From: wagner@ives.cs.unc.edu (Michael Wagner)
Newsgroups: alt.supermodels
Subject: Re: My right and wrong answers (Was: Re: Calendars and Brains)
Date: 16 Nov 92 17:13:01 GMT
Organization: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

In article <13NOV199220251739@pierre.mit.edu> kettler@pierre.mit.edu (KETTLER, THOMAS R.) writes:

>All this proves is that I haven't been to Milan or the Louvre to know those 
>questions but I suspect that Elle has no idea what quantum electrodynamics is, 
>either. Maybe I should write up a physics exam and see how the models would 
>do versus me. After all, it would only be slightly more skewed than this one.
>d::-) 

I think that this is exactly the point.  A bunch of geeks sitting
around whining about the "intelligence" of supermodels have about
as much sense of "intelligence" as a pig does of Sunday.  The remark
that models tend to be less well educated in matters involving 
quantum electrodynamics is probably subject to verification.
Whining about "Look at the stupid thigs Elle says" is probably
not.  And we of the net have plenty of evidence to the contrary.
Simply read the newsgroups during an election year!

Models know a lot about modeling.  Geeks know a lot aout geek
things.  Big deal.

I would like to suggest that any good definition of intelligence
is a little more complex than "I can do triple integrals in my
head, and you can't."  For example, I suspect that if you really
look at what it takes to get from being a pretty teenager to being
a "supermodel", you would find that there are many complex
problems to be solved-- but not in the trivial area of mathematics.
Real life complex problems with relationships and people and careers
and exploitation.  Take the wrong turn, and you end up like Dorothy
Stratten.  I really don't know anything about the private lives
of the various women we talk about in this group.  But those who
do survive the road to the top manage to make it through a lot of
difficult obstacles, with experienced predators waiting around
every corner.  You're 16 and kock-dead beautiful, and there are
sleazebags out there who have 30 years experience ripping you
off.  Make the wrong move, and you end up like Dorothy
Stratten.  

Those kinds of complex problems tend to be problems
we geeks are not very good at solving.  Just the relationship
with an agent is probably a lot more complex than anything I deal
with in my professional life.  And I have noted that most geeks
are about as good at handling relationships/interpersonal interaction
as I presume Elle is at solving ODE's.  I used to think more of
what geeks mean by intelligence until I starting dealing with so
many really *miserable* people who would score very high on
IQ tests.  My point here is not that being knock-dead beautiful
is not superficial.  It is.  But intelligence seems pretty 
superficial, too.  At least "intelligence" as most people
mean that term seems more and more superficial the longer
I live.  If we were to define "intelligence" as the ability
to live a happy, satisfied life, all the academics would
scream in agony.  I used to think that happiness was superficial
and intelligence was deep.  The longer I live, the more I
believe the contrary.

Finally, I might note that if I, or most of the geeks I know were
to compare the ratio of my intelligence to Elle's intelligence,
and the ratio of my photogeneity  to Elle's photogeneity, we
might have a pretty strong case for humility.   Like at most
my IQ is 125% of hers (and that's doing me an honor and her
a dishonor), but her photogeneity is probably 500% - 1000% of mine. 
"Photogeneity" would be hard to calibrate, but we could compare
the number of Vogue covers she's been on to the number of Vogue
covers I've been on...  Take pictures of us both and ask 10,000
who is better looking...  Take pictures of us both and ask 10,000
people to rate our looks on a scale of 1..10 and average the
responses...

Isn't all this arguments just a case of hormones overwhelming
immature social abilities of geeks.  She's really pretty, but
she won't go to bed with me.  That makes me mad, but my little
geek soul can't handle that.  I'll show her, I'll say she's 
dumb.  I'll show her, I'll say she's gay.  I'll show her, I'll
say she's not really pretty...


Mike