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Ask HN: Slow thinkers, how do you compensate for your lack of quick-wittedness?

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Re: Ask HN: Slow thinkers, how do you compensate for your lack of quick-wittedness?

#101

Post by lucideer »

Re-iterating what others have commented: quick-wittedness isn't "thinking fast" in the same way as you think slow, it's a different variety of thinking that comes with practice.

I've always been a slow thinker, & always discounted quick-wittedness as a skill others had innately. Recently I've found myself being a bit more quick-witted & what's remarkable it's not something I "think" about (at least actively). It's something that comes out from a different place (subconscious?) & does so more & more with practice. E.g. take referential connections: I used to be amazed that people could connect things in conversation so quickly because my mind simply doesn't connect things that quickly - but I think it's more like the pre-connected reference bubbles up from deep in your subconscious pre-made; you don't think about the referential route.

Re: Ask HN: Slow thinkers, how do you compensate for your lack of quick-wittedness?

#102

Post by cdrini »

orng wrote: post #41
annie_muss wrote: post #22

I have taken a properly administered IQ test. I scored 135 in one area and 89 in another. My main issue is I have very poor working memory. Luckily, we have technology to compensate for our deficiencies. * I write everything down on calendars, to do lists, planners etc. * I have a smart speaker in every room so I can capture pieces of information as soon as I know about them. * I use many different kinds of timers to…

The only insight IQ tests can give you is that anyone who gives them any merit is either a moron or uninformed.

I recently shifted my opinion on IQ tests a bit after watching a recent Veritasium video. He goes into the background/history/controversy of the test as well as some of the concrete impacts of the test and places where it's used. For example did you know the US military has an IQ minimum cutoff? And furthermore they have a second 'soft' cutoff, where only 20% of the military can have an IQ under a certain value. In the past they tried removing this second restriction, but had to reinstate it after seeing increases in casualties/indicators of reduced efficiency! So are IQ tests everything? No. But do they have no merit? Also no. It's somewhere in between.

Would highly recommend a watch https://youtube.com/watch?v=FkKPsLxgpuY

Re: Ask HN: Slow thinkers, how do you compensate for your lack of quick-wittedness?

#103

Post by narag »

I don't think I'm a "slow thinker" but I definitely don't like rushing arguments or struggling with fast-talking sophists.

What do I do? I shut up and listen.

When the other person says something wrong, I shake my head. If it's obviously wrong, I say no with the tip finger. If it's insultingly wrong, I use the middle finger :)

Usually the other person CAN NOT STOP talking. That's good. If I'm pressed to talk I simply say "that's a whole lot of bullshit" and refuse to answer bad faith arguments.

Meanwhile I have enough time to think a thorough response. Questions like "are you really saying that..." are the best counters.

Re: Ask HN: Slow thinkers, how do you compensate for your lack of quick-wittedness?

#104

Post by MobileVet »

Thank you so much for asking such a vulnerable question in a place where people venerate 'smart' and 'fast' people. In truth, we all have strengths and weaknesses and being at peace with that reality allows us the freedom to address issues vs struggling in denial. Learning to 'play the cards you are dealt' without shame or guilt is a super power, imho.

We all have our anecdotes about someone that is 'quick on their feet' or 'slow to speak' etc but it wasn't until my daughter was diagnosed with memory and processing issues that it hit home how deeply this can affect people.

While doing a battery of tests, it was determined her 'intelligence' was in the 99th percentile, but her processing speed and working memory were in the 25th and 19th percentiles. That represents almost 5 standard deviations between what she understands and how easily she can process it!

Seeing how truly intelligent she is, but also appreciating the time it takes time for her to put the pieces together gives me more compassion and patience when I am working with people that process information differently than I do.

Re: Ask HN: Slow thinkers, how do you compensate for your lack of quick-wittedness?

#105

Post by agentultra »

Pre-computing responses.

If I am to give a presentation or am invited to a meeting I prepare by taking the position of my interlocutor. I write down their arguments. Then I write down my responses.

Then the day of the meeting I have prepared responses for what they’re going to say.

When I am caught with an argument I hadn’t thought of I pause first. Then I repeat what they said in my own words. And then I use implication to work towards my position.

It’s a lot of rehearsal. Like martial arts. The purpose of practice is to relieve the mind when the time comes to act.

I’m not afraid to take a moment to consider what is said before responding. Some people who are quick witted or like to talk before they think are disarmed by this. But it can be useful… just try to avoid over-using it or people may get impatient with you.

Re: Ask HN: Slow thinkers, how do you compensate for your lack of quick-wittedness?

#106

Post by specialist »

lqet wrote: post #82
paulsutter wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"I’m a disappointing person to try to debate or attack. I just have nothing to say in the moment, except maybe, 'Good point.' Then a few days later, after thinking about it a lot, I have a response" - Derek Sivers ( https://sive.rs/slow ) This sounds very admirable to me

Just this morning I listened to a radio interview with pianist Igor Levit. It was excruciating. He had to think for seconds before every third word in a sentence, creating awkward pauses, and when he had finally finished an answer, he had only transmitted trivial content. I am sure that if they had sent him the questions a few days earlier, he could have prepared much more interesting and eloquent answers. I felt ver…

Yes and: I would expect a show's producers and editors to fix those pauses.

Re: Ask HN: Slow thinkers, how do you compensate for your lack of quick-wittedness?

#107

Post by erehweb »

specialist wrote: post #106
lqet wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just this morning I listened to a radio interview with pianist Igor Levit. It was excruciating. He had to think for seconds before every third word in a sentence, creating awkward pauses, and when he had finally finished an answer, he had only transmitted trivial content. I am sure that if they had sent him the questions a few days earlier, he could have prepared much more interesting and eloquent answers. I felt ver…

Yes and: I would expect a show's producers and editors to fix those pauses.

Interview might be live. But yes, ideally producer would have caught this before a live interview.

Re: Ask HN: Slow thinkers, how do you compensate for your lack of quick-wittedness?

#108

Post by lqet »

specialist wrote: post #106
lqet wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just this morning I listened to a radio interview with pianist Igor Levit. It was excruciating. He had to think for seconds before every third word in a sentence, creating awkward pauses, and when he had finally finished an answer, he had only transmitted trivial content. I am sure that if they had sent him the questions a few days earlier, he could have prepared much more interesting and eloquent answers. I felt ver…

Yes and: I would expect a show's producers and editors to fix those pauses.

It was live. But I would've expected that they had a conversation discussing possible topics / questions beforehand (large and established radio station with over 2 million listeners). These awkward pauses would've been spotted then already. Maybe they had, and he was more relaxed and eloquent there, or maybe his schedule didn't allow for a pre-interview meeting.

Re: Ask HN: Slow thinkers, how do you compensate for your lack of quick-wittedness?

#109

Post by danielvaughn »

paulsutter wrote: post #45
dijit wrote: post #38

This is something that's easy to have an opinion on so you're going to get buried. I'll do my best to make a high-signal comment here, but it will be drowned by all the other replies, which also likely touch on these points. First, "slow-thinking" is really just a different way of expressing your thinking and you should begin by leaning into it rather than leaning away. Take time, allow yourself to pause to collect y…

"I’m a disappointing person to try to debate or attack. I just have nothing to say in the moment, except maybe, 'Good point.' Then a few days later, after thinking about it a lot, I have a response" - Derek Sivers ( https://sive.rs/slow ) This sounds very admirable to me

I’ve always been this way. It turns out that it makes for incredibly boring conversation, because all I can say is “oh wow that’s cool” but have nothing else to offer lol. It’s also terrible in interviews.

If it were intentional, I could see it being admirable. But I do wish I could think a bit more on the spot in some situations.

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