Anonymous wrote:definitely not most government. there are many smart people but often overshadowed by dumbasses who are not qualified or only have government experience.

I have found that journalists in niche fields (legislative, political, congressional, specific policy) are really smart and fascinating.

This.

-Local Gov Employee

I remember reading something s while back that the two fields with the highest IQ were journalists and lawyers, both of which require learning about a broad range of things, working with people etc. I am neither but that stuck with me.

I know a lot of impressively smart people (in different ways) in the arts, law, journalism, academia, creative fields, education, etc. Even food & bev., hospitality, etc.

Without fail, all the dumbest people I've ever worked with have been in gov. positions. This includes public school & higher ed. admin., staff, faculty, state & fed. agencies, etc. There are OF COURSE smart people at those places, but they are also cesspools of incompetence.

Also dumb=HR.

Anonymous wrote:Wall Street.

Yes, quantitatively smart (often) and smart enough to know to chase the money.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Certain parts of the IT sector.

I feel like the smartest people gravitate to the sectors where lots of change and innovation is currently going on and money can be made (ex: not "the space industry.") For our generation-that's IT.

In Silicon Valley, it's software engineers (other engineers, like hardware and stuff, don't get paid as well).

Satellite engineer get paid pretty well.

Where do you work, b/c our NASA contractors barely break $150k!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Certain parts of the IT sector.

I feel like the smartest people gravitate to the sectors where lots of change and innovation is currently going on and money can be made (ex: not "the space industry.") For our generation-that's IT.

Smart does not mean risk taking and money maximizing.

Most IT nowadays is simply applying very basic programming to more everyday commerce, coupled with the new capabilities of mobile computers embedded with a variety of sensors (ie, your phone).

Bitcoin and machine learning are some exceptions there, but for the VAST majority of people they are using cookbooks of algorithms that they apply to their products/implementation. Very few people are truly advancing the field from a computer SCIENCE perspective. That's why Level 5 autonomous driving is probably not going to happen in our lifetime, because they are basically just refining the existing algorithms and augmenting with sensors, GPS, road side beacons, etc.

All that said, *right now* space is where a lot of innovation and change is happening (SpaceX and the cubesat startups), but honestly they are incremental innovations b/c end of day the risk and cost is still much harder than AirUberAppDeJour.

I know so many MDs who can barely hold a conversation that involves critical thinking or nuanced analysis outside of medical topics. One is downright dumb when it comes to anything a remotely educated person would be able to discuss in the world, but fantastic at his job and can memorize basically anything easily, go figure

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Engineers and physicists. Too bad lawyers get higher prestige....I know some really average lawyers, but have never met an average engineer.

Not commenting on the clear chip on your shoulder nor do I have any real opinion on lawyers, but happy to report that I've met enough (very) average engineers for the both of us.

No chip on my shoulder. I'm neither an engineer nor a physicist. Just reported on my experience that I've met average lawyers but not average engineers, just as you reported your experience (which is opposite).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Engineers and physicists. Too bad lawyers get higher prestige....I know some really average lawyers, but have never met an average engineer.

Maybe its because I went to an engineering school for undergrad, but I know TONS of below average engineers. Lots may be able to do their narrow function or answer specific technical questions, but cannot communicate to save their life or come up with any sort of vision for a project. They are also often terrible, terrible managers of people.

Just because they have some duds does not mean they don't also have the smartest.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Space industry?

Medicine?

Law?

Government?

Media?

What else?

You seriously think that journalists and marketing people would compete with engineers and scientists in terms of IQ? Oh boy.

Of your list, I'd say:
1. Space industry
<huge gap>
2. Medicine
<gap>
3. Law
4. Media
5. Gov't

This is correct.

But the spectrum in the medical field is HUGE.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Certain parts of the IT sector.

I feel like the smartest people gravitate to the sectors where lots of change and innovation is currently going on and money can be made (ex: not "the space industry.") For our generation-that's IT.

In Silicon Valley, it's software engineers (other engineers, like hardware and stuff, don't get paid as well).

Satellite engineer get paid pretty well.

Wall Street.

You can be a moron and still be the POTUS. So, what do you all know?

STEM people, especially those that have to use math in some compacity. and physics field. They are brilliant but like everything else, they may lack in social skills. If they have good social skills and can work as a team with others, they do amazing things.

Lawyers are all talk and laws. They appear to know more only because they know the law behind what can and can not be done.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Artists

+1

Depends on what you consider an artist... most artists are pretty mediocre in terms of actual artistic talent.