A Brief History of Human Intelligence
In modern history, human Intelligence started to get ranked through the I.Q., or Intelligence Quotient, around the early 1900s. At that time, science was interested in how to measure/test for I.Q.s, what caused higher I.Q.s and could higher I.Q.s be stimulated in children and other test subjects.
Here is the early Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition of I.Q.
A great deal of heads were literally opened up back in those days (upon their demise!) to examine the brain to look for clues as to where higher intelligence could be found. Shockingly, the brains were not much different from people with "ordinary intelligence." They never found a clue!
Much research was conducted into how to stimulate the brain's development and lots of progress has been made. Everything from water births (significantly less compression on the brain!) to introducing multiple languages, music, swim and dance to very young babies are easy-to-see examples.
Decades later, through Sociological and Psychological studies, the E.Q. or Emotional Quotient evolved. Wikipedia refers to it as "the ability to perceive, control, and evaluate emotions. Some researchers suggest that emotional intelligence can be learned…" It was generally considered a breakthrough as it addressed the very need for emotional intelligence.
Out of the E.Q. Movement, lots of emotional connections were formed and the notion of following your bliss, listening to your heart became mainstream. Perhaps most importantly, though, was the emergence of teachers of E.Q. as this was a series of skills that could be taught, practiced and applied for more successful relationships.
At the time that I am writing this, fall of 2022, we find our humanity in a level of devolution and self-destruction in spite of these so-called advancements in human intelligence. Logically, we must deduce that how we measure, test for, acknowledge and teach intelligence is way off-course!
Even coupling I.Q. with E.Q. (which we have been doing since the 1990s) is still generating a modern culture of chaos and destruction, from economies of entire countries to pandemics of chronic illnesses and obesity, etc.
So we have to question the very essence of what we think intelligence actually is and what it isn't. Because, as they say, something is very rotten in the state of Denmark (Hamlet quote) and we need to collectively decide that the jig is up.
But first we must have a better filter for what is intelligence — what does it look like, feel like etc. — and what IS A DECENT DEFINITION of intelligence, as I.Q. and E.Q. were simply building blocks along the way, not the final platform for advancing consciousness.
Here is the Merriam-Webster definition of Intelligence.
We buy into the cultural notion that "Under stress we regress," instead of the actual laws of Life which say, "Under stress you must progress or start to perish." Yes, it is true! Life has to evolve under stress.
In Nature, it is quite basic: either the being survives the challenge/crisis or is eaten, killed etc. If it survives, it has a new adaptability for its future.
A Human being, however, can survive something and NOT grow from it, not actually manifest the lessons learned. If their perspective doesn't allow for a higher order interpretation, they will simply keep repeating patterns until death.
An example of this is how easily in this culture we place blame on others, and fail to see our part in how we manifest something or co-manifested something.
Here is a quick story of mine: years ago, I was part of a team launching a very large Holistic Health Clinic in Austin, Texas. At that time, I was a newly separated single doctor Mom, under enormous pressure on every imaginable level. I was driving to a meeting, noticed I was running 3–5 minutes late, felt guilty and anxious, and as I approached an intersection where I had the right of way, a car approaching from the left didn't actually stop — he slowed and accelerated right into me! It was a major collision.
After the wreck was cleared, a cop drove me home as my SUV was totaled. On the way home, it all came to me: this happened because I was anxious and fearful, and I would have to forgive myself for that mindset. It was a lesson that would take years to complete!
Not that the other driver wasn't breaking a law — he was, and was found guilty of that in a court of law. However, his guilt did not alleviate me from my responsibility of my MIND SET. This had been me, under stress and REGRESSED. A focused Jessie would have been able to avoid the incident or at least maneuver better than I had.
We know when our mind set is off. We know when we are in the Zone. We KNOW that drops in focus and/or energy will ruin our race or create potential injuries! The question is, how do we stay in the Zone?
How many of you would have had the mental edge to see what I am talking about? You see, my story underlies how HIDDEN the Actualization Quotient might be. The obvious I.Q./E.Q. interpretations would include, "Poor me," and "What a jerk that guy was," etc. But how would this foster more aliveness? It would not. It would simply reinforce "Victim consciousness," a real death sentence over time.
In other words, I ACTUALIZED (manifested) that accident so I could wake up further, and take more responsibility for my state of mind. Fortunately, a couple of years after that, I met a master of human potential and character development, which really helped.
