Understanding Intelligence

Arun Rawat

What is intelligence by the way? 

To put things simply one may say it is the ability to learn about, learn from, understand and interact with one’s environment. If you think, it is this single simple ability developed across millions of years has made us the masters of this planet. So, to say that one must make efforts to increase one’s intelligence will always be an understatement.

But before we take the leap, we better understand how our mind actually works. The simplest way is experimenting on oneself. Let me begin with an example.

It was raining yesterday when my brother blurted out something completely out of context. “Friends, romans countrymen” he said as he whistled his favourite western tune. “What was that all about?” I remarked bringing the anomaly into focus. At first, he seemed surprised himself but within a few seconds he knew exactly why he uttered those words. Let’s trace his thought…

-          It was sunny as it was raining yesterday (stimulus for thought)

-          The above phenomenon of a sun shower is often referred to by the phrase “A fox’s wedding”

-          16 years ago a boy in his class had recited “A Fox’s Wedding” by Harindranath Chattopadhyay in the school elocution.

-          It was a year later that my brother was to recite in the school elocution. And he had recited Mark Antony’s speech from Julius Caesar. The speech famously begins with “Friends, romans countrymen.”

 

That was a small example depicting the brilliance of the human mind. How years later it can still remind you of something you had not given the mildest of thoughts. So indulge in this small experiment. Any given day we think of a thousand things. If you pay attention many of them make us wonder that what made us think of them after all. Try and grab a thought and analyse it. The results are sure to blow your mind.

Once you have crossed the bridge you are sure to respect the tremendous ability within you. Few questions will arise. Let’s analyse the important ones.

-          How is this related to intelligence anyway?

Firstly let us analyse the vital traits of an intelligent mind.

1)    It is a bank of information and knowledge.

2)    It learns things very quickly.

3)    It retains most of which it learns.

4)    It quickly processes the information within it and comes up with simple solutions.

With our example we are trying to tell you that the brain stores information in packets, by associating various things. To make it work effectively we need to build associating points. You may compare the information in your mind to the electricity substation kilometres from your house. The electric poles around your home are the associations that may bring you the thought. Increasing the poles will increase the number of ways the information will travel to you.

Learnodo Newtonic helps you with the three vital traits, building a knowledge base, training your brain to learn and most vitally to retain most of it. The final step will automatically be taken by you.

-          Why does my ‘oh so brilliant’ mind forget the simplest of things?

The best possible answer lies in the following questions - why is it widely accepted that you will excel in things that you are interested in? Why as a sports fan you can remember the stats, the player profiles, details of matches played decades ago at the back of your hand and forget a simple maths formula?

The mind will find it simple to remember things towards which you are naturally inclined or things that you find interesting. Since it is impossible to be naturally inclined towards everything, your best bet is to try to look at things from a more interesting perspective. Take a cue from Learnodo Newtonic.

-          I am weak in my group. How do I increase my ability?

First of all, no one is weak. Remember that intelligence cannot be measured by examinations or marks. They are just tools designed for the functioning of stale education systems. It is vital to disassociate marks with knowledge. While gradation may be important in the current system view it as only a way to move ahead in life. Value knowledge, for its benefits are immeasurable.

Your problem may be that you do not bother to stimulate your mind. Begin with things that interest you and try to get to the root of things. Associate other things to what you like. Follow Learnodo and learn different ways to associate things.

We at Learnodo Newtonic wish you the best in your endeavour. To find out about how to build aptitudes for learning follow this article.