How do I live a happy life despite losing the genetic lottery?

[Adora]

I deal with both Aspergers and also Complex PTSD which the latter is the one that can cause me a lot of issues,As for what my IQ is I am not sure where I would be but i think I rather not know. In regards of being happy I do believe it is possible regardles of IQ and I believe your IQ doesn’t impact your happiness but certain experiences can cause bumps in the road.

 

[Misery]

I already tried to cook something for the first time today.

The eggs were ok but I made a mess in the process. I'm not sure if I wanna do it again.

It sounds like you did a better job than I would at least.

I cant even use a microwave right. Stuff always comes out all weird.

I dont even bother trying more advanced cooking than that. Me + stove = mistake.

If I may make a case for the academic psychology community... the test you describe was not testing your breadth of knowledge about the animal kingdom. It was testing how rapidly you could come up with examples in a category - could be any category, but I guess most people know a lot about animals since that's an early thing they teach children. Another version of the same test is "name all the words you can think of that start with "s." The actual trait they are testing is verbal fluency. Can you come up with a lot of ideas? While also testing that they do belong in the category? (the category being animals or words starting with s.)

Why is this important? It's a trait sometimes associated with creativity. It also describes a mind that is the opposite of concrete. A concrete thinker may not have many unusual associations, and may not come up with many ideas or animals or words - even if they know about those things.

Anyone who has read your very lengthy expositions, Misery, has no doubt that you are high in verbal fluency!

It's just an aspect of IQ test construction that you apparently were unaware of. My comment is not directed at Broken Boy's level of intelligence; I just meant to correct your interpretation of IQ tests.

You'd think they'd just explain what these are for.

That being said, I keep wondering what the point of an IQ test even is. As far as I know, it doesnt really DO much of anything.

 

[GadAbout]

That being said, I keep wondering what the point of an IQ test even is. As far as I know, it doesnt really DO much of anything.

It's a crude snapshot of one aspect of a person's mental life. However, in combination with other tools such as a projective test, a structured interview, behavioral observations, and sometimes neuropsychology tests or a personality inventory, it can tell an experienced, usually doctorate-level psychologist quite a bit.

 

[Gracey]

So to be happy in life I have to milk my brute strength for all it's worth and learn how to cook?

That pretty much sums it up, yeh.

I love Aspies. The secret to a happy life in just one sentence.

No self help tomes required here, thank you very much

Efficient and simple.

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

So to be happy in life I have to milk my brute strength for all it's worth and learn how to cook?

Actually quite the opposite. No one can do that.

All you can do is say:

God grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.

Basically you just gotta:

Let go and let God

 

[Major Tom]

Don't be so harsh on yourself. It carries over to how other people look at you and feel about you, especially when you verbalize it. Maybe you can become an MMA fighter since you are good at fighting?

 

[HidinginPlainSight]

I find it interesting how people are able to separate themselves from themselves. As if you, presumably as you know yourself, could have been born into a different body with different genetics. As if we all exist as separate entities and there is some sort of "lottery" to determine everything else. There isn't.

 

[Au Naturel]

You need to find something you enjoy doing. Then do it. Enthusiasm for a topic will gain you friends among fellow enthusiasts.

If you were really below average in intelligence, you wouldn't have produced the posts you have. I just don't believe it.

Looks are far less important than actions. All too often they turn into excuses for inaction. Grooming and style are skills one can learn. No excuse not to - if you are concerned about appearances. But all too often we imagine others focus exclusively on our self-perceived flaws. You are looking at yourself thru their eyes and imagining your thoughts in their head. In reality, most people don't pay any attention at all to what we consider imperfections. They only care about how you interact.

Now if you look at others and focus on what you think are their flaws, you need a serious reconfiguration of how you perceive other people. Can't help you there. Being judgemental will kill much of the happiness you might have known.

Ugliness is an opinion one projects into the world. If you really feel "ugly" others will sense it and pull away without even knowing why. It is almost impossible to convince someone who thinks they are ugly that they are not. It is how a beautiful young woman can kill herself from anorexia. She will always think she is fat, right up to the point of death. (Karen Carpenter, RIP.) You have to figure it out for your self.

If you are good at fighting, maybe you have a strong body. Count your blessings. It makes you less attractive to physical bullies and better able to handle them when they act up. A strong body is an incredible asset for enjoying outdoor recreation or engaging in sports. Lift weights, run and keep your weight down, Now you'll have a beautiful body as well.

 

[Peter Jansen]

While I'm not outright retarded, I'm definitely "below average" when it comes to intelligence, if only slightly at best. My genetics and DNA also makes me have an ugly looking face which makes me look like a mix of Michael Cera and Liza Minelli with Jim Morrison's hair. I'm not joking. That's literally what I look like. If you play the video game Mass Effect Andromeda you'll probably find me there.

My only true "strength" I would say, is that I'm good at destroying things and punching and hurting people. Seriously, I can generally hold up well during a tussle.

How do I live a happy and fulfilling life despite being a brute with pisspoor genetics?

Stop calling yourself "BrokenBoy," for starters. The thing with depression and low self-esteem is that you begin to use self-pity as a comfort blanket and other people as your punching bags. If you really were a brute, BB, you would not be thinking of yourself as such. Sounds like you have some insight into yourself-- you just need to go further!