Basically my life story, also WHAT DO?

[typus]

[JUSTIF]Okay, here's the deal.

I'm 16 years old and I'm from Sweden. I don't know if this is my megalomania talking, but all my life I've felt... well, smarter than everyone else. It might be because I learned to read long before the other kids or that my teacher thought that I should do more advanced math than the other kids in 1st grade. But, for some silly reason I feel like I can accomplish anything I try in the future and that I'm smarter than everyone else, even though I convince myself that this is not the case my next thought is "but maybe it is though..." and it kinda sticks that way.

So, I've studied one year in a gymnasium, I guess it's kinda like American high schools? You study nine years in an elementary school, then you're in a gymnasium for three years, then you can continue with higher studies if you want to. So anyway, elementary school was nothing challenging, I skipped a lot of school (I think my absence was up to 30%-40% the last semester) but still got great grades. They could've been better, but they were still pretty great. In the gymnasium it's been kinda the same, although I've tried to stop skipping school. In Swedish gymnasiums you can choose between different models for what subjects you will study, I study the natural science program. It's at one of the best schools in my city, both to education quality and how high grades you need to get accepted. I feel like I'm one of the smartest in this school as well (sorry for being a megalomaniac, I guess?). This egotistical view gained strength when my Swedish teacher told me that she could see from the essays I've sent her that I was more intelligent than other people my age.

So, here's the thing: I don't know what the hell I want to do with my future. Or, I do know that I would like to study after the gymnasium of course, but what? I have no idea really. I'm kinda thinking about physics, philosophy, law, economics and stuff like that. But while I don't really know what I want to study I even less know what I would like to work with. I guess I don't wanna work with anything business-related, I'd rather work in... a university environment, I guess? I mean, if my understanding of what you do as a philosopher is correct it's basically hanging around at a university and maybe writing a book or two. Actually, I kinda want to just study several things and be rollin' it polymath style, but it doesn't seem very good from a financial view. But well, I can get into whatever school I want and I'm quite confident that I can handle studies of any subject. I don't have a very good study technique, mostly because I've never really had to study that much, but it all feels kinda silly. Meh, I think I'll do fine anyways.

I'll end this here before I ridicule myself too much, and I'll just ask you to make me more realistic and also tell me a little bit about my possible futures. Maybe telling me about your own lives would help?

//CONFUSED DUDE[/JUSTIF]

 

[AlisaD]

You may well be a lot more intelligent then most people you know.
The thing is that it doesn't really matter.

Intelligence is just raw potential. Just because you have potential, you are not obliged to fulfil it. I used to go to a school for gifted children and I saw many lives ruined by the notion that potential needs to be used to it's fullest. You might have the potential to be an amazing butcher as well, it still doesn't have to mean you should spend your entire life up to your elbows in pig's blood.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is, try and disregard the fact that you are intelligent and just find something you like doing, even if you are not that good at it, it will still be more fun than wondering around the halls of a university feeling superior, unchallanged and all in all - bored.

EDIT: Also, don't worry about the financial side of things, money grows on trees. It really does, just don't worry about it.

 

[dreamoftheunknown]

Well, if you were in the US, I'd tell you to take a variety of freshmen classes and go with what interests you the most. I don't know about the Swedish system, though. It sounds like they split people into various tracks early on, and I know that systems like that are typically less forgiving if you start in one area and later change your mind. I don't know about Sweden, but for a while, Europe looked like it was starting to invest more in the sciences. Now, Europe seems to be going the austerity route, so the future of science is less clear. Unfortunately, in that regard, the situation is no better in the US. Right now, the only country I know of that's heavily investing in science is China (and well... you don't want to go there). However, as I said in another thread, some companies like physics undergraduates for their analytical skills, but I'm not sure how well that would work out in Sweden. Philosophy doesn't strike me as producing very many jobs. I don't know about law and economics in Sweden, but in terms of jobs, they sound like they might be your best bet (though, not law in the US - the legal sector here is contracting, and it has a back log of law school graduates to clear out).

 

[snafupants]

your hubris and smug attitude is a little disgusting; you would probably fit right in a university setting. alisad had some good advice - namely, follow your passion irrespective of economic or social pressures. you could merely follow the beaten path, while deluding yourself that youre a trailblazer, and then have a slightly premature mid-life crisis and curse the world for being so cruel and not matching your perceived abilities or you could do what you felt passionate about from the outset, take some flak from your friends, and bypass the aforesaid. there are millions of subjects you are not conversant in, so cut the crap kiddo.

 

[dreamoftheunknown]

your hubris and smug attitude is a little disgusting; you would probably fit right in a university setting. alisad had some good advice - namely, follow your passion irrespective of economic or social pressures. you could merely follow the beaten path, while deluding yourself that youre a trailblazer, and then have a slightly premature mid-life crisis and curse the world for being so cruel and not matching your perceived abilities or you could do what you felt passionate about from the outset, take some flak from your friends, and bypass the aforesaid. there are millions of subjects you are not conversant in, so cut the crap kiddo.

I think you were too subtle.

 

[typus]

your hubris and smug attitude is a little disgusting; you would probably fit right in a university setting. alisad had some good advice - namely, follow your passion irrespective of economic or social pressures. you could merely follow the beaten path, while deluding yourself that youre a trailblazer, and then have a slightly premature mid-life crisis and curse the world for being so cruel and not matching your perceived abilities or you could do what you felt passionate about from the outset, take some flak from your friends, and bypass the aforesaid. there are millions of subjects you are not conversant in, so cut the crap kiddo.

Thanks a lot, seriously

 

[snafupants]

typhoid - my post earlier may have been a little...mordant, harsh, or otherwise blunt . your predicament just seems to fit the human drama like a glove. please except this faux apology from my heart - lets just dust that off - to yours, seriously.

 

[typus]

typhpoid - my post earlier may have been a little...mordant, harsh, or otherwise blunt . your predicament just seems to fit the human drama like a glove. please except this faux apology from my heart - lets just dust that off - to yours, seriously.

I don't find you as funny as you think you are, also you seem to have misinterpreted my thanks. I thought the 'seriously' would make it seem less sarcastic?

 

[snafupants]

i wasnt exactly laughing uproariously as i typed that, but i appreciate you putting me in my place.

 

[Ermine]

Methinks you need to get out of your comfort zone. I thought I was really smart too when I was 16. But as soon as I started getting out of my shell, talking to other people, doing a variety of other things besides school, I realized that I'm not by any means superior. For example, I realized how much I need to work on communication of logistical thinking when I started working as a dental assistant between semesters in college. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses, and it all tends to average out. In the grand scheme of things, my intellect and I are just as good as the empathetic airhead.

Also, it's normal to not know what to do for a profession at your age. I thought I found my life calling when I was 17/18 only to figure out it wasn't my thing. 2 semesters into college, I went in the opposite direction and changed my major from art to computer science. I would have turned up my nose at the idea when I was 16, because I thought I was best at art. But really, as far as I can tell, this would be a really good thing for me. Just do what you do best, and you'll find out what you want to do for a career.

And lose the self delusion, please. I don't care how smart you are, you have a long way to go. This goes for me too, so don't feel singled out.

 

[Fukyo]

The 'nerd übermensch syndrome' never fails to amuse me.

 

[Dormouse]

I was going to post this long pretentious rant about how I've been there, and then I remembered I'm still 16 and also have no idea what to do with my life. Oh, and I used to think I was smarter than everyone but now I know I'm actually far stupider.

With respect to that, I'd say don't worry, if you are actually more intelligent than your peers carry on, if not your ego will eventually collapse under its own weight and reality will smash your skull in. Meanwhile keep in mind it's not a very attractive attitude.

Sadly, I've no advice on any other front. But hey, if you've got two years left at that gymnasium I'd say you're pretty well set timewise.

 

[cheese]

Regarding the philosophy idea:
I think it takes an incredible amount of work to get anywhere in that field, or academia in general - there aren't many positions, which are hard to get and take years of work in the first place. With philosophy especially there isn't much call for it outside universities, which limits opportunities further. And if you want to get into academia, you'll be up against the top few percent of the population, and I mean that not just in terms of raw potential but in sheer hard work. Which is necessary to get to the top of anything, really; even the "talentless" pop stars at the head of the herds today put in huge amounts of work, and incidentally, they're a good example of talent being far from the only factor of your success - it's who you know and how hard you work as well.

Saturated fields, low-demand fields, and highly specialised fields all require more work than ordinary. It's harder to be a world-famous concert pianist/violinist than an oboe player in an world-famous orchestra (saturation), and it's harder to be either of those than an office worker (specialisation, low demand).

If you want to be in a specialised field, you'll need to put in a lot of work. If you want to be in a saturated/low-demand--specialised field, you'll need to put in a lot of work + have talent and know people. Keep in mind that you'll need to be near the top in these if you want any money/success. The upside though is that most people aren't crazy enough to do that amount of work if they don't genuinely enjoy what they're doing - which makes it seem less like work. On the other hand, competing with enthusiastic, talented people makes things a whole bunch harder.

Bottom line: Find something you like, and work hard at it. You'll need to work either way, because you're far from the only intelligent person in the world, but at least it won't be such a drag.

 

[Razare]

Yeah, be careful at your age. If you become at all accustom to the fact you can slack off because you're smarter, you will hit a brick wall and meet failure one of these days. I have done this myself, and it was not pretty.

Intelligence gets you so far, and then there comes work ethic. No amount of intelligence will compensate for poor work ethic.

 

[Gather_Wanderer]

If you're an INTP an you don't know exactly what you want to do, that's fine. It's understood we're all a bit indecisive. If I could tell you anything though, it would be to at least find an immediate job/path that will lead you to a comfortable (by your own definition) lifestyle. Then, figure what you really want. You may never know (I don't know if anyone really does) but at least you'll provide yourself some flexibility...and I think that's all we really want, is it not? Allow the chance to still live independently and comfortably, while...completely wasting your human life, if you wanted. Just focus on the independent comfort part.

Also, I suddenly find snafupants hilarious. How did I miss this?

Edit: It doesn't matter what type you are. Anyone can lack in decision-making.
Also, I just burned my pasta. Dammit.

 

[Cegorach]

I've recently begun recognizing a pattern in self-deluded individuals in that of the "intellect" that doesn't try, which comes in two main categories:
Those who use it to justify their supposed intelligence and those who use it to justify their failures.

If you want a more accurate view of reality I'd suggest trying, a lot, as in your hardest.
There's nothing like trying your utmost and failing, or not meeting the expectations you had assumed you would.


These links are relevant as well:
Illusory Superiority
Dunning-Kruger Effect

 

[typus]

Thanks everyone, I am trying to work on this illusory superiority, and I think what I've written does not give a fair picture of myself, I kind of exaggerated the negative parts of myself. Pretty much all posts were helpful, though.

Cegorach: that's really interesting.

 

[Minuend]

Just because you have potential, you are not obliged to fulfil it.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is, try and disregard the fact that you are intelligent and just find something you like doing, even if you are not that good at it, it will still be more fun than wondering around the halls of a university feeling superior, unchallanged and all in all - bored.

EDIT: Also, don't worry about the financial side of things, money grows on trees. It really does, just don't worry about it.

Ah, why don't they teach us these things in school? So simple, so true.

*Attempts mindset change*

 

[vorre]

Thanks everyone, I am trying to work on this illusory superiority, and I think what I've written does not give a fair picture of myself, I kind of exaggerated the negative parts of myself. Pretty much all posts were helpful, though.

Cegorach: that's really interesting.

Good post typus!
This is one of the biggest strengths of INTP:s, being able to take in other opinions and constantly transform their view of things. And this is an ability you should take care of.

Having a good self-understanding is very important to have a good life in many ways.

We see them all around us - all the (mostly J types) that lack in perceiving and absorbing other views then there own. And that is a truly bad way of approaching life.

Be humble, adaptable, hard working. Also appreciate and learn from your set backs in life and you will do fine.

 

[cheese]

Yeah typus, I meant to say something to the effect of vorre's post but forgot oops. Anyway nice open-minded attitude, it'll take you far.

*edit
Er, which is not at all to presume any of us are right in our premature assessments of you. But in general I find humility to be a useful cloak. Keeps you fresh.

 

[DarkGreen]

you sound like Alex Dobyan, he came from Sweden too. are you Alex? he was open about his smarts, too. he told everyone that women are just for having kids and only hot women. then he planned a divorce after she had given him what he wanted. also he said she had to be a hot brazilian model in front of his short statured asian girlfriend. he looked at her with a half-cocked smile 'you know we'll break up one day?' she rolled her eyes, i think she had been expecting that. i would always tease him but really it was funny he was so open about things. in a group against group project he smartly told us all, 'yeah i'll totally beat you' if we ever went against each other for debate. he was a real handful and all the guy's at our school even wide eyedly stared at him after some of the 'holier than thou' stunts'. he's probably going to end up with a gold-digger and after 50 years realize how stupid he's been. it was good to have encountered his personality i think because now i know how to handle it. argue all the time and treat the megalo like he's lower and suddenly he might begin to think 'hey, is this person maybe my equal'? it's better than being considered a peon. but he had such a hard casing of confidence i could bounce horrible words off him and he wouldn't react with anything but patronizing words 'aw, she's trying to argue'. well, i stopped caring and just would have fun talking AT him, you could never talk TO him. 'i hate you' would get a smile. 'i think your stupid' would grant you a bigger one.