"I am not book smart, but I am street smart." I hate this saying... mostly because I am a cynic and only hear: "I am not book smart, but I am not smart." Yes, I know that many people disagree with that... I don't care, unless you can give me an example of "street smart" that does not use Common Sense, Social Awareness/Aptitude, or Emotional cognizance as an example of "street smarts." I mean, what is "street smart" anyway? The ability to live on the street, if you needed to? If that is the case, then I would have to argue that many "book smart" people also possess this ability.
Fun "fact"*
The real definition of Street Smarts is rarely, if ever actually applicable to those that claim to have it. The term comes from Wall Street (often called 'the street' in NYC), during the Gilded Age. Back when Andrew Carnegie and John Rockefeller ruled the financial world. It was meant to describe those people that traded on Wall Street that were not Ivy League educated, but knew 'the street' in such a way that they still made money. Hence, "street smart." But this would mean, that they were still really rather bright and could understand how to analyze a security properly to determine its real/fair value. It also means they probably had at least a fair-to-middling ability at mathematics. So really, if you aren't "book smart" (educated) but you are ACTUALLY smart and have learned a trade/skill, then I will leave you alone about saying that. But if you use that line as an excuse for why you hate math or don't succeed in school... then you are not "street smart" either. In both cases (book and street) it implies the ability to learn when given the opportunity. So if you are "street smart" then you can become "book smart."
okay... I am done. Let the hate filled argument commence!
* I am not sure how factual it really is, there was very little vetting on my part. It sounds legitimate...
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