--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's a popular concept of…" description: "\"There's a popular concept of 'intelligence' as book smarts, like calculus or chess, as opposed to, say, social skills. So people say that 'it takes mor..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec2/eliezer-yudkowsky-1207_book_there-s-a-popular-concept-of-intelligenc_2026087.jpg" --- # There's a popular concept of 'intelligence' as book… ![“There's a popular concept of 'intelligence' as book smarts, like calculus or chess, as opposed to, say, social skills. So people say that 'it takes more than intelligence to succeed in human society.' But social skills reside in the brain, not the kidneys.” quote by Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec2/eliezer-yudkowsky-1207_book_there-s-a-popular-concept-of-intelligenc_2026087.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec2/eliezer-yudkowsky-1207_book_there-s-a-popular-concept-of-intelligenc_2026087.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec2/eliezer-yudkowsky-1207_book_there-s-a-popular-concept-of-intelligenc_2026087.jpg) > “There's a popular concept of 'intelligence' as book smarts, like calculus or chess, as opposed to, say, social skills. So people say that 'it takes more than intelligence to succeed in human society.' But social skills reside in the brain, not the kidneys.” [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Intelligence includes both analytical and social abilities; success requires emotional and interpersonal skills beyond raw cognition. **In simple terms:** Success needs social skills, not just book smarts. Key Takeaway Cultivate empathy and communication. Themes intelligence social skills success human interaction Mood reflective inspirational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - teamwork - leadership - networking - conflict resolution Key Concepts cognitive psychology emotional intelligence social cognition Questions to Reflect On - How can you improve your empathy in daily interactions? - What social skill do you lack most? A Different Perspective Social skills can be harder to teach than technical knowledge. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Calculus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/calculus/) [Chess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chess/) [Concept](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concept/) [Concepts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concepts/) [Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human/) [Human society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-society/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Intelligence Succeed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence-succeed-1581028/) [Kidneys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kidneys/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more/) [Opposed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposed/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-say/) [Popular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/popular/) [Reside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reside/) [Reside Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reside-brain-3696508/) [Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say/) [Skills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skills/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) [Smarts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smarts/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social skills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-skills/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) [Succeed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/succeed/) [Succeed Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/succeed-human-3696507/) [Takes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/takes/) [Takes Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/takes-intelligence-2873456/) [Than](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/than/) ## Related quotes > [If you have more than 120 or 130 I.Q. points, you can afford to give the rest away. You don't need extraordinary intelligence to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/if-you-have-more-than-120-or-130-i-q-points-you-can-afford-to-give/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [The person who tries to live alone will not succeed as a human being. His heart withers if it does not answer another heart.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/the-person-who-tries-to-live-alone-will-not-succeed-as-a-human-being/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [It takes intelligence to make real comedy, and it takes a reality base to create all that little stuff I like to do that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-tucker/it-takes-intelligence-to-make-real-comedy-and-it-takes-a-reality-base/) [Chris Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-tucker/) > [It takes something more than intelligence to act intelligently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-takes-something-more-than-intelligence-to-act-intelligently/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It takes intelligence to act dumb.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hunt/it-takes-intelligence-to-act-dumb/) [Scott Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hunt/) > [Being shocking and cruel is a commerce. It's an actual valued skill now. The thing that really annoys me, the perception of it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobcat-goldthwait/being-shocking-and-cruel-is-a-commerce-it-s-an-actual-valued-skill/) [Bobcat Goldthwait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobcat-goldthwait/) > [It takes some intelligence and insight to figure out you're gay and then a tremendous amount of balls to live it and live it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-bateman/it-takes-some-intelligence-and-insight-to-figure-out-you-re-gay-and/) [Jason Bateman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-bateman/) > [The proper means of increasing the love we bear our native country is to reside some time in a foreign one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shenstone/the-proper-means-of-increasing-the-love-we-bear-our-native-country-is/) [William Shenstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shenstone/) > [“People who manage to pull you down to their level win the argument, despite the fact that they permanently reside there and you’re just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-harvey/people-who-manage-to-pull-you-down-to-their-level-win-the-argument/) [Steve Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-harvey/) > [When you write you have to reside in the unknown for as long as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darcey-steinke/when-you-write-you-have-to-reside-in-the-unknown-for-as-long-as/) [Darcey Steinke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darcey-steinke/) > [Smile all the while, dont worry about what brings life, we are not there to permanently reside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/smile-all-the-while-dont-worry-about-what-brings-life-we-are-not/) [Senoraroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senoraroy/) > [You cannot know, should I discribe to you; the feelings of a parent . . . . Four years have already past away since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/you-cannot-know-should-i-discribe-to-you-the-feelings-of-a-parent/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [“The point, however, is not where you reside but where you dwell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-d-mignolo/the-point-however-is-not-where-you-reside-but-where-you-dwell/) [Walter D. Mignolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-d-mignolo/) > [God really doesnt reside in any temple, he is just an imposter who stays outside it for sometime and meanwhile we fail to recognise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/god-really-doesnt-reside-in-any-temple-he-is-just-an-imposter-who/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [“No other man will ever reside here. It's reserved for you alone”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-cates/no-other-man-will-ever-reside-here-it-s-reserved-for-you-alone/) [Georgia Cates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-cates/) ## More by Eliezer Yudkowsky > [“But I really am Ravenclaw, you know, not Slytherin. I don't want to rule the universe. I just think it could be more sensibly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/but-i-really-am-ravenclaw-you-know-not-slytherin-i-don-t-want-to-rule/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [“‎If you regard evidence as a constraint and seek to free yourself, you sell yourself into the chains of your whims. For you cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/if-you-regard-evidence-as-a-constraint-and-seek-to-free-yourself-you/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [“I am not sure how to explain it, except that - truth matters to us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/i-am-not-sure-how-to-explain-it-except-that-truth-matters-to-us/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [I see little hope for democracy as an effective form of government, but I admire the poetry of how it makes its victims complicit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/i-see-little-hope-for-democracy-as-an-effective-form-of-government/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [“He really really really shouldn't have done that. Amazing how much more obvious that became one second after it was too late.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/he-really-really-really-shouldn-t-have-done-that-amazing-how-much/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [I'm wondering if there's a spell to make lightning flash in the background whenever I make an ominous resolution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/i-m-wondering-if-there-s-a-spell-to-make-lightning-flash-in-the/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [“There’s a technique we use in our local rationalist cluster called “Is That Your True Rejection?”, and it works like this: Before you stake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/there-s-a-technique-we-use-in-our-local-rationalist-cluster-called-is/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [Lonely dissent doesn't feel like going to school dressed in black. It feels like going to school wearing a clown suit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/lonely-dissent-doesn-t-feel-like-going-to-school-dressed-in-black-it/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [“Knowing that Draco's hopeful face had probably been drilled into him by months of practice did not make it any less effective, Harry observed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/knowing-that-draco-s-hopeful-face-had-probably-been-drilled-into-him/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [The strength of a theory is not what it allows, but what it prohibits; if you can invent an equally persuasive explanation for any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/the-strength-of-a-theory-is-not-what-it-allows-but-what-it-prohibits/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [It is triple ultra forbidden to respond to criticism with violence. There are a very few injunctions in the human art of rationality that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/it-is-triple-ultra-forbidden-to-respond-to-criticism-with-violence/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [The human species was not born into a market economy. Bees won't sell you honey if you offer them an electronic funds transfer. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/the-human-species-was-not-born-into-a-market-economy-bees-won-t-sell/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [“Frigideiro! " said Hermione again from the desk next to him. Her water was solid ice and there were white crystals forming on the rim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/frigideiro-said-hermione-again-from-the-desk-next-to-him-her-water/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [“And then Harry Potter had launched in to a speech that was inspiring, yet vague. A speech to the effect that Fred and George…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/and-then-harry-potter-had-launched-in-to-a-speech-that-was-inspiring/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [“And I know that I'd just make myself unhappy by comparing that reality to... something perfect that I built up in my imagination.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/and-i-know-that-i-d-just-make-myself-unhappy-by-comparing-that/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) [Explore all 274 Eliezer Yudkowsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [There are great books in this world and great worlds in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-are-great-books-in-this-world-and-great-worlds-in-books/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) [Browse all 29,378 Book quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There's a popular concept of 'intelligence' as book smarts, like calculus or chess, as opposed to, say, social skills. So people say that 'it takes more than intelligence to succeed in human society.' But social skills reside in the brain, not the kidneys.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eliezer Yudkowsky" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/there-s-a-popular-concept-of-intelligence-as-book-smarts-like/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Book" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/there-s-a-popular-concept-of-intelligence-as-book-smarts-like/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec2/eliezer-yudkowsky-1207_book_there-s-a-popular-concept-of-intelligenc_2026087.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec2/eliezer-yudkowsky-1207_book_there-s-a-popular-concept-of-intelligenc_2026087.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec2/eliezer-yudkowsky-1207_book_there-s-a-popular-concept-of-intelligenc_2026087.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There's a popular concept of 'intelligence' as book smarts, like calculus or chess, as opposed to, say…” — Eliezer Yudkowsky", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Eliezer Yudkowsky", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There's a popular concept of 'intelligence'...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/there-s-a-popular-concept-of-intelligence-as-book-smarts-like/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/there-s-a-popular-concept-of-intelligence-as-book-smarts-like/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```