In search of an answer to the question of who an intelligent person is, there is no need to become like the hero of the famous novel created by a duo of Soviet classics. The novel says that he never served anywhere because work would have made it difficult for him to think about what the true purpose of the Russian intelligentsia was. The night “gourmet” - a lover of other people's borscht and cutlets - included himself in this stratum of society.
What does it mean to be an intelligent person? Each period of development of society formulated its own definition of this concept. The outstanding Russian scientist and intelligent person Sergeevich, in his letter published in 1993 in Novy Mir, wrote that an intellectual must have intellectual freedom as the main moral category, limited only by his conscience and thought.
If you look into history, then for the second half of the 19th century, an intelligent person is a simple commoner who received an education and sought to become a people only due to his abilities and thirst for science, for knowledge. Its very origin implied a struggle, both against social inequality and against class. Representatives of such intelligentsia were the intellectual idols of youth of the 1860s - Pisarev, Chernyshevsky and Dobrolyubov.
In addition to the “raznochinsky”, at the same time an intelligent person of the “Chekhov” type appeared, who strived for a moral rather than a political reconstruction. Representatives of this group created sowing reasonable and good things, opened schools and hospitals for the poor, and taught peasant children. We find a striking correspondence to this type in the character of the hero of Flaubert’s famous work - the insightful Doctor Larivière, who despised rank and showed generosity and cordiality towards the poor patients. This and other similar images prove the interethnic character of this type of intellectual, somewhat diluting the often mentioned Russian monopoly.
Before the revolution, the writer Leonid Andreev, a friend of Maxim Gorky, gave a definition of an intelligent person as such, who could not tolerate humiliation from the “powers of this world,” had an exhaustingly heightened conscience, and, no matter how drunk he was, still remained cultured and well-mannered.
It has always been difficult for an intelligent person with the above set of qualities to live. But after the proclamation of Soviet power, he generally had to survive. According to the definition of the outstanding Soviet figure Lunacharsky, in order to recognize oneself as a genuine intellectual, three university diplomas are needed: the first is his grandfather’s, the second is his father’s, the third is his own. However, having three educational documents in a family does not guarantee anything - neither developed intelligence, nor the presence of external and internal culture. The above-mentioned definition is also untenable for the reason that it is unlikely that after the revolutionary executions, emigration waves, repressions, exiles and the Gulag, even such formally remained in Soviet Russia. mental work.
Of course, there remained in some places in the country real educated and cultured people who had not resigned themselves to power and cherished sublime feelings in their souls. Its prototypes are often found on the pages of the works of Fedin, Tolstoy, Bulgakov, Zoshchenko and others, but among the victorious boor such people were doomed to extinction.
True, the twentieth century (in its second half) showed the world its worthy and intelligent representatives, nurtured by the dissident and artistic and literary bohemian environment. All of them went through a path of spiritual transformation, based on internal freedom and the best domestic examples of literature, music and painting of the pre-revolutionary and Soviet periods.
The definitions given in this article are, of course, not exhaustive. Search, inquisitive readers, using your intellectual freedom and being guided by thought and conscience.
Conversation with elements of the discussion “An intelligent person. What is he like?
Tasks: to form ideas about intelligence as the highest manifestation of a person’s education, his beauty, to prove the need for intelligence in all life circumstances.
Progress of preparation.
1. Offer students the following tasks: answer questions from Academician D.S. Likhacheva: does everyone need to be intelligent people if their profession does not require it? Can a person be considered intelligent if he was unable to obtain an education due to circumstances? Is intelligence necessary if it makes a person a “black sheep” among friends, family, colleagues, and simply interferes with his rapprochement with other people? Is it possible to develop intelligence in yourself? Prepare a story about your meeting with an intelligent person “A person’s social duty is to be intelligent. This is a duty to yourself. This is the key to his personal happiness” (D.S. Likhachev).
Plan - a summary of the conversation.
1. What does it mean to be an intelligent person?
Excerpts from the book by D. S. Likhachev “Letters about the good and the beautiful”
“An intelligent person is one who does not necessarily have to know a lot, memorize poems by heart, but is capable of perceiving cultural values, capable of admiring the beauty of nature, understanding a person’s character, and being in his position to help him.”
“An intelligent person is one who has read a lot, received a good education (and even a predominantly humanitarian one), traveled a lot, and knows several languages?”
Intelligence is manifested not only in knowledge, but in thousands of little things: in the ability to argue respectfully, to behave modestly, in the ability to help others, to take care of nature, not to litter around oneself with cigarette butts, swearing, and bad ideas.
2. For discussion, students are offered a situation from N. Vaulin’s article “Honesty according to the price list” (“Literaturnaya Gazeta”):
“The woman, who received her salary, went shopping. Getting off the trolleybus,
she discovered that she had left her bag there with her passport, money, keys to the apartment...
In the evening, a bell rang in the woman’s apartment. A very polite male voice asked if she had lost anything. He said that his wife had found the bag, that they were decent people and the woman could come get her bag.
The woman, taking a box of chocolates with her, arrived at the specified address. The owner gave the impression of an intelligent man, very busy, as he worked as a teacher and was fond of collecting badges. After a nice “small” conversation, the owner presented a list of things that were in total with their exact estimate down to the penny. The estimate even included the cost of a notebook and a handkerchief, and he said that the woman should pay one-fourth of the total amount for the find, “according to state law” and “in accordance with conscience” as it should be among “decent intelligent people.”
Questions for students:1. Can this person be considered intelligent and decent? 2. What would you do if you were his wife who found the bag? In your husband's place?
3. What character traits of a man can be judged by his behavior? What can you say about his upbringing?
4. How would you react to a man’s offer to pay him the due amount?
3. After discussing the issues, the teacher introduces students to the statements of a scientist, writer, artist on the issue of discussion.
“We understand the word “intellectual” differently. Often it is simplified to mean a person of mental labor. But not every person who does mental work is truly an intellectual. Intelligence is not so much knowledge as the ability to understand, to enjoy reading books, watching a good film, or a theater production. Intelligence is necessary for a person in all life circumstances” (D.S. Likhachev).
“Some people think that all they have to do is master a new system of manners and interests and they will become intelligent. A pseudo-intellectual may be knowledgeable in cultural life, be a regular at some elite club... They strive to become privileged. They are interested in the external attributes of culture. They live for themselves, seek only their own benefit, and are afraid that they will be seen through and understood.
An intellectual does not necessarily have to know and love everything, but he must be a decent person, hardworking, selfless and kind, modest. An intellectual is distinguished by education and the desire for education, civil courage, the fight for truth, the ability to see shortcomings, and creative passion” (V. Kataev).
“Some people consider a man with glasses and a naturally narrow face to be an intellectual; for others, he is the personification of intelligence in a leather jacket, and so on. Among the classics, I would call Chekhov an intellectual. Apparently because for us Chekhov is the personification of some kind of human harmony, high spirituality, subtle soul, amazing delicacy and sensitivity, softness and at the same time harshness, even sometimes cruelty, but in relation to cruelty.
Is it possible for everyone to be intelligent? Is this necessary? What do we prefer: to be surrounded by people who know how to hear your pain and openly tell the truth, even if this promises them nothing but trouble? Or rowing only for themselves, victorious with some in one situation, and throwing mud at them when the situation has changed? After all, it happens that a person talks beautifully and a lot, but on the surface there is such emptiness, such rot... And yet... Without education, without a culture of constantly driving into oneself the spiritual heritage, it is impossible to be intelligent” (L. Durov).
Literature:
1. Aleshina. About politeness, about tact, about delicacy.
2. Likhachev. Native land.
3. Sukhomlinsky. Homeland in the heart.
4. Tolstykh, Erengress, Makarov. Aesthetic education
We would all like to communicate with cultural, enlightened, educated people who respect the boundaries of personal space. Intelligent people are just such ideal interlocutors.
Translated from Latin, intelligence means cognitive strength, skill, and ability to understand. Those who have intelligence - intellectuals, are usually involved in mental work and are distinguished by high culture. The signs of an intelligent person are:
- High level of education.
- Activities associated with creativity.
- Involvement in the process of dissemination, preservation and rethinking of culture and values.
Not everyone agrees that the intelligentsia includes a highly educated stratum of the population engaged in mental work. The opposition point of view understands intelligence primarily as the presence of a high moral culture.
Terminology
Based on the Oxford Dictionary definition, intelligentsia is a group that strives to think for itself. The new cultural hero is an individualist, one who can deny social norms and rules, in contrast to the old hero, who serves as the embodiment of these norms and rules. The intellectual is thus a nonconformist, a rebel.
Gasparov traces the history of the term “intelligentsia”: at first it meant “people with intelligence,” then “people with a conscience,” and later “good people.” The researcher also gives Yarkho’s original explanation of what “intelligent” means: this is a person who does not know much, but has a need, a thirst to know.
Who is an intelligent person and how does he differ from an intellectual? If an intellectual is a person who has a certain special spiritual and moral portrait, then intellectuals are professionals in their field, “people with intelligence.”
A high level of culture, tact, and good manners are the descendants of secularism, courtliness, philanthropy and grace. Good manners are not about “not sticking your fingers in your nose,” but the ability to behave in society and be reasonable - conscious care for yourself and others.
Gasparov emphasizes that currently, such an understanding of intelligence is relevant, which is associated with relationships between people. We are talking not just about interpersonal interaction, but about one that has a special property - to see in another not a social role, but a human one, to treat the other as a person, equal and worthy of respect.
According to Gasparov, in the past the intelligentsia performed a function that wedged itself into the relationship between the higher and the lower. This is something more than just intelligence, education, and professionalism. The intelligentsia was required to revise the fundamental principles of society. Performing the function of self-awareness of society, intellectuals create an ideal, which is an attempt to experience reality from within the system.
This is in contrast to intellectuals who, in response to the question of society’s self-awareness, create sociology - objective knowledge, a view “from the outside.” Intellectuals deal with schemes, clear and immutable, and the intelligentsia deal with feeling, image, standard.
Educating yourself
How to become an intelligent person? If intelligence is understood as a respectful attitude towards the individual, then the answer is simple: respect the boundaries of someone else’s psychological space, “don’t burden yourself.”
The strength of spirit of an intellectual, according to Lotman, allows him not to give in to difficulties. Intellectuals will do everything that is necessary, that cannot be avoided at a critical moment. Intelligence is a high spiritual flight, and people who are capable of this flight accomplish real feats, because they are able to stand where others give up, because they have nothing to rely on.
An intellectual is a fighter; he cannot tolerate evil and tries to eradicate it. The following qualities, according to Lotman and intelligence researcher Tepikin, are inherent in intellectuals (the most characteristic, coinciding between the two researchers):
- Kindness and tolerance.
- Integrity and willingness to pay for it.
- Resilience and fortitude.
- The ability to go to war for her ideals (an intelligent girl, just like a man, will defend what she considers worthy and honest).
- Independence of thinking.
- Fighting injustice.
The Russian philologist Likhachev noted the ease of communication of an intellectual, the complete absence of an intellectual. He identified the following qualities that are closely related to intelligence:
- Self-esteem.
- The ability to think.
- A proper degree of modesty, understanding the limitations of one’s knowledge.
- Openness, the ability to hear others.
- Be careful, you cannot be quick to judge.
- Delicacy.
- Prudence regarding the affairs of others.
- Persistence in defending a just cause (an intelligent man does not knock on the table).
You should be wary of becoming a semi-intellectual, like anyone who imagines that he knows everything. These people make unforgivable mistakes - they don’t ask, don’t consult, don’t listen. They are deaf, for them there are no questions, everything is clear and simple. Such imaginations are intolerable and cause rejection.
1. Put yourself in the other person's shoes.
2. Feel the connectedness of all people, their commonality, fundamental similarity.
3. Clearly distinguish between your own and someone else’s territory. This means not loading others with information that is only interesting to yourself, not raising your voice above the average sound level in the room, and not getting too close.
4. Try to understand your interlocutor, respect him, perhaps practice proving other people’s points of view, but not condescendingly, but truly.
5. Be able to deny yourself, develop, deliberately creating a little discomfort and overcoming it gradually (carry candy in your pocket, but not eat it; engage in physical activity at the same time every day).
The intelligentsia as the conscience of the nation is gradually disappearing due to the emergence of a layer of professionals in power. Intellectuals will replace intellectuals in this field. But nothing can replace intelligence at work, among acquaintances and friends, on the street and in public institutions. A person must be intelligent in the sense of the ability to feel equals in his interlocutors, to show respect, because this is the only worthy form in communication between people. Author: Ekaterina Volkova
Intelligence is a whole set of characterological, mental and social qualities of an individual that contribute to meeting the expectations of society that are presented to members of a cultural society and other representatives of its highest part. Human intelligence implies a highly developed mental and cognitive processes, which allows a person to evaluate and make his own judgments about various spheres of human manifestation. It is also a certain personal maturity, responsible for the ability to make independent decisions and have one’s own point of view on the concept of the world order. Of the characterological characteristics, a person’s intelligence is manifested in reliability and nobility, consistency of thoughts, words and actions, as well as the presence of an active interest in culture, history and art.
What is intelligence
An intelligent person demonstrates his personal dignity in the professional and social sphere, striving to achieve better results and bring benefit to humanity through his activities to the extent that his chosen specialization allows. The concept of decency and honor is inseparable from intelligence and is manifested in the adequacy of actions, orientation towards one’s own meanings and values, non-susceptibility to external influence, correctness towards others, regardless of their position and behavior.
The intelligentsia is a special community of people engaged in mental work, striving to accumulate and systematize existing knowledge, as well as its further transfer and the discovery of new experience. A person’s desire to submit his own intellectual and sensory experience to reflexive analysis, the ability to notice details and patterns, strive for knowledge and never-ending curiosity can be characterized as internal intelligence. This also includes the presence of high internal values in maintaining the moral and ethical qualities and manifestations of humanity.
Inner intelligence is impossible without a broad outlook and great internal experience, as well as constant openness to new things. There is no place for dictatorship, that in the behavior of other people, in their preferences, traditions and beliefs are not condemned. Before making a conclusion about someone, an intelligent person will try to understand as much as possible about a particular action, and if the action turns out to be beyond the limits of what is permissible by morality, then it is the action, not the person, that will be subject to censure.
The concept of intelligence appeared to characterize a certain group of people (intelligentsia) engaged in mental work, when the number of such people increased compared to ancient times, where physical work predominated. When activities that did not bring visible and quick results began to actively shape society and the paths of human development, certain markers appeared for classifying a person as an intelligentsia. Just intellectual work is not enough; it is necessary that the activity corresponds to the maintenance of cultural values and contributes to the development of both an individual person (which is clearly represented by the activities of teachers) and large human associations (which concerns the establishment of legislative state law).
In many societies, the concept of the intelligentsia is replaced by the concept of intellectuals who are engaged in the same type of activity, but do not pretend to bring new good meaning to the masses. These people are characterized by greater modesty, less desire to rank people by class and merit, and also give everyone their own priorities based on their judgments. At the same time, they continue to develop themselves and develop the surrounding space with their own professional contribution.
And there are quite a lot of similar varieties and branches, which complicates the description of intelligence as an unambiguous concept with clear parameters and characteristics. Several centuries ago, for example, even the intelligentsia was divided into certain classes, where there were representatives: the highest intelligentsia, involved in the social and spiritual sphere, having a fairly large influence on the formation of the moral requirements of society; the average intelligentsia also find employment in the social sphere, but their activities are more practical (if the former see the people, the latter see specific faces and destinies), these people are directly involved in the implementation of good ideas (teachers and doctors); The lower intelligentsia is also called semi-intelligentsia and is engaged in helping the middle intelligentsia, combining physical and social development activities (these are medical assistants, assistants, technicians, laboratory assistants).
But, despite such crude attempts to divide people and intelligence itself on the basis of the activity performed, this turned out to be incorrect and reflects only one aspect of the manifestation, while innate intelligence can also manifest itself in a person of physical labor and not high intellectual abilities. Here the first place comes to behavior and the ability to analyze what is happening, draw conclusions, as well as the style of interaction with others. This aspect is closely related to upbringing, which can be instilled, or can be a consequence of a person’s inner worldview. And then the signs of intelligence become not the activity performed, but the presence of a person’s constant desire for development, the ability to behave with dignity, regardless of the circumstances and who is in front of him.
How to become an intelligent person
An intelligent person is able to restrain his emotional manifestations, negative emotions, knows how to process them, and learn from mistakes made. Criticism is perceived as a tool for self-improvement, and having self-confidence helps to treat others with respect and tolerance.
The intelligentsia, as a social stratum, does not always contain exclusively intelligent people. Often there are doctors who are rude to people, teachers who do not respect the individual, but with such frequency you can meet an exceptionally kind and caring technician or a cultured and courteous girl who does not have a higher education. Confusing these concepts is a serious mistake, because class division cannot reflect the totality of personal qualities.
Innate intelligence is not the only factor determining the presence of intelligent manifestations. Of course, some character traits, innate mechanisms of the nervous system responsible for the type of reaction, and the upbringing environment influence the personality, but this is not a given, but only prerequisites with which it will be either easier or more difficult to absorb the principles of decent behavior. Moreover, how the process occurs depends solely on the person and his motivation, accordingly, if you make an effort, you can achieve anything.
The basic concepts of intelligence include cultural behavior, benevolence and tolerance towards people and their manifestations, and only in second place are breadth of outlook and the ability for global or divergent thinking. Therefore, it is necessary to develop your ability to interact with others, starting with goodwill, which will attract more attentive and positive views to you. Look in the mirror and evaluate your gaze (it is the one that creates the first impression upon contact), and if you look gloomy, aggressive, cold, if your gaze makes you want to defend yourself or remain silent, then you should train another one. An open, warm look with a slight smile will endear you to a person and show that you are ready to interact, and not to attack and conflict. Goodwill in communication is manifested by a culture of communication, which implies the absence of obscene words and respect for personal boundaries (beware of inappropriate questions or overly direct, especially negative comments). When communicating, set yourself the goal of making a person’s day a little better, and then act according to the situation - someone needs to be listened to, someone needs to be helped, and for others, tactfulness in not noticing mistakes will be enough.
A tolerant attitude means accepting the existence of other points of view, but this does not mean that they should change your beliefs. If a person acts against your moral values, show tolerance and do not persist in setting him on the right path, but distance yourself, without allowing your own feelings to suffer. Respect other people's choices and demand respect for yours, but not with hysterics and anger, but with a dignified removal from the source of discomfort.
Expand your knowledge, and for this you don’t have to memorize tedious textbooks, the world is much wider and more multifaceted, so look for what interests you. The main thing is to develop and learn new things at least a little from everywhere; in such cases, it is better to go to a concert of a new group than to rewatch the series for the fifth time.
Modesty and sincerity will lead you to a better quality of life, and the ability to live according to your own conscience develops your personality. Try not to weigh yourself down with false merits (like artificial diamonds), but to find and develop your strong traits and.
Intelligence is not only high intelligence and brilliant education, it is also good manners, the ability to live in harmony with oneself and others, in accordance with one’s conscience, it is an active civic position, the concept of honor and dignity, the desire for truth.
In order to educate yourself and not stand below the level of the environment in which you find yourself, it is not enough to read only Pickwick and memorize a monologue from Faust.<…>Here you need continuous day and night work, eternal reading, studying, will... Every hour is precious here...
And while someone quietly laughs at intellectuals because of their emphasized correctness and intellectuality, all over the world they are talking about the Russian intelligentsia as a cultural phenomenon, a phenomenon that originated in the Russian Empire and marked the beginning of the identification of a special, albeit very small, stratum of society throughout the rest of the world.
A nation that does not value intelligence is doomed to destruction. The history of the Russian intelligentsia is the history of Russian thought.
D. S. Likhachev, “The Book of Worries”
A.P. Chekhov and D.S. Likhachev are considered to be true Russian intellectuals. In a letter to his brother Nikolai, young Chekhov cited a kind of code of an intelligent person, on which the following advice is largely based.
How to become more intelligent
1. Respect others
Moreover, this respect should go beyond compliance with subordination and basic rules of behavior. It is also respect for the feelings and desires of others, empathy, and to some extent even sympathy. Yes, it is not easy to force yourself to sympathize with others if you are not used to doing this. But it is work on oneself that distinguishes intelligent people.
They respect the human personality, and therefore are always condescending, soft, polite, compliant...
A.P. Chekhov, letter to his brother Nikolai, 1886
2. Don't lie
Remember that first of all you are lying to yourself. Intelligent people also consider meaningless grandstanding, flattery, and throwing dust in the eyes as lies. Any deception is unacceptable for them.
They are sincere and fear lies like fire. They don't lie even about trifles. A lie is offensive to the listener and vulgarizes the speaker in his eyes. They don’t show off, they behave on the street the same way as at home, they don’t show off dust in the eyes of the smaller brethren...
A.P. Chekhov, letter to his brother Nikolai, 1886
3. Be humble
Intelligent people have a slightly different perception of values. They are not vain.
They are not interested in such fake diamonds as meeting celebrities, the handshake of a drunken Plevako, the delight of someone they meet at the Salon, fame from porter...
A.P. Chekhov, letter to his brother Nikolai, 1886
More often they are silent and prefer not to impose their opinions on others, especially when they are not asked. They do not open up in vain and do not seek the attention of others by humiliating themselves.
In this, it is definitely worth taking an example from intellectuals. Modesty and moderation will help you in many areas of life, you just have to try on yourself and accept this philosophy.
4. Strive for aesthetics
An intellectual is an esthete. He admires the harmony of thought, talent, sophistication of images, grace and humanity. It is the intellectuals who are the main guardians of what we are accustomed to calling “eternal values.” Try to be like them. You don't have to have a degree to understand and admire literature. You don’t need to paint pictures yourself to receive aesthetic pleasure from artists’ works.
They cultivate aesthetics in themselves. They cannot sleep in their clothes, see cracks with bugs on the wall, breathe crappy air, walk on a spit-stained floor, or eat from a kerosene stove. They try to tame and refine the sexual instinct as much as possible.
A.P. Chekhov, letter to his brother Nikolai, 1886
5. Protect your talent
Believe that you are talented. And take care of your gift. Intelligent people value talent above everything else, and this is what allows them to remain representatives of the “intellectual elite”, to create and create.
If they have talent, they respect it. They sacrifice peace, women, wine, vanity for him... They are proud of their talent.
A.P. Chekhov, letter to his brother Nikolai, 1886
6. Strive for inner freedom
Someone generally puts the feeling of freedom at the forefront of the issue of intellectuals and intelligence. And indeed, an intelligent person is free from a lot of things that others are dependent on.
The basic principle of intelligence is intellectual freedom, freedom as a moral category. An intelligent person is not free only from his conscience and his thoughts.
D. S. Likhachev, “On the Russian intelligentsia. Letter to the editor", 1993
Intelligence is a difficult path that is not suitable for everyone. Not everyone is ready to “squeeze out a slave drop by drop” every day. But there is no doubt that those who take this path receive something immeasurably more than just a set of positive qualities.
