Is it harder to be kind or clever?

[Rev. Rye]

Kinder is certainly the harder one for me; I learned to read before I was potty trained, and once had my IQ measured professionally, and got a score of 176. I also spent nine years in a school where I was bullied mercilessly pretty much because I existed; it took me until I was fourteen until I even met in person a woman who I had an overall positive opinion of.

Cleverness comes far easier to me than kindness.

[Aroura]

Like everything, it depends on the person.

To some, kindness is second nature.  We may pat that person on the back, but they make no special effort at it.

To others, cleverness happens almost without thought.  We also pat this person on the back, even when they make no special effort at it.

[The Industrial Atheist]

I don't really understand the question, but I know I'm a kind person.

Just trying to understand what you (general you) value more kindness or Cleverness...

Edit: I think you're kind too, you're a good person.

---

Dr. Watson was kind, Sherlock Holmes was clever.  Holmes was more useful than Watson, and had a much greater positive impact on society.

That being said, and given the option, I'd sooner have a cuppa with Watson than Holmes any day of the week.

Boru

I see your point, sherlock Holmes was definitely "better"(with his job) but Watson was more likeable.

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When I'm clever, that seems like something that just happens once in a blue moon. I can't seem to do it on purpose.

When I'm kind it's often with people I care about, and obviously, trying makes a difference.

I would say it'd easier(for me) to be kind because I have more control over it.

You're just being modest, most intelligent people actually consider themselves just ordinary. I think the difference between clever and kindness is big because being kind is hard imo and it's much easier to just be unkind, if someone is kind it means they're more selfless and a more caring person.

Thanks for the compliment, pool!

[Edwardo Piet]

In the long run I think you only cause more harm by lying. And it's not like I have a choice anyway. I'd also harm myself if I lied. I have no memory of lying about anything.

Failing to spare someone's feelings is a small price to pay when they get far more hurt when they discover you lied to them and they can't trust you anymore. And lying does more harm to oneself than anyone else. I also think that the easier it is to lie to others the easier it is to lie to yourself and then that allows you to buy into fallacies more easily and makes it more difficult for you to be a consistently logical person.

I don't agree.
I've been asked on numerous occasions questions like "Does my bum look big in this" or "Should I dress more age appropriate" Those sorts of questions can be answered with the persons feelings being taken into account.

I know what you are saying, but I reserve the right to practice the level of honesty that you are talking about for things that matter.

I know what you're saying but I reserve the right to disagree too. I don't have to lie in those situations because I have ways of finding my way around them without lying.

Telling the truth can hurt people but lies can destroy whole relationships by creating distrust. And lies hurt ourselves more than anyone else.

When the woman in question is a friend and she finds out you'd be lying to her the whole time and you do think her bum looks big, she'll be far more hurt and she'll consider your opinion worthless. And if it was a stranger rather than a friend who asked the question, there's no need to even answer.

And if your friend knows you tell her the truth it also means that your compliments aren't meaningless garbage either. She'll know they're genuine.

[shadow]

In the long run I think you only cause more harm by lying. And it's not like I have a choice anyway. I'd also harm myself if I lied. I have no memory of lying about anything.

Failing to spare someone's feelings is a small price to pay when they get far more hurt when they discover you lied to them and they can't trust you anymore.

I personally trust someone way more if I know that they won't shoot their mouth off. That's true trust - knowing that someone has your best interests at heart and will not say anything that would put you in a bind, even if it's "true".

[downbeatplumb]

Kind and clever are two entirely different things.
You can choose to be kind, but you can't choose to be clever.

Today I am choosing to have the ability to solve complex equations.