Do you think metal fans are more intelligent than the average person?

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Original post

Posted by Haddonfield, 20.07.2009 - 01:55

I know this might seem a wierd topic but it's something I've considered for a long time. I will explain. When I was in high school, not many people listened to rock or metal, as you would expect from 11 to 15 year olds. I think people find their personilty at around 16 or 17 years old. We were about 5 rock (metal) fans in a school of 400 pupils. When I moved on to Lycee (French equivalent to College), there were slighty more rock/metal fans, it's funny to notice how those people who listened to Nirvana and co. back in high school suddenly appeared to listen to all sorts of metal bands. We were all drawn together. Basically every metalhead in the school new the others. We were a maximum of 30 metalheads out of 700 students. I must mention now that in high school and Lycee, the rock/metal fans were always average students, getting average marks without working at all, and I was one of them. When I moved on to Uni, it seemed most my metal friends had to, and many more from over colleges. In the first year, of English studies, we were a full line in the amphitheatre who the lecturers depised and saw as rejects and future dropouts. Again, we all got slightly about average grades, just enough to get through to the following year with the minimum of work. Funny enough, along the years us metalheads managed to progress from year to year whilst others droped out. In our third year we were like 20 out of 60 students. During my masters degree, we were 5 out of fifteen. It's as if we're the only people with a mind capable of analysing a subject quickly and intelligently are capable of understanding the beauty of metal. I would like to know whether other people have experienced or noticed similar things or whether it was a one of matter that occured during my education (although the amount of fresh metalhead students turning up every year at Uni tends to justify my statement).

PS: A mate made me notice the same thing with left handed people. Every year the proportion of left handed people in the class tended to rise, I remember one lesson when there were more lefthanded people than right handed and that is not natural.

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vezzy Stallmanite Posts: 3493	Permalink 27.07.2010 - 15:25 vezzy Stallmanite Posts: 3493 Written by [user id=107019] on 27.07.2010 at 15:15 I think they are, just slightly, because they know about metal, and have probably researched it. And knowing about it, looking stuff up, certainly increases ur IQ to a certain degree? I don't see how knowledge of the genre has any practical use in everyday life. That is, unless you consider showing off at concerts and bars practical. ---- Licensed under the GPLv3. Relinquish proprietary software for a greater GNU/America. Loading...
MetalFist Account deleted	Permalink 27.07.2010 - 15:40 MetalFist Account deleted Written by vezzy on 27.07.2010 at 15:25 Written by [user id=107019] on 27.07.2010 at 15:15 I think they are, just slightly, because they know about metal, and have probably researched it. And knowing about it, looking stuff up, certainly increases ur IQ to a certain degree? I don't see how knowledge of the genre has any practical use in everyday life. That is, unless you consider showing off at concerts and bars practical. Well, it could give you a wider IQ into the world of music, and you could start off more conversations with it, and it might teach you how to play guitar a certain way or something.. my conclusion. Loading...
vezzy Stallmanite Posts: 3493	Permalink 27.07.2010 - 15:44 vezzy Stallmanite Posts: 3493 Written by [user id=107019] on 27.07.2010 at 15:40 Written by vezzy on 27.07.2010 at 15:25 Written by [user id=107019] on 27.07.2010 at 15:15 I think they are, just slightly, because they know about metal, and have probably researched it. And knowing about it, looking stuff up, certainly increases ur IQ to a certain degree? I don't see how knowledge of the genre has any practical use in everyday life. That is, unless you consider showing off at concerts and bars practical. Well, it could give you a wider IQ into the world of music, and you could start off more conversations with it, and it might teach you how to play guitar a certain way or something.. my conclusion. Metal isn't the world of music. Most diehard metalheads know next to nothing about other genres, except the main stuff. It's still a good thing to know about the genre, but not much of a practical use. Still though, knowledge of the genre is required to debate about it and write reviews. As for guitar playing, leave it to lessons, whether they be a software package, videos or a tutor. That and tablature, although basic understanding of notes, scales and such is also needed. ---- Licensed under the GPLv3. Relinquish proprietary software for a greater GNU/America. Loading...
Doc G. Full Grown Hoser Staff Posts: 9718	Permalink 27.07.2010 - 22:06 Doc G. Full Grown Hoser Staff Posts: 9718 I find the question to be quite ridiculous, as I'm not quite sure what separates metalheads from "average" people. Metalheads are like any other subculture, you're going to come across a lot of dumb fucks (probably more than not), a few intelligent people, and so forth. ---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck." - George Carlin Loading...
Fat & Sassy! Elite Posts: 3857	Permalink 28.07.2010 - 22:57 Fat & Sassy! Elite Posts: 3857 Oh, wow. Really? ssssssssssiiiigggggghhhhhh -_- Loading...
vezzy Stallmanite Posts: 3493	Permalink 28.07.2010 - 23:01 vezzy Stallmanite Posts: 3493 Gentlemen, I believe we have uncovered either a really stupid or a really arrogant (possibly both) metalhead. ---- Licensed under the GPLv3. Relinquish proprietary software for a greater GNU/America. Loading...
Introspekrieg Totemic Lust Elite Posts: 2749	Permalink 28.07.2010 - 23:32 Introspekrieg Totemic Lust Elite Posts: 2749 Written by Doc G. on 27.07.2010 at 22:06 I find the question to be quite ridiculous, as I'm not quite sure what separates metalheads from "average" people. Metalheads are like any other subculture, you're going to come across a lot of dumb fucks (probably more than not), a few intelligent people, and so forth. Exactly... you can't over-generalize. Someone smart once said "Stereotypes are shortcuts to thinking". It almost seems egotistical to assume that if people don't listen to the same music as you they are less intelligent. The only theory I have on younger straight-A students listening to metal is that being smart doesn't make you popular, actually quite the opposite. And being a social outcast you may seek out music that you can relate to. But that doesn't describe every metalhead... what about the people that just want something intense to listen to while they work out? Go to any metal concert and you will see people who just want to get drunk and fight... are they supposed to be more intelligent just because they listen to metal? Assumption is the mother of all fuck-ups... Loading...
Doc G. Full Grown Hoser Staff Posts: 9718	Permalink 29.07.2010 - 00:12 Doc G. Full Grown Hoser Staff Posts: 9718 Written by Boxcar Willy on 28.07.2010 at 19:04 I find we are smarter than the average person, because the people who listen to hip-hop shit acctually think its music... but then i find that in my class they're were only like 4 metalheads including me, now me and 1 one of them (No Names.) are above average 1 is average and 1 is plain stupid. so technically there are more "smart" metalheads than stupid, but... Coming to some sort of statistical conclusion based on such a small sample is fairly ridiculous. I bet I can find 10 hip hop fans who are smarter than 10 metalheads, does that make hip hop fans more intelligent? Also, if one is to take your post as a statistical sample, the answer to the topic question would be a solid no. ---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck." - George Carlin Loading...
Fat & Sassy! Elite Posts: 3857	Permalink 29.07.2010 - 06:06 Fat & Sassy! Elite Posts: 3857 Written by Doc G. on 29.07.2010 at 00:12 Also, if one is to take your post as a statistical sample, the answer to the topic question would be a solid no. INDEED. Loading...
Boxcar Willy yr a kook Posts: 9006	Permalink 29.07.2010 - 17:12 Boxcar Willy yr a kook Posts: 9006 Written by Fat & Sassy! on 29.07.2010 at 06:06 Written by Doc G. on 29.07.2010 at 00:12 Also, if one is to take your post as a statistical sample, the answer to the topic question would be a solid no. INDEED. hey thats my word And to everyone else i'm not stupid nor arrogent (and i know this is a stupid question, but i am still answering it, just like all of you did), i'm just stating that of the metalheads i know there are more smart than stupid, i'm not saying this applies to all metalheads, or even to most metalheads. ---- 14:22 - Marcel Hubregtse I do your mum *DESTROY DRUM TRIGGERS* Loading...
Lucas Mr. Noise Elite Posts: 13427	Permalink 29.07.2010 - 17:51 Lucas Mr. Noise Elite Posts: 13427 I think your answer is painfully obvious when you read topics like Marduk - Costa Rica's Catholic Church Asks For Respect or certain posts in this particular topic itself. ---- SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what? "The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama Loading...
treptolemus aphotic_zoning Posts: 207	Permalink 29.07.2010 - 21:05 treptolemus aphotic_zoning Posts: 207 Written by Empress on 25.07.2010 at 17:56 This is an interesting post...I am a person who has to analyze and process every thing prior to acceptance. If I can not process it, I will reject it. I also have a very high IQ...but IQ is not a replacement for common sense. Non of these are a direct result of listening to metal music. You intellectual abilities are formed as a child. It is genetic. IQ stands for intelligence quotient. Supposedly, it is a score that tells one how "bright" a person is compared to other people. IQ is defined by a person's 'processing' ability, however, there are all sorts of factors that can influence IQ. For example, brain activity due to stress or tiredness, guesswork of the individual, mental stimulation or relaxation, upbringing, and diet, to name a few. Everybody thinks and analyzes differently so what may be stupidity or low IQ to someone, may just be a unique way of thinking. Einstein himself failed math as a kid and was called stupid by his teachers. Intellectual ability does seem to depend more on genetic factors than on environmental factors, but most experts agree that environment plays some significant role in its development. There is some evidence that children develop higher intellectual ability if they receive better nurturing and diet as babies, and a higher degree of intellectual stimulation in preschool tends to boost children's IQ scores for a few years of elementary school but does not permanently increase IQ scores. This does not mean that you can't increase your intelligence. A lot of critics point out that IQ tests don't measure creativity, social skills, wisdom, acquired abilities or a host of other things we consider to be aspects of intelligence. If your mother read to you as a child, or created a stimulating environment with colors and sound, you are more apt to be smarter as you learned to process your surrounding better. The claim that children who moved a lot, different neighborhoods, schools, etc are more outgoing and friendly and lean towards mentally smarter than children who never left there small town or village but that does not mean the farmer is less intelligent than a doctor...it just means their knowledge is in a different perspective. When I took my IQ tests, I scored 128 in the mornings after a good nights sleep and a meal...but when taken again at 4:00 pm, I only scored 120. Why would that be? To say that because I like metal I am more in-tune with society and what is going on in the world makes me smarter...no, it means I read the morning news paper. Do I react to everything...no, somethings you just can do anything about. So to say the metal music makes me more sensitive, or more caring or more intelligent than my neighbor is absurd. I don't like all metal music, some is crap noise, I don't like all jazz, some is too chaotic, and I don't like all classical either. The music I listen too has to fit a specific criteria. I am willing to listen once but if it doesn't meet my criteria level, then I don't listen to it, it is then rejected. The same reasoning is used for books, movies, TV and the friends I hang with. My dad told me once "Never lower your standards for anyone, make them raise their standards to your level." and my levels are high. And as for PS: A mate made me notice the same thing with left handed people. Every year the proportion of left handed people in the class tended to rise, I remember one lesson when there were more left handed people than right handed and that is not natural. ~~ it is because in the old days a child was converted over to what the parent was. In the 80's we parents where told not to convert our left handed children to right handed children as the school's felt it disrupted a child's sense of self. Henceforth you now have more left handed people. As you mentioned ...genes plus environment. Music is somehow "environment" but i'm not aware of any scientific surveys that show that genre of music, as a definitive one. Good points though -i also don't like -me personally- the tests. I have never tried one though. Maybe i know that i'll get a lousy result My father read me -narrated me tons of stories when i was a kid & it was great, although i don't remember many things since then. Last but not least, to say, many factors perplex to a final result. I believe every person is relatively bright -if- compared to someone else. If you examine a person with very strict criteria, you'll end up with some flaws. Perfection -now i generalize ok- i think is a bit futile. Loses importance if i consider it as a sole purpose of ones life. ---- \m/etalstor\m/ Loading...
ANGEL REAPER Posts: 3687	Permalink 10.01.2011 - 21:04 ANGEL REAPER Posts: 3687 I think that inteligent people have more complete picture of the world around them,so they can comperhand different things without pre-judgment. Thats is the reason why some number of them have metel for faworite genire of music. And yes there is a lot of inteligent metalheads and also significant number of averge metalheads..... ---- "Cross is only an iron,hope is just an illusion,freedom is nothing but a name..." "Build your walls of the dead stone...Build your roofs of a dead wood..Build your dreams of a dead thoughts" Loading...
Kitty Posts: 231	Permalink 10.01.2011 - 21:29 Kitty Posts: 231 Lol, I'm sorry but metal has nothing to do with intelligence. I met enough non-metalheads who are highly intelligent and more-than-enough metalheads that are, unfortunately, not. ---- ...And I meowmeowmeow! Loading...
ErnilEnNaur Account deleted	Permalink 10.01.2011 - 22:01 ErnilEnNaur Account deleted As much as it pains me to say it (I'm lying, it fking doesn't) no, metal fans are not smarter than people who listen to pop/hip-hop/trance or whatever. Has anyone ever heard of a Pop Militia that goes spamming popular metal videos, hoping that it will hurt the artists? Loading...
Angelic Storm Melodious Posts: 6675	Permalink 10.01.2011 - 22:13 Angelic Storm Melodious Posts: 6675 Written by [user id=105293] on 10.01.2011 at 22:01 Has anyone ever heard of a Pop Militia that goes spamming popular metal videos, hoping that it will hurt the artists? Exactly. lol Some metal fans are complete idiots. Just as some non-metal fans are idiots. Your intelligence, or lack of it, doesnt boil down to what music you listen to. Loading...
Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071	Permalink 10.01.2011 - 22:25 Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071 Written by Angelic Storm on 10.01.2011 at 22:13 Written by [user id=105293] on 10.01.2011 at 22:01 Has anyone ever heard of a Pop Militia that goes spamming popular metal videos, hoping that it will hurt the artists? Exactly. lol Some metal fans are complete idiots. Just as some non-metal fans are idiots. Your intelligence, or lack of it, doesnt boil down to what music you listen to. [sarcasm]but but but our music is so deep and profound so you have to be intelligent to get it.[/sarcasm] ---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996 Loading...
Angelic Storm Melodious Posts: 6675	Permalink 10.01.2011 - 22:31 Angelic Storm Melodious Posts: 6675 Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 10.01.2011 at 22:25 [sarcasm]but but but our music is so deep and profound so you have to be intelligent to get it.[/sarcasm] Im sure some people think that... But deep and profound songs can be found in other genres, just as puerile, nonsensical stuff can be found in metal. No one genre has a monopoly on meaningful, thought provoking music. Although I guess you could argue that in some genres you are more likely to find those qualities, but its definitely not something thats exclusive to one type of music only. Loading...
BitterCOld The Ancient One Admin Posts: 15255	Permalink 11.01.2011 - 22:14 BitterCOld The Ancient One Admin Posts: 15255 Whatever activity i engage in is better than whatever activity others engage in... therefore i am superior to others! ---- get the fuck off my lawn. Beer Bug Virus Spotify Playlist crafted by Nikarg and I. Feel free to tune in and add some pertinent metal tunes! Loading...
Darkside Momo Retired Elite Posts: 9087	Permalink 11.01.2011 - 22:31 Darkside Momo Retired Elite Posts: 9087 Written by BitterCOld on 11.01.2011 at 22:14 Whatever activity i engage in is better than whatever activity others engage in... therefore i am superior to others! Let me guess... You're a metalhead, right? ---- My Author's Blog (in French) "You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you" "I've lost too many years now I'm stealing back my soul I am awake" Loading...
ANGEL REAPER Posts: 3687	Permalink 11.01.2011 - 23:38 ANGEL REAPER Posts: 3687 Written by Kitty on 10.01.2011 at 21:29 Lol, I'm sorry but metal has nothing to do with intelligence. I met enough non-metalheads who are highly intelligent and more-than-enough metalheads that are, unfortunately, not. I agree with you on this one ... ---- "Cross is only an iron,hope is just an illusion,freedom is nothing but a name..." "Build your walls of the dead stone...Build your roofs of a dead wood..Build your dreams of a dead thoughts" Loading...
neros1x Posts: 19	Permalink 12.01.2011 - 04:00 neros1x Posts: 19 Drawing over-generalized conclusions about an entire group of people based on personal experience is how the world wound up with religion. >_< Loading...
King Bonzo Posts: 220	Permalink 17.01.2011 - 11:57 King Bonzo Posts: 220 It's to do with the complexity of the music within the genre not the genre itself. For example someone who is drawn technically provicient, challenging, well written, emotional material, whatever the medium or genre, is likely to be more academically intelligent than those who do not. In essense the ability to comprehend and appreciate these artforms replicates itself in other areas of academic study. I don't think it's any coincidence that I enjoy prog, black metal, foriegn cinema. That I read history for pleasure something many other's see as a chore. This does not just apply to metal though. It applies way more to classical music (dimmu borgir DO NOT count), progressive music and jazz in my opinion. Liking John Coltrane is way more impressive intelectually speaking than liking Slayer, but then liking Slayer puts you a cut above N Sync or whoever is popular these days (showing my age). This carrys on to other mediums that are less welcoming to casual observers and demand attention and intelligence to understand and "get" like German Expressionism or early film that didn't have all the bells whistles and adreninline and depended largely on a viewers ability to follow a fucking plot! Example liking Citizen Kane or the Seventh Seal is way more intellectually impressive than liking Akira, which in turn is more impressive than liking Transformers II. Appreciating a ground battle as much as the stand up in an MMA match. When Randy Couture shifted his shoulder one inch to avoid an arm triangle from Minotauro Nogueira and the crowd erupted Joe Rogan said "how intelligent are these fans, an arm moves and they cheer!" Choosing Lord of The Rings over Harry Potter, Dracula over Twilight. You can't saying liking MMA makes a person more intelligent becus many are there for KO's and nothing else. Many fans of Vampire literature read Twilight. Many Metal fans listen to nothing but Metallica. I'd say being into metal means nothing. It's the kind of metal you listen. Loading...
vezzy Stallmanite Posts: 3493	Permalink 17.01.2011 - 12:44 vezzy Stallmanite Posts: 3493 Written by King Bonzo on 17.01.2011 at 11:57 I don't think it's any coincidence that I enjoy prog, black metal, foriegn cinema. At the same time, I don't think it's any coincidence that I'd enjoy your essay better if you didn't butcher the English language while typing it. but srsly Emir Kusturica so yeah foreign cinema and stuff ---- Licensed under the GPLv3. Relinquish proprietary software for a greater GNU/America. Loading...
King Bonzo Posts: 220	Permalink 17.01.2011 - 12:50 King Bonzo Posts: 220 Written by vezzy on 17.01.2011 at 12:44 Written by King Bonzo on 17.01.2011 at 11:57 I don't think it's any coincidence that I enjoy prog, black metal, foriegn cinema. At the same time, I don't think it's any coincidence that I'd enjoy your essay better if you didn't butcher the English language while typing it. but srsly Emir Kusturica so yeah foreign cinema and stuff Its my language your da wun whose gettin it rong Loading...
vezzy Stallmanite Posts: 3493	Permalink 17.01.2011 - 12:55 vezzy Stallmanite Posts: 3493 Written by King Bonzo on 17.01.2011 at 12:50 Written by vezzy on 17.01.2011 at 12:44 Written by King Bonzo on 17.01.2011 at 11:57 I don't think it's any coincidence that I enjoy prog, black metal, foriegn cinema. At the same time, I don't think it's any coincidence that I'd enjoy your essay better if you didn't butcher the English language while typing it. but srsly Emir Kusturica so yeah foreign cinema and stuff Its my language your da wun whose gettin it rong i reley dont wan to say this. but i have to now. yur language is so esey!! i mean all you do is write words. thats it! Or maybe it's because you're a Britfag (read: British), where the spelling and stuff is different. ---- Licensed under the GPLv3. Relinquish proprietary software for a greater GNU/America. Loading...
King Bonzo Posts: 220	Permalink 17.01.2011 - 13:00 King Bonzo Posts: 220 Written by vezzy on 17.01.2011 at 12:55 i reley dont wan to say this. but i have to now. yur language is so esey!! i mean all you do is write words. thats it! Or maybe it's because you're a Britfag (read: British), where the spelling and stuff is different. Actually I prefer Engfag but I'd rather be a Britfag than a Bulgarifag. Bulgarifags are gross. YUCK! Loading...
vezzy Stallmanite Posts: 3493	Permalink 17.01.2011 - 13:06 vezzy Stallmanite Posts: 3493 Written by King Bonzo on 17.01.2011 at 13:00 Actually I prefer Engfag but I'd rather be a Britfag than a Bulgarifag. Bulgarifags are gross. YUCK! Bulgarfags are the best fags... fag. (that's without the 'i', btw) Our cigarettes suck though. The only good thing about them is that our most popular brand is called "Victory"... so, it happens to share the name with Oceania's brand in 1984. [conspiracy of the ages, Deus Ex: Human Revolution is gonna rock] Face it, if you're a metalhead and like Goran Bregovic too, you're intelligent. If not, you're not. ---- Licensed under the GPLv3. Relinquish proprietary software for a greater GNU/America. Loading...
Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071	Permalink 17.01.2011 - 13:16 Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071 Stop the off-topic nonesense ---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996 Loading...
Yavanna Posts: 616	Permalink 17.01.2011 - 16:42 Yavanna Posts: 616 Oh, yes, metal fans are smarter, I have no doubt. ---- Carry me to the shoreline Bury me in the sand Walk me across the water And maybe you'll understand Loading...