Ask someone what pops into their head when they hear the word 'intelligent' and they will most likely think of a scientist, university professor, or perhaps a politician. Someone who has been to university, got the degree and works in science, computing, or some other highly-specialised profession.
We are taught, from an early age, that the kids who get the best grades in school are the 'smart' and 'intelligent' ones. And the ones who struggle in class are, well, the not so intelligent ones...
But is any of that really true? Are the scientists, professors and politicians really that much more intelligent than everyone else? Or are they intellectuals? And is there a difference between intellect and intelligence?
What I'm going to say next may shock you, so buckle up: Scientists, professors and politicians are intellectuals, and intellectuals are some of the DUMBEST people in society.
Yep, you heard that right. That wasn't a typo.
(Professor Richard Hawkins - dumb as shit)
Those 'smart' people you look to for guidance in world affairs are dumb as shit. Dumb as a bag of rocks. Oh, they have intellect, for sure. But intellect is not intelligence. In fact, intellect without the guidance of the heart, is one of the most destructive forces in the universe. The kind of force that builds weapons of mass destruction and conducts horrific scientific experiments on humans and animals (those Nazi scientists - Hitler's finest - were DUMB. And fucking evil, too). The kind of force that fuels war, mass murder and genocide of entire peoples.
"It is the intellect that is leading the world to destruction, because it is not guided by the moral qualities of the heart". - Omraam Mikhael Aivanhov
Intellectuals, the highly-esteemed scientists and professors of the world, can rigorously analyse and process information at a much faster rate than most other people. But it comes at a cost. Analysing and processing information is not to be mistaken for true, holistic intelligence. Intellect is a component of human intelligence, an integral part of it. But on its own, isolated and detached from the human heart, wreaks havoc both on an individual and collective level.
(Intellectuals are no more intelligent than your computer, or MacBook pro. Your personal computer, or laptop, can process, calculate and analyse data faster than any human brain. But you don't consider it to be intelligent, do you? And for good reason: it's dumb as shit)
There is another form of intelligence, emotional intelligence, which must guide and direct the intellect to ensure balance and harmony within the individual and the collective; the micro and macro. But even the virtues of the heart: empathy, compassion and intuition, can cause problems of their own when the intellect is neglected. An over-reliance on feeling and intuition, emotion and compassion, is a recipe for slavery, collectivism, and religious extremism.
The average weekly church goer is happy, joyous and content, but they have made no efforts to stimulate their intellect and penetrate into the deeper truths of reality. The so-called 'new age' community seem perfectly content with having their rights violated on daily basis. But hey, 'it's all an illusion, man!' 'We are all one, so don't judge others and focus on the negative. That's like, totally killing the vibe, man!' The average church goer and new ager, like the intellectual, are dumb as shit.
There are very few individuals who are balanced in their thoughts (intellect), emotions (heart), and actions (guts). And the ones that are are often vilified in their time but celebrated in the history books.
(Professor and 'sceptic' Susan Blackmore - dumb as shit)
(Scientist and revolutionary inventor Nikola Tesla - genius)
OK, time to wrap it up.
The great sages of our time, the prophets and revolutionaries (Jesus, Buddha, Da Vinci, Tesla, etc.) lived in a state of internal harmony and balance. The greatest of men had a keen, luminous intellect. But also a kind, warm and compassionate heart. These great sages cultivated the virtues of empathy and compassion to guide their fierce, rigorous intellect. And we, too, can one day hope to attain a level of genius when we unite our intellect with our heart. The sacred, inner wedding of masculine and feminine, the union of heart and mind, will one day be actualised within each one of us. And we will create miracles on this earth.
(tldr; 2+2 = 4 & intellect + empathy = intelligence)