Mark twain book smarts vs street smarts is as intense of a battle as the current presidential election. No matter if you are in the middle of a forest or in the middle. How smartness is defined within schools contributes to low academic achievement by poor and racialethnic minority students. Growing up, book smart people were those considered to enjoy academic studies while street smarts were considered athletes. Are you a geek who likes hanging out with book more than people. Just as useful as book smarts, and in many cases more so. I know right now that there are influential people telling you that you dont need book smarts. For me, i believe whatever we are book smarts or street smarts, we still can learn something from our teacher. What is your answer to the age old question, would you rather have book smarts or street smarts. What they usually lack is a good portion of street smarts. Someone who is intelligent, learns well, and educated very well academically. Nonetheless, street smarts trump book smarts any day.
Jun 18, 2014 whether one is more versed in street smarts or book smarts depends on the circumstances one has grown up under. There are many definitions of what people believe correctly define them. The figured world of smartness in the lives of marginalized, urban youth. When people discuss street smarts and book smarts, its usually implied that you can only have one or the other. However, if that situation does not arise, i would look to a potential partnership with another. Mullins, street smart disciplines of successful people that put some meat on the bones of what it means. The author claims that people are better off if they are more street smart than book smart. Should you value book smarts or street smarts experience more.
Book smart vs street smart essay research paper example. Therefore, if we are going to be labeled by our peers, is it better to be labeled book smart or street smart. The stereotype of a streetsmart person is someone who knows how to handle practical situations in everyday life necessary to get things done. However, for some people, it could be a more clearcut answer. While many, if not most, people hold book smarts in the highest regard, the truth is. Mar 31, 2020 investopedia is committed to rigorous editorial standards to provide our readers with the best advice and recommendations. On this program we talk about words and expressions that we use in everyda. My friends in college who had more street smarts than book smarts were the first to receive job offers upon graduating.
Learn the five mistakes that you cant afford to make in college. Maybe someone wasnt as good at school or they had a knack for it, maybe sports were more of their thing, or the debate team. Theyre experts at recalling, recognizing, and analyzing information. While which one is more helpful can be a matter of debate and also depends on the context, it is generally seen that street smarts weigh more on the. Characterized by their love of learning, book smart people are organized and prepared for any situation. Its clear that some people have better judgment than others. Well feature a different book each week and share exclusive deals you wont find anywhere else. Book smarts, as ive framed it, means someone who is good at following the rules. Usually people considered to be book smart are known as lacking in street smarts, and vice versa, as theory and practice both have limitations. Another huge distinction between book smarts and street smarts is who is in the middle of the knowledge. This void can be a challenge when dealing with career politics or even navigating the world of relationships. On the other hand, people who are good at dealing with practical life problems have lots of streetsmarts.
However, street smarts and book smarts completely mean different things. I respect what graff, and x have to say and agree with them, both book and street smarts are very important. Street smarts is a worthwhile business book, and i do recommend this book to anyone interested in entrepreneurial material, however the author played a bit of a deception in the reader. Street smart the psychology of good and bad judgment.
Being street smart puts you at the centre of the knowledge. There is no doubt in my mind street smarts kicks book smarts ass. Our social class plays a huge roll in what type of education you will receive as a. Gerald graff is an english professor at the university of illinois and has written many books. Book smarts refer to the education, schooling and other kinds of knowledge that one has acquired. Book smart people are wellread and possess a wealth of knowledge. As an entrepreneur, finding a balance between street smarts vs book smarts has been crucial.
Apr 29, 2018 2 thoughts on street smarts vs book smarts scolon april 29, 2018 at 6. Whereas, street smarts refers to the experiential knowledge on things. There are countless articles and blog posts and youtube videos that show you how expensive college is, and suggesting that you are. Book knowledge is a very valuable thing, especially if you wish to fit in well with society at large. Being street smart beats being book smart any day of the week. In addition, the point is the schools and teachers need to change the educational methods that they need to find out a learning method can satisfy both street smarts and street smarts. In the beginning he emphasizes that his knowledge of business comes from street smarts, beginning with the lessons he learned on the street from his father. Maybe some people rely on book smarts for some answers but rely on street smarts for other answers. Now, its time for words and their stories from voa learning english. Intellectualism by gerald graff is street smarts versus book smarts. Issues and ideas in public education, v39 n2 p145166 jun 2007. We string them into jewels or into tinware, as we may choose. Why street smarts always win out over book smarts when it. For survival in any environment, street smarts are necessary to give you an optimal chance at survival.
The authors is very persuasive using real life examples. Aug 23, 2017 at tedxuniversityofpiraeus 2017, he comes from switzerland to talk about the epic debate. Essay on street smarts versus book smarts 706 words bartleby. Finding the best job for you if you are trying to figure out whether book smarts or street smarts will land you a job easier or even score you a higher starting salary, you are probably still living in the past. The figured world of smartness in the lives of marginalized, urban youth how smartness is defined within schools contributes to low academic.
Malcolm x obviously had the street smarts, but like graff he mixed his new book smarts with his street smarts to be successful in life. The flipside of this is streetsmarts, which means youve learned through experience. Expectation vs reality creative tips for hostel room decoration creative hobby. Just to set an example in regardings to the topic, when the economy comes down to a threat where individuals will be drafted to war, street smarts will doubt less and think of strategies in order to survive through the battlefield,while on the other hand book smarts are hesitating about. Investopedia is committed to rigorous editorial standards to provide our readers with the best advice and recommendations.
Both malcolm x, and gerald graff make very interesting points about street and book smarts. However, the underlying idea is that the person deals with situations especially bad or difficult situations from an intellectual d. You are essentially studying what someone else has discovered. Dec 14, 2005 book smarts or street smarts better at work. What is the difference between book smart and street smart. Tomas chamorropremuzic, hr examiner editorial advisory board contributor. All answers are intended to be general in nature, without regard to specific geographical areas or. It solely is a theoretical understanding of facts or ideas. Neither book smarts nor street smarts is as helpful as a rich relative, jokes tim knox who decided to forgo college and today is the founder and president of four successful technology companies. The youth made key distinctions between being book smart vs. Which then leads us to the issue of street smart vs.
Ive always wondered in the back of my mind what the actual outcome of this would be, so i was pretty excited when i saw your title. Thus i was happy to get some help recently from a new book by john a. This distinction is a direct challenge by the youth to the dominant discourse of smartness or book smarts as it operates in schools. Tom peters people starting out in business tend to seek stepbystep formulas or rules, but in reality there are no magic bullets. The definition heres how the dictionary defines the two street smarts. Study this, take this test, get this right answer, move onto the next exam. While which one is more helpful can be a matter of debate and also depends on the context, it is generally seen that street smarts weigh more on the scale when it comes. See all articles by john aov get updates on real estate get updates on john aov. Usually people considered to be book smart are known as lacking in street smarts, and vice versa, as. To the youth, street smarts are more important because they are connected to being able to maneuver through structures in their lives such as poverty, the police, street culture, and abusive others. Essay on street smarts versus book smarts 706 words. Using your intelligence effectively in college by frozenflan on january 31, 2014 its the question weve all had in our minds as soon as our brains were capable of thought.
A shrewd ability to survive in a dangerous urban environment. Street smart students will be more engaged in writing an essay about sports, cars, fashion and other topics versus writing about plato and shakespeare. In a perfect world, no one would have to be street smart. Street smart film, a 1987 film with christopher reeve and morgan freeman.
The world is full of people who are either book smart or street smart. Street smarts vs book smarts talking about thinking. At tedxuniversityofpiraeus 2017, he comes from switzerland to talk about the epic debate. To complicate matters is the term book dumb which is defined as the opposite of book smart, the culmination of not going to school for a long time but not necessarily the opposite of. Last season the apprentice was based on this dichotomy, pitting a team of people with higher education against a team whose members had less formal education. Why you need to be street smart, not book smart better. Whether one is more versed in street smarts or book smarts depends on the circumstances one has grown up under. Just to set an example in regardings to the topic, when the economy comes down to a threat where individuals will be drafted to war, street smarts will doubt less and think of strategies in order to survive through the battlefield,while on the other hand book smarts are. About street smarts one is tempted to say the only book youll need on starting a business. This can be effective in some cases, but not always. Book smarts each student learn, but our schools are failing to do that. In a way, while having book smarts relies on learning and holding on to facts, street smarts relies more on the practical uses of information that has already been acquired. For example, 25% of people on social media have posted something they later regretted, the divorce rate in the us is 50%, and over the past decade the tattoo removal industry has grown 440% although tramp stamps and tasteless tweets are mostly benign mistakes, there are a remarkable number of people whose.
Take our quiz and figure out who is a street smart person. Book smart is simply describing that the person as generally intelligent, well educated and do well academically. Aug 27, 2015 in business, in sales, and in life, street smarts will carry you a long way. Street smart tv series, a 2018 australian television series. It is great to read a book and learn about a particular subject, viewpoint or opinion. Street smart the psychology of good and bad judgment on november 10, 2015, in dr. We all know people who are book smart but clueless in the real world, and those who are street smart but unable to handle any environment other than the one theyre used to.
Street smarts to succeed in business, which is more valuable. Trump, trump university, the official guides to real estate. Many studies support higher education for police officers, encouraging the disciplines beyond what is actually taught. It is from experiences such as mine that we get our education of life. Jan 05, 2004 the opinions expressed in this column are those of the author, not of entrepreneur.
What a knowitall you are just like the author of this stupid article is. Often their solution is to further strengthen their book smarts as a way to compensate for their lack of street smarts. Shelley bridgeman is a columnist for lifestyle at the new zealand herald. Street smart video game, a 1989 arcade game by snk. Street smarts vs book smarts, the epic debate continued. What was revealed at the start was that the street smart group were mainly entrepreneurs and had a net worth 3 times more than the book smart group. Competition, entrepreneurship, and the future of roads, a book about private highways.
Book smarts is when you itemise the special commission for the local middleman as expanded rights negotiated. Why being street smart is better than being book smart. Street smarts vs book smarts, what does it takes to be an. Getting along with others knowing which questions to ask and not asking too many,being polite and friendly, but also being assertive. Tomas chamorropremuzic, editorial advisory board, leadership, learning, talent management, by dr. In this blog article, i share more on how to find that balance. This is known as booksmarts, meaning that you prefer to get all of your knowledge from reading or a classroom setting and that you havent necessarily put any of this intellect to use in the real world. To read all of the articles included in the spring 2015 issue. Jason may be street smart but he is also book smart.
438 62 1295 534 401 28 86 179 626 434 1004 253 634 37 190 917 124 1287 303 1498 1269 1047 729 1393 206 180 329 109 209 666 493 849 1136 932