Recently I had a conversation with an individual who has memory loss, commonly labeled dementia or Alzheimer’s. This elder poet writes rhyming poems every day that he emails to his friends/colleagues. Sometimes his poems are humorous, sometimes they are depressing.
Our conversation inspired me to write about the meaning of “smart”.
As I reflect on the poet’s daily poems, what comes up for me is the plight, or is it the salvation, of Sisyphus, who kept rolling that large boulder up the hill.
Although “smart” is usually used to describe someone who is who has a high IQ, we can also call someone a smart, chic dresser or a smart, sassy wisecracker, or street smart.
Who is “smart” depends on what “smart” means to the perceiver.
What does “smart” mean to you?
- Making lots of money?
- Earning multiple degrees?
- Memorizing the words of songs?
- Learning a new technology?
- Being aware of what’s happening around you?
- Caring about others and accepting them for whatever are their capabilities?
Ed Hess's definition of "The New Smart” stuck in my mind:
We will spend more time training to be open-minded and learning to update our beliefs in response to new data. We will practice adjusting after our mistakes, and we will invest more in the skills traditionally associated with emotional intelligence.
Doing so will make it easier to perceive reality as it is, rather than as we wish it to be. In short, we will embrace humility. That is how we humans will add value in a world of smart technology.
Do you know what the smartest bird is? The turkey was Benjamin Franklin’s choice for the U.S. national bird. Comparing the turkey to the bald eagle, he said, “though a little vain & silly, he [the turkey] is a Bird of Courage,” .
It takes a lot of courage to maneuver one’s way through life. I learn about having the courage to move forward with memory loss from my poet colleague; from my granddaughter with neurological challenges, who passed away last December, a month before turning 5 years old; from young adults with huge college loans, trying to make a living that engages their motivated skills, values and interests; from my adult children who teach me to listen.
People work harder when their work (paid or unpaid) seems more meaningful (Sisyphusian condition). Maybe that’s what keeps us going. We can learn from each other, no matter what age, stage, or range of ability.
Ed Hess says, “The new smart will be determined not by what or how you know, but by the quality of your thinking, listening, relating, collaborating, and learning,”
Hess, E. "The AI Age of Being Smart Will Mean Something Completely Different." Retrieved 8/25/17: https://hbr.org/2017/06/in-the-ai-age-being-smart-will-mean-something-completely-different.
Gelardin, S. "Who Is the Smartest Bird?" Retrieved 8/25/17: http://www.agesong.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/AgeSong-WoodPark-Nov-Dec-2016-Newsletter.pdf