The Crazy Quotient
Posted: Monday, November 24, 2008
by Dianne Lehmann
Artisan Jewelry from SyZyGy
IQ (Intelligence Quotient) is determined by dividing your developmental age by your actual chronological age and multiplying the result by 100. IQ tests are given to determine your developmental age. The standards for assigning developmental age are derived from statistical averages of test scores across a wide base of the population.
When I was young and first had my IQ tested, a score of 150 was considered genius level. Today, that is still pretty much the same, but there have been scores of 200 or more on standardized tests. That scores such as these exist gives me hope to think that as a nation we are becoming more and more intelligent. Even so, I believe that IQ tests really only determine a person's ability to learn and memorize facts and to solve puzzles that ordinarily have no bearing on your life whatsoever. Personally, I think these tests are purposeless and their only possible use should be to tell you whether or not you should go live with the chimps. And you probably already know the answer to that one. And for those folks who score less than 100, as do many people with Down's Syndrome well they are some of the happiest folks I have ever met. What does that tell you?
Tests have been developed to measure a person's EQ, but I consider them to be not at all accurate or sufficiently refined to make a valid determination. They do not seem to be at all objective. Besides, you can pretty much just look at a person's life and see whether or not they are able to act wisely and what percentage of the time they will do that. I like to watch " America 's Funniest Home Videos." It's good for a laugh now and then, but it does also worry me sometimes.
I would like to offer up my idea for the day; the Crazy Quotient or CQ. It would be an assessment of a person's ability to get through their day without annoying or posing a threat of one sort or another to every one around them, which I consider to be measurably more important than IQ or EQ. It could encompass some of the aspects of the IQ and EQ tests. For example, if you asked the question, what is two plus two, and the response was five, you might want to call the men in the white coats. After all, why would any sane person answer that question with the number five? Well, I can think of a couple of reasons but we will ignore that for now. Or consider this: Jane has four oatmeal and raisin cookies. Dick would really like one. Dick should say to Jane (choose one):
- May I please have one of your cookies?
- Those look really good and I want one.
- Are you going to give me one of those cookies or not?
- Give me the # & %$ cookie already!
- Your cookie or your life.
The first choice in each scenario or question would be worth one point, the second worth two (get the idea?) and the last would be worth five. Twenty scenarios would be offered for a possible CQ score of 100 points. In this case, the lower your score the better for everyone. Anyone scoring 100 on the basic test should be locked up and the key thrown away. Of course, what you don't tell people is that they all start with a baseline score of 25 for general purposes and presupposing dishonesty in answering. Have you ever worked the returns desk in a department store?
Then there is the Impact Factor or IF. Let's face it, if Aunt Martha insists that the Easter Bunny comes and whispers in her ear at night, that's not going to have much impact in the long run. Unless, of course, you are Uncle Arthur and the happy little bunny is telling her to poison your soup at lunch tomorrow. Some kinds of crazy are just going to have more impact than others.
I would like to suggest a scale for impact from one to ten, where one is of no discernible consequence and ten is the end of the world as we know it. The IF would be used as a multiplier, so say you have a fellow who is obsessed with pliers but he gets a fairly reasonable adjusted score of 54 on the basic test. However, what he likes to do with those pliers is well maybe we shouldn't go into that here. At any rate, it earns him a two on the IF scale. Then his total score becomes 108 and it's time to throw away the key. You may have noticed that the CQ really isn't a quotient at all but a product. I just didn't like the sound of Crazy Product all that much. Sounds too much like some Chinese attempt at appealing to the American consumer you know, like Sunny Day Lollipops or Happy Mood Gumdrops.
Possibly you might want to subject yourself to a determination of your CQ. But most likely, like me, you would rather apply these principals to others instead. It's so much more satisfying.
This Article has been viewed 191 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
Top-level comments on this article: (7 total)Hi Dianne,
Yeah, I'm with you. Use those test for others, not me. I know I'm nuts! So, I am in essence, a crazy product? I don't like that either. I'm nuts about many things too but I function well in society. I enjoy your sense of humor and creativity. I simply love your jewelry. I hope to shop in your store soon. The pieces are fabulous. I could have made a wish list while browsing yesterday. I'd been there before but squeezed my eyes shut. I loitered yesterday. You and Bernd do very good work. I pray for your success and many clients. I'll do what I can by sharing the site with others. Ladies love receiving "one of a kind" pieces, as you know!
Be well,
AvisHi Avis.Glad you enjoyed it! I won't tell you where I rate myself. :) Some things one just has to keep to oneself. I function well enough also. Just dumb luck mostly.Thanks for the compliments on our jewelry and thanks for spreading the word. We appreciate the help.Hugs,Dianne
Dianne,This was really fun to read. As one who was IQed at 164 and 153, who averaged it out to 158 for simplicity and congruity, I agree with your assessment that all of these tests should be for entertainment only. I also noticed that if we combine the I[F]'s [A]nd [C]Q's with the [E]Q's along with the [IQ]'s, it shows us that all we need is to "FACE the IQ's" with a grand sense of humor!Blessings,Star LynHi Star Lyn.Okay, that was clever. And really the only way to face anything is with a sense of humor. I think I'd give anyone who knows that and lives it at least a 140 for their IQ.Thanks so much for reading and commenting. I'm glad that you enjoyed it.Dianne
hi dianne,this was a well written and funny article. it was like we we were having a conversation. my Q for Quite a while now has been just plain old hissed! oh, i misspelled it:) thanks for the uplift,my best to you,sueHi Sue.Thanks. And I'm glad to help in any way I can.Have a great night.Dianne
Dianne, a very entertaining article! I will look at my friends and family in a whole new way now! ;-)Hi Lorrie.Just don't let them catch you. :) I'm glad you liked it.Thanks for reading and commenting.Dianne
Now what should I put on my resume, my IQ, EQ, CQ or IF? I'm sooooo confused. Maybe we should add a VCQ (Very Confused Quotient).Hi David.You should probably put your LQ (Lovable Quotient) on your resume. I'd have to guess it's a really good one.Thanks for reading. Oh and I like your Santa photo.DianneThanks, Dianne.I had to shave it off because I started working in a funeral home and didn't think they would like it. After Christmas I'll post a picture of me when I was 22 years old. It looks like I belonged to the Taliban.
A wonderful article Dianne, and I agree that most of those tests are not too definitive. I have always been able to make high scores on various types of tests, SAT, aptitude, and other such, although I have never taken a bona fide IQ test. I once made the highest score on a mechanical aptitude test that had been made at that particular business. The problem was, I could score very high and then not be able to perform any higher than anyone else. (?) I still have not been able to figure that out. One fellow said that perhaps my best slot in life would be taking aptitude tests.Hi Joel.It has been my experience that some people are better at taking tests than others. Personally, I suck at tests ... too much performance anxiety ... I get really nervous and can't do a thing or remember a thing.Unfortunately, knowing something and being able to apply it are two different things. I recently read a long paper on how to re-key Kwikset five-pin and six-pin deadbolt locks and could tell you all about it, but I don't think I'll be trying it any time soon. :) Although I would really like to re-key all seven of our deadbolts and don't really have the money to have it done. Maybe I'll enlist the help of my husband. He's on the other end of the spectrum. He's the first to admit he can't remember diddly squat but he is very mechanically apt.Luckily (that is if such scores matter to you ... they did to my dad), I took my first IQ test when I was young enough that I hadn't yet developed performance anxiety. It was still just a game to me and had no meaning. I was eight years old and I did very well. The SAT was another matter. It's been all downhill since then. Oh well. I'm still alive and healthy and happy and so that is all that matters.Thanks for reading and commenting.Dianne
I loved this one, especialling the IF. The impact of what we believe and do is part of what matters. Tests may give us scores, but if you are really smart you know it, without a test, and, in my case, if you are really crazy, well, I don't need a test to figure it out. And when your life is something others would rather not step in, well your IF score is clear even without a test.You are a good writer. Thanks.Hi Tex.I don't think anyone that can write as well and cogently as you do could be crazy. I think you are just a little confused. I am mostly confused and use my writing to try to help me figure things out. The reader feedback helps with this.I agree that the IF is maybe the most important part of it. The problem with the IF is that it is basically always going to be subjective and you made a good point about how someone might rate another person. But I think it is quite possibly more important how you rate yourself.Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment.Dianne
We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.