Street smarts?

[ScottieIWU]

Hey yo gang. Been a while, eh?

Anyway, prompted by some various discussions in which the term "street smarts" came up repeatedly, I began to ponder to myself the validity of this term in describing people. To clarify, often people refer to intelligence in two terms, these terms being street smarts and book smarts.

My questions are the following:

1. What defines street smarts? For example, it is fairly easy to assume that so-called "book smarts" refer to academic intelligence (i.e. sciences, literature, etc), but what actually defines street smarts?

2. Do street smarts and book smarts have to be mutually exclusive? That is, in the case of a young man (or woman) I will soon reference, can said person only have one or the other?

3. There as been a lot of discussion in psychological circles of an EQ that is a kind of quantitative measure of social prowess. Is this the same as street smarts, or are they different things?

5. Are street smarts limited to certain people? Often street smarts are pinned to those who live around the poverty line and have had "rough" upbringings. Does that mean that a person living in middle or high class economic status cannot have street smarts?

6. Lastly, the true heart of the matter, and what I wish to focus on most: are street smarts actually valid? I will continue on this line after I paint a picture to demonstrate:

Take a young man/woman that grows up in the "harsh" conditions I previously stated. This young person grew up in a low-income, single-parent family in an urban setting. Gangs are abundant and gang violence is a daily happening. This person is considered likable by those around him/her, but often manipulates those around him/her to achieve his/her ends, is occasionally in trouble with the law, and is possibly involved in gang activity.

The question here is, does appending the term "street smart" to this person mean that his/her actions are acceptable and a means of survival in the given circumstances, or are we as a society simply giving a label to someone that excuses him/her of his/her actions in order to alleviate some kind of social responsibility for the situation this person is in? Are those with street-smarts simply criminals in the making, or are they people who have a serious social prowess that allows them to make the best of a given situation?

I apologize if this seems obtuse, as I have not yet slept, but I thought it would be an interesting topic. Therefore, discuss.

[Prozerran]

I think you more than outlined the delineation to be made between "IQ" and "EQ", which is closely related to what some would call "street smarts." EQ, I believe, actually refers to those who peruse the night clubs looking for dates, and I think it has more to do with one's ability to be highly attractive to others - a "player", if you will. That being said, EQ seems to have many applications, and I would group street smarts into that realm of measurement for the sake of this discussion.

I don't think EQ excuses someone's behavior any more than their IQ does. Someone of great intellect who commits a crime is still just as subject to the law as anyone else. Why should it be any different for those who are in more depressed areas? Because they have less money? Because these families chose to live where they do? I'm sorry, but someone's ability to survive on the street and do what must be done to survive does not excuse them from the law, which is fundamentally why they have to learn how to avoid getting caught from breaking the law. If we excused them, who would be next? The gangs? The drug-dealers? How far down the rabbit hole does that take us?

Just because someone is savvy enough to avoid detection when s/he commits a criminal act does not excuse them from the crime. That's like saying, "You're too smart for us, so I guess we'll just have to overlook the fact that you killed this person." Doesn't work that way.

[GenocideAlive]

Street smarts is most definitely a valid and very real measurement of someone's social adaptability. There are a number of things that immediately determine one's capacity for street smarts, varying from physical appearance to posture and demeanor.

Street smarts require a person to be capable of abandoning a great deal of social constructs that are present in "civilized" life. For instance, if you are walking down the street in a rough neighborhood and someone pretty fucked up looking is coming along down the sidewalk, what do you do? Many in "civilized" circles would tell you to quickly cross the street and avoid, blah blah blah. This is all well and good, but 99% of people doing this will draw attention doing it. Not what you want.

By in large, I'd say a lot of street smarts is the ability to defuse conflict and avoid attention. For girls, that means the abandonment of a lot of the sexually aggressive behavior that is acceptable in high society (high heels, short skirts, makeup, revealing clothes, etc.); sexual aggression on "the street" will be responded to by available males. It also means that if a girl goes out, she should generally accompany herself by a male or otherwise stick to her home, car, destination, and very public areas. For guys, it means avoiding flashy things, being in good physical condition, and not occupying oneself overmuch with anything going on around you that is not directly your business.

In either case, the CIA and other government agencies recognize and value the trait.

[U-238]

I'd be inclined to take position close to GA's opinion. "Street Smarts", to me, means you're knowledgeable of you're "territories". For example, someone who lives in Philly and knows what and what not to do and where and where not to go and how to dress/act/conduct ones self period I would consider to have "Street Smarts". Of course, in this case, Street Smarts would vary from location to location. (eg: people who are street smart in Philly may not be in New York.)

So basically, in my opinion, street smarts come down to knowing your "territories" or common surroundings and to know how to deal with certain semi-common situations with certain people who frequent these areas. (ie: gangs, thugs, drunks, movie starts, etc)

However nothing justifies a crime so no to point 6. Street smarts are not "valid" when it comes to a law breaking situation.

[Toucan]

There are many cases of people who have not completed any real education and then have created a very successful life for themselves. Many of the worlds richest self made men had no college education. Just because you go to college you are not guaranteed a successful life, it isn’t a case of "ok you finished college now here is your money" I assure you.
You must have street smarts to succeed, book smarts are just a bonus.

[Icarus]

Am I the first to notice there's no number 4?

1. Street smarts is the knowledge of unwritten social laws an attributes that the majority of people behave in conjunction with, paired with the ability to act on this knowledge to further one's goals.

2. In that case you have to define "book smarts".

3. Well, from my limited knowledge, EQ is basically being able to formulate what is best for you in the long run under the set circumstances, which pretty much seems synonymous with "street smarts"

5. Of course not. The most esteemed prizes within modern society are money, and political power. Brokers and lawyers and accountants and economists working for corporations big and small constantly manipulate their market to give them the most profit, while at the same time adjusting their policies and whatnot to fit the dynamic market. You can't all of a sudden be able to handle money that well from reading a textbook. You need to know ALL aspects of the market, many of which aren't necessarily economic.

There have been countless assassinations, coups, sabotages, kidnappings, launderings, finances, etc. that have been covered by the CIA and other unknown government agencies later to be linked to them. They always have to formulate ways to make politically sensitive events fall under the radar. You have to be knowledgeable in all aspects of the current political theater, and you have to know what's going on behind the scenes, away from the public eye, and act on it.

People who have "street smarts" In the lower class I don't think are necessarily proficient in street smarts, simply because like I said the most valued social items are money and political power, yet only now with the whole hip hop boom, it's very easy for someone involved and active in this social bracket to just make rap music or loose clothing labels and make hundreds of thousand if not millions of dollars. But then they aren't in the lower class anymore. So unless you're not after fame and fortune, which in the lower class is not very common, it's not accurate to associate street smarts inherently in the lower class.

6. If they were really proficient with street smarts, they wouldn't need approval, they'd either find a way out of it, or make their own.

But then again, with the way the term is so loosely used, the definitions are various. This is just how I've seen it in use, and I have a very limited knowledge

[TheListener]

I'll make this as brief as possible:

Street smarts, when used colloquially, is bullshit. Often times when I hear someone proclaiming they've got it, it's simply an excuse to claim that they have any kind of 'smarts'. However, street smarts when defined in an arena such as this one is valid, yes. Sociology plays a large role in street smarts -- knowing how certain people will react to body language, as GA pointed out, scurrying across the street in a rough neighbourhood will only achieve you an audience. Acknowledging people when necessary and ignoring them at certain impasses as well.

I've been "almost" mugged twice, both times the ass hats trying to take my cell phone and money, respectively, failed. I simply ignored them both times and walked away, not ever looking them in the eye, and they left me alone. I was lucky it worked because in some neighbourhoods I would have probably gotten shanked in the back as a friend of mine experienced when he refused to give up his belongings. Street smarts can also be applied to things like the classroom and in social circles as well, knowing how to manipulate people and bend their will to your advantage is implicated. Knowing when flattery, humour, negligence and adoration should be used is part of street smarts.

Street smarts are extremely useful. Yes. More useful than "book smarts"? Perhaps.

[Neo]

Depends where you live I would imagine.

I can walk down my street without fear of being mugged at all. We aren't that kind of area.

But could I do it a few miles south in the capital? No, probably not.

Street smarts as the term is used is probably bullshit, however, if we are talking street smarts ie: common sense, then perhaps it may be very important.

-Neo

[mranderson]

1. "Street smarts" I will classify as the ability to function in society. If you have good street smarts you might live a comfortable life which most people are after, but this varies with other factors. However, you do need some street smarts.

2. Street smarts and Book smarts are two different traits. I'll compare it to hair, and eye color. You can have one, but you may also have the other. It doesn't really matter what smarts you have, but what you do with them in your circumstances.

3. Yes, I would consider it the same thing.

5.No, street smarts are not limited to certain people. Street smarts can be different from social class, upgringing, location, etc. But they are still street smarts, and determine how well someone gets along with others.

6. Yes street smarts are valid.

I'll bring up Prozerran's opinion. He gives of an example of how low class people are subject to laws, and fundamentals like everyone else. They have street smarts, but for their own circle. Rich people are subject to breaking laws, but they usually just pay thier way out of it by getting a good lawyer. Even if they go to jail they just go to some fancy place that is better than some people live. Some regular criminals commit crimes just to go back to a normal jail. These people pay to get in a better jail, and stay for a few months while their money chills in offshore bank accounts under someone else's name.

He says people can't avoid detection, but they do. There are people's jobs to put drug dealers in jail, and then there are people's jobs to get the rich out of paying taxes. People are paid to hide money.

Fundamentals aren't applied equally. Street smarts=bettering yourself in social situations. As in celebrities not staying in jail. Rich people getting out of taxes. Need I say more? These people don't even have street smarts though, they just have appearance, and money which gets them by. Street smarts are invalid as long as there is money.

An example of street smarts

Student A completes homework and turns it in. Earns an A through working/smarts/ school system's rules.

Student B doesn't do homework. Makes some lame excuse. Takes advantage of being a female, and gets pitied by the teacher. Grade boosted to an A at the end of the quarter. Earns grade through street smarts.

Cheat the system, it works anyways.

Anyways...our society is broken, and we can't fix it.

[BludSyko]

Someone said to me that I may have book smarts, but that doesn't mean I have street smarts. Then, he asked me if I knew how to rebuild a car engine (or maybe it was change the oil o.O). Would you say that car knowledge is considered street smarts or is that guy just an idiot talking out of his ass?

[Kawagata]

Street Smart to me, is about being not stupid. Yes, not stupid. A person with street smarts should have a realization of his enviroment, peers and surroundings.

Also about the post with students and homework, the legit one could just be honest.

[Morkeliph]

It's all behavior, once again. A "street smart" person is someone who behaves in a way that we define as socially acceptable and socially adaptive. This is so vague that it will of course vary from person to person and culture to culture.