Ideal partner: Smarter, dumber, or about on your level?

[GrimTuesday]

I like females who have intellects that are at the very least close to mine. It's mostly due to the fact that I can't stand it when I have to walk people through what I'm saying because they don't understand it. I would also say that with intelligence has to come confidence. If a girl is smart but isn't willing to debate with me and tell me that I'm wrong, then I'm not really into that.

 

[MellowFellow]

I think I would prefer a girl who is smarter than me because well, I do not think I am that intelligent. A smart girl probably could get me to try to at least fix some of my flaws. I don't know really, I just have a feeling having a dumb girlfriend would annoy me a lot, she should at least be as smart as I am, hopefully smarter.

 

[Dynamite Headdy]

Usually, I automatically break the matter down into a set of strengths and weaknesses that usually balances out. Someone might be my intellectual and social superior in every way except they suck at math or laundry or ethics or something.

In relationships where there is a stark contrast of some sort, I suspect they usually boil down to the student idolizing the teacher while the teacher is constantly waiting for the Pygmalion Effect to kick in. It would be an honor to be the student in the relationship, but I would feel useless and guilty for weighing my mentor down. An ego-stroking admirer is tempting, but somebody who is completely vapid in every aspect of their lives would be grating after a while if they do not catch up.

That said, I would be very surprised if I were to end up in a relationship where I was the dominant personality. It would be a creepy spiral of uncomfortable silence half the time.

 

[Kitteh]

SLIGHTLY smarter. I am what you might call unwilling to learn things I don't give a shit about.

 

[Sebenko]

Smarter, since I'm pretty stupid.

 

[Bugerion]

Same or smarter because I want someone who can understand my jokes and what I'm talking about not just stair like a retard and laugh if everyone else laughs

 

[Shuswah_Noir]

I like someone equal or more intelligent than I am. I have a very hard time even being in a room with people who are noticeably less intelligent than I am, let alone getting into a relationship with them -shudders at the thought-
Someone more intelligent than I am tends to keep me alert and can keep my attention for a lot longer. I love learning new things, no matter what topic it is (though I have a hard time on politics). For example, I'm currently learning to juggle, and I've been reading a lot of philosophical debates.

 

[Emz]

My boyfriend is better at different subjects than I am and vice versa. It makes us fairly even I'd say and we usually depend on each other to fill in for the other's weakness. I wouldn't care if he was better at everything as long as he wasn't arrogant about it though.

 

[DanielDeFig]

Considering most of my social time is spent in intellectual, political and philosophical debate, i don't tend to handle non-intelligent people well. I don't have any friends of lower intellectual level, and i don't think i would ever be attracted to a woman of lower intelligence. Both friends and love interests of a higher intelligence is something i'm not against, i see it as an opportunity to learn something new.

 

[badgersprite]

It doesn't matter to me that much. I've had a range of academic/measurable intelligence in my partners. I've never dated anyone I consider dumb, though; the people I'm attracted to are typically quick-witted, creative and very into their fields of interest.

When it comes down to it, I think I like my partners to know more than me about something, be it something academic like psychology, mathematics, or philosophy, or something a little more everyday like music, art, fashion, or computers. I like being able to learn and experience new things. I don't need to bore people with my dry law school shit. I'd rather they show me their knowledge, even if it's just showing me how they cook or taking me to dance classes or whatever.

I like feeling like I'm on the same level in a relationship. I'm just not a dominant person. And I think I would be really frustrated if I was dating someone I couldn't have an intelligent conversation or debate with...

 

[Mr Cwtchy]

At least my intelligence, preferably smarter. I tend to screw things up a lot, so having someone there to help me out would be a Godsend.

 

[latenightapplepie]

Define smarter and dumber. Because those are pretty vague terms, I've found.

 

[Tilted_Logic]

Intelligence is a fickle thing, hard to define without going into specifics but I'll try to stick to generics I find people that can be considered 'dumber than thou' but are sweet as can be generally fall into the friend category. They can be irresistible with their kindness and charm, but personally I prefer someone with a mentality that provides me a challenge.

I've never really thought of the people I date as smarter than I, just more knowledgeable in different areas; which is what makes the relationships great. Someone that can combat my intellect with their own and teach me along the way is divine.

Long story short, I suppose I prefer people on par with my intellect or smarter so I can learn from them.

 

[Gmano]

On my level... then again I'm in college and have yet to meet a woman that I can (without a doubt) say is smarter than me, not that I think women are dumb, it's just that intelligence varies quite a bit day-to-day (for women it may vary +-4 points in a month!) and thus I can't say for sure I'll meet one who is smarter than me in every capacity.

That said, my current girlfriend has better marks than me in every subject... yet insists I am smarter than she is.

 

[Gekkeiju]

Definitely on the same level or above. Im a straight-A-takes-extra-classes-for-fun kind of person, and ive dated the less smart sugar coated type. But then i just get annoyed when they spend every night out getting drunk, failing their driving tests multiple times and failing the same year at college twice over.

Oh wait..that was just that one guy...
grr.

 

[Nexus4]

Hmm...

Don't care, to tell you the truth.

As long as they have commonsense and understand logic, that's all I need.

This, common sense is so goddamm hard to find nowdays :|

 

[rutger5000]

Dumber of course easier to take advantage of.
Nah seriously as long as lack of intelligence does not severely cloud her judgment on things, then I don't really mind.
But I would prefer a girl who is intelligent, so you can have a serious discussion about stuff. Wetter she is more intelligent then me or not, does not really matter to me.