, and let's say want to be as intelligent as Albert Einstein. Are you basically scr(wed, if you were born relatively ignorant, or can you work towards becoming smarter? Is such a thing even possible?

Or are you just born into smarts, just like you're born into health, looks, money, etc.

I mean you can buy looks nowadays, and you can work towards money,

but what about brains?

I personally for whatever reason do not have the brains or the drive to be a nobel prize winner.

But what if I wanted to? Would it be possible?

Or I'm stuck with what I've got?

If it's not possible to get smarter than what you are currently, then why do so many people make fun of or put people down, when they can't really help it? They were just born that way.

Fat people, ugly people, dumb people, poor people, many people are just born into it, and yet they get made fun of?

How FAIR is that? lol.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: What if you're not happy with your level of intelligence, and let's say want to be as intelligent as Albert Einstein. Are you basically scr(wed, if you were born relatively ignorant, or can you work towards becoming smarter? Is such a thing even possible?

Or are you just born into smarts, just like you're born into health, looks, money, etc.

I mean you can buy looks nowadays, and you can work towards money,

but what about brains?

I personally for whatever reason do not have the brains or the drive to be a nobel prize winner.

But what if I wanted to? Would it be possible?

Or I'm stuck with what I've got?

If it's not possible to get smarter than what you are currently, then why do so many people make fun of or put people down, when they can't really help it? They were just born that way.

Fat people, ugly people, dumb people, poor people, many people are just born into it, and yet they get made fun of?

How FAIR is that? lol.

Though I agree with the first answerer that the brain can be exercised, I also believe that there is a limit. I also agree with what you've said, people really can't help what they are. But for practicality, we judge them as if they had a choice.

You can develop how you use your brain and thus be smarter.
Its like muscle. You may have a predisposition to large muscle mass but that doesn't guarantee you killer bisceps.
You have to work it to improve it. Brain power can
be improved.

You're not stuck. If you continue lifelong learning and practice retrieving information from your long term memory. Study hard, build more schemas, and you will grow more axons and dendrites, but, seriously, if you don't use it, you lose it.

knowledge is obtained and not in-born. you have to work out on it. it doesn't matter if you were born with a super brain, if you don't do anything, it will not develop to its level.

don't put a lot of pressure on yourself.

I think it is possible to improve your skills in almost any field, perhaps not including arts. But then, even art can be improved if you really want to.

I would say that there are certain activities which would sharpen your thinking skills. You can read novels, then eventually go into nonfiction books.

Some people swear by Sudoku or crossword puzzles. Personally, i think that reading is one of the most important things you can do, and this will result in a better imagination and ability to express yourself.

Following this is honing your math skills. It sounds funny, but flashcards of basic addition or multiplication problems would help big time. When you can answer questions like 7X8 and answer 56 without a hitch, then you probably have a better grasp of math than most people.

When you've done these two, it should be easier to grasp most of the stuff you would need to learn.

I am convinced you're born with it. But a lot of average people can develop their brains further through extensive reading, researching, and interacting with others who have higher brain thinking/learning capacity.

I think you can do what ever you want to but, some of us it takes a little more effort than others but, that's ok. Doc

You learn almost everything, the human brain, from when you are born growes until you are 6.

I think some people have more potential than others to be smart. But honestly, of course you can get smarter. Go ask a three year old anything. I believe everyone can learn things and become less ignorant, it has nothing to do with genes. We just don't all have Einstein potential lol. I know I don't.

I believe you can achieve whatever. It's all about what you believe in, the environment you are in, the people who support you and how hard you want to achieve it. And yes, sometimes you do need luck.

Although they say: "Knowledge is Power",I still say it takes a certain amount of intellegence,that people are just born with. You can be in an Algebra class with 20 other students,and 10 of those students understood the assignments,and the others did'nt. (Why?),because it's how the brain functions,from one person to another.

(To answer your other question?)
Being fat,ugly,etc. may have to do with genetics.
I don't believe that a person is actually dumb. I would say that they are not applying themselves to the situation,and would rather leave it alone,simply because they are not interested. (But!) A person who has absolutely no clue,as to what's going on?,may have a mental disability.
Being born into poverty,is something people experience everyday. Although both parents may have a job,and because economics is rising sky high,we have to start young,and start saving for the future. This also starts with our Government. If we keep our heads to the sky,and vote for the "Person",who we fell in our hearts,can bring us out of 2008's depression?,then we can live a normal life,knowing that our hard earned dollars,is'nt going into some one else's pockets.

Ask any psychologist: it's scientific fact that people get smarter as they age. Even IQ test results are age-based, as are aptitude tests and college entrance exams. This is because of exposure to information.

Also, there are many types of intelligence, not just "book smarts." There are people with advanced college degrees who cannot figure out how mechanical things work. Or how to paint a portrait. Or make an original dessert.

I think that we all have a limit to our mental capacity - maybe what's normal and easy to understand for you is incomprehensible for you neighbor. I
think it can be discussed to a great extent if Albert Einstein was more intelligent than so many other people ( a genius in his field for certain). Almost all inventors live isolated life's in their labs - concentrating all their knowledge on one thing - is that intelligence? What about social intelligence, musical intelligence etc. I think that we should be satisfied with what we have - it can't be changed. Knowledge is power but it's also a pain because you realize that you can't change a d**** thing.

I think intelligence as we see it comes from a natural curiosity. Curiosity in itself is enough for me investigate any given problem and try to figure it out. If Einstein didn't have the curiosity to find why things are the way they are he wouldn't have spent most of his life trying to figure them out. So i think it is something that you are born with.Something that drives you from within. Surely you can go to school and study certain subjects but without the curiosity you wont go much farther then trying to pass the class.