I am female and I would rather the child is.....

14 Comments

  • A. - 8 years ago

    Pleasant. Anyone can be smart and that usually includes being clever and sometimes with the capacity to manipulate. This will always include usng people for your own gain and not giving over your life to God Tusting in God will bring all you need and will spill over in wonderful ways for all who know you . You will be more of a influence for good in this world.

  • anibal morbo - 12 years ago

    smart is not the hapiness, we will enjoy the life without be a genius

  • monzac - 12 years ago

    On reflection, I'd vote 'smart' now, because almost all of the smart people I have had to work with have been very pleasant. The unpleasant people have almost always not been smart. So, 'smart' will usually include both options.

    I remember reading that there can be a correlation between giftedness and empathy. A quick google shows that there are many articles discussing this on the web.

    'Smart' does not necessarily mean 'gifted', but it's on the continuum, so, perhaps one could equate that to 'pleasant' being on the continuum of 'empathic'.

  • Preta - 12 years ago

    Pleasant. People who are stupid but pleasant will have many friends, have good relationships, marry well, make people happy, and succeed in life due to their personalities. Think sorority girls, most celebrities, and politicians.

    On the other hand, smart, unpleasant people become engineers.

  • chemgirl - 12 years ago

    I choose pleasant, because it is easier for good natured people to get and keep jobs, move up the work force and generally live in American society.

  • Wizilizi - 12 years ago

    If pleasant means that they can achieve happiness, then pleasant gets my vote. Happy people are to my mind en route to a fulfilling life

  • Philly Crosby - 12 years ago

    I chose smart, because while the child may not be both smart and pleasant, the options of smart and kind, smart and compassionate, smart and loving were not disallowed. Using that logic, I could just as easily have chosen pleasant so that the child might be pleasant and intelligent, pleasant and clever, pleasant and intellectually gifted... Yes, I know, I've smartly avoided the point of the question!

  • Sheree Lowe - 12 years ago

    I agree with the lady who said the child would be happier!

    But also purely in terms of success, I think likeability is a greater factor in one's success in life than talent. Both help, but in your own book Richard you discuss this topic in terms of job interviews, and I've seen it in business too. People are so subjective, and they would rather give (a job, their money, a favour, an advantage) to someone who is a nice person than to a horrible person who is clever or talented.

  • Mila Gueorguieva - 12 years ago

    Better to check first everyone's favorite character.
    So who do we prefere?
    Miles Vorkossigan or Ivan Vorpatil?
    Tyrion Lannister or Sansa Stark?

    Smart is better.

  • monzac - 12 years ago

    While I value intelligence, I have chosen 'pleasant', because being intelligent alone is not enough. Unpleasant people, whether intelligent or dull, are just, well, unpleasant.

  • Lynn - 12 years ago

    I picked smart because a smart person will learn that being pleasant can smooth social interactions. And they can use that knowledge to choose how they wish to present themselves. And, as your poll results seem to indicate, being smart has become sadly undervalued.

  • Berna Bleeker - 12 years ago

    I'm choosing pleasant, because I think the kid would be happier that way. (And nicer to have around, too! ;-)

  • Brandi - 12 years ago

    What an exhilarating question! I'd rather have an intelligent child, purely due to the potential intellectual/ academic contributions he/she could make to the world.

  • Charles Tivendale - 12 years ago

    A tough question. Depends on the circumstances I would find myself in at the time if I had to seriously choose. BTW: I got into "I am a female and..." and could not get into the male response part, so answered as a female.

    On another issue, I have an idea well suited to email responses, to do with peoples perceptions of how much they can influence an outcome. Is your email address I used a year ago still valid?

    Charles Tivendale, (Challenge coordinator, Vic Skeptics.)

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