"You Can't Always Get What You Want": intellect or character?

[baro-san]

As the Stones were saying: "you can't always get what you want" ...

So when you're choosing your mate, friends, companions, working place, what would you favor: better intellect, or better character? Where would you draw the line?

When I was younger I favored intellect, but experience made me change my mind.

I think that both, intellect and character, are combinations of mind and genetics, flavored with education, child rearing, cultural environment, but it seems that intellect is more genetics than character is.

[Nameless]

I prefer a broad mix or intellect and character. It has yet to be proven to me what constitutes intellect exactly. And character well that ones also subjective.

[Xanth]

As Freud would probably say... sometimes a song, is just a song. 

For people who I want to spend my time with, I look for people who "get it".

[baro-san]

Boole's 00, 01, 10, 11

I guess you don't value so much what you have and long for what you don't, until you lost what you had, and start appreciate it.

[ThaomasOfGrey]

Different paths suit different people, path of learning and knowledge, path of faith, path of giving. Character is more of a reflection of the current quality and understanding of the individual but makes no guarantee on the potential for further growth. Intellect on the other hand is arguably a more powerful long term strategy as it allows new logical information to be quickly assimilated for growth. Pick the kind of people you have the capability to help and learn from based on the path that suits you. For me I learn from and am good at teaching new ideas to intellectuals.

[Stillwater]

They are both important, but I value virtue much more than intellect. Intellect is like potential, and virtue / character is in some ways potential realized.

Let's put the question in concrete terms...

Past a certain baseline threshold, would you rather:

-Associate with a person who can solve complex integration problems, and can name  >30 Shakespeare plays, but will manipulate you, steal from you, and sell you down the river to Vietnamese human trafficers should the opportunity arise

-Associate with a person with a basic highschool-level understanding of the world, but who will always tell you the truth, will defend you no matter what happens, and will treat everyone they meet with compassion and respect?

I have no trouble answering that question. I think most people would answer similarly, when phrased in as clear a fashion.

[baro-san]

They are both important, but I value virtue much more than intellect. Intellect is like potential, and virtue / character is in some ways potential realized.

Let's put the question in concrete terms...

Past a certain baseline threshold, would you rather:

-Associate with a person who can solve complex integration problems, and can name  >30 Shakespeare plays, but will manipulate you, steal from you, and sell you down the river to Vietnamese human trafficers should the opportunity arise

-Associate with a person with a basic highschool-level understanding of the world, but who will always tell you the truth, will defend you no matter what happens, and will treat everyone they meet with compassion and respect?

I have no trouble answering that question. I think most people would answer similarly, when phrased in as clear a fashion.

Thanks. This is what I was asking ... The other replies didn't address what I meant with my original post.

The question popped in my mind watching my wife.  

[Nameless]

They are both important, but I value virtue much more than intellect. Intellect is like potential, and virtue / character is in some ways potential realized.

Let's put the question in concrete terms...

Past a certain baseline threshold, would you rather:

-Associate with a person who can solve complex integration problems, and can name  >30 Shakespeare plays, but will manipulate you, steal from you, and sell you down the river to Vietnamese human trafficers should the opportunity arise

-Associate with a person with a basic highschool-level understanding of the world, but who will always tell you the truth, will defend you no matter what happens, and will treat everyone they meet with compassion and respect?

I have no trouble answering that question. I think most people would answer similarly, when phrased in as clear a fashion.

Yep, this one is a keeper.