Ok, anyone else feeling peak smart?

Posted by eloiseturnbuckle@reddit | GenX | View on Reddit | 24 comments

What I mean specifically is, many things about aging are not cool. The random 2” hairs that sprout overnight, the muscle strain from reaching for the soap, or ‘fill in blank’. But, I am surprised and pleased that I do feel peak smart. Like I know some shit. For example, I can now say I remember ‘blank’ happening in history, as well as just random accumulated knowledge, ‘of course I know capers are the blossom of a caper bush’, to ‘yes I know hydrogen peroxide neutralizes chlorine’. It’s amazing to me the shit I have learned over 60 years, and what I still remember. How about the rest of you wise souls? Are you happy that you know/remember all this stuff or is that brain of yours tossing stuff overboard?

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Caloso89@reddit

Judging by my Jeopardy performance, my reaction and recall is slowing.

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maddog2271@reddit

I beleive I have reached the age where, within my own experience, I can claim some modicum of “wisdom” and I feel that it is a good thing.

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paperbasket18@reddit

Fuck no, I think I’m peak dumb right now. My ability to retain stuff seems to be getting worse. I had a part-time retail gig for a while and the amount of time it took me to learn the systems, inventory, etc. was highly embarrassing. I’m graduated from college with honors, for shit’s sake. I suspect it’s a combo of burnout and peri.

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cnhn@reddit

my peak smart was 2012. I broke my brain doing it all. ran a 4 year project that took 60-100 hours a week. at the same time ran a side hustle that for four months every year took another 20-30 hours with a peak of a 6 day block of 18 on 6 off.

afterwards my brain never really worked as well again. still smart, still can learn, but after 5 or so hours of thinking i just can’t think the rest of the day.

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paperbasket18@reddit

I can relate to this. About 10 years ago, I was in a job where I was being run into the ground with long hours, a long commute, was never able to shut things off on the weekends or at night, and I burned out badly (which looking back, was a long time coming for multiple reasons.) I truly think I’ve never been the same since. My attention span is shot, and my short-term memory is garbage. I’ve said a few times over the years exactly what you said, that I think that job broke my brain.

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Organic_Mix2282@reddit

Ive never lost my desire to figure out how something ticks.

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Wild_Read9062@reddit

I’m smarter and wiser than I’ve ever been, which is astonishing (never realized how capable I really was), frightening (when I feel like I’m the smartest one in the room), and humbling (because I feel like in the vast sum of knowledge, I don’t know squat).

In any given day, I’m just happy I know enough to get through that day without too much trouble.

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AnastasiaNo70@reddit

I recently learned college level physics on my own. No joke! I was always mad that my principal didn’t let me take it in high school—said it was “for boys”. What bullshit.

So I learned it myself. Took me a year.

I’m feeling pretty peak. 👍🏼🤓

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Blue_Henri@reddit

Long past peak. Couldn’t remember a word the other day (don’t even remember now what the hell it was about) that would have been easily accessible years ago. Killed too many brain cells, or at least stunned them into silence. Hope I don’t kill the one with my address on it.

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Sufficient_Stop8381@reddit

No I feel like an idiot. I used to be much quicker.

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EnjoyingTheRide-0606@reddit

I love learning and have spent my whole life doing it. Before the internet existed I was often at the library researching stuff. Now I pick topics and study them online.

Most recently I’m learning about rehabbing young squirrels so I can become a rehabber. I also take in box turtles and have learned so much about them my whole life.

I can’t get enough of useless facts, weird things, and absolute trivia bs that no one else cares about.

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ditchdiggergirl@reddit

No.

I used to be really smart, Ivy League stem PhD smart. I had a successful career for quite a while, but it fizzled and I ended up retiring early. Now I find I’m quite dumb, with a flaky memory and an over reliance on Google and AI. Things that used to be second nature to me are now things I struggle with. Logins and passwords and security are daunting. I don’t know how to use our television. If I owned a VCR, it would be flashing 12:00.

But what I am now is a lot wiser. My judgement is better, my perspective is clearer, my underdeveloped interpersonal skills are stronger. I don’t know as many things, but I understand better the things I do know.

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kat2211@reddit

For me it's really not so much about what I remember, but I'm doing the most intellectually challenging job of my life and as far as I can tell I'm doing a great job at it. I'm also more able to show discipline in terms of daily routines. I can say that I've generally had a great memory and that has persisted, but what's really impressing me is my ability to learn things I never knew before.

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Kiwi_lad_bot@reddit

Thats wisdom

I feel "peak smart" as in the world is changing so fast that Im being left behind. Ive hit my "peak."

I consider myself quite tech savvy. I have no issues using technology. I got a diploma in computer studies in my 20s. So Im not afraid of tech.

My 12 yo daughter puts me to shame regarding tech.

I was who my family went to regarding tech. Not any more.

I hit my peak.

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jitterfish@reddit

No - I'm a bio professor so I think people expect me to be smart and ask me a lot of questions that I have no idea about.

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chikn2d@reddit

The fact that you admit not knowing everything is in itself intelligence. It’s the ones who pretend to know everything are rarely “smart”.

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Finding_Way_@reddit

I feel like with SO MANY things, we've been there and done that...or know someone who has.

Life based knowledge is STRONG.

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MaximumJones@reddit

https://i.redd.it/f8kioxerzx2h1.gif

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MaximumJones@reddit

Whatever

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eloiseturnbuckle@reddit (OP)

Oh I know you just love saying that word but come on, are you getting dumber or holding onto to all that shit?

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