A Beautiful Day in New York with a Note on Intelligence

First, a Beautiful day.

6 June 2024

Now, on Intelligence.

I've been thinking and speaking on intelligence for a while and when I do, there's a building that comes to mind. A building in Brooklyn, a set of apartments.

The construction is much like an inverted 'L' with a small tower supporting the overhang.

We all consist of our own individual expansion. Someone else's expansion has nothing to do with yours.

It's not like someone built their house up and as they expand outwards, the top of their house is over your house so if you try to build your house up, you reach them as a ceiling. I think that's how people think about intellect. As if someone else is growing up, out, and over them, thus capping them off.

That's not how that works.

This is infinite. Ever-expanding. Individually and collectively.

Intellect does not pose any direct competition. Intelligence does not necessitate any direct competition. Someone else's demonstration of their own intellect does not suggest a limit or constraint for yours. It has no bearing on your abilities, positive or otherwise. It can, however, serve as inspiration, rather than as a threat.

Intellect does not exist in solid, finite, countable masses. There is no need to act as if it does.