How intelligent are the members of Sonic Youth?
 

What are their IQs?

from 1-360.

I'm not sure what there IQ's are. Is IQ even a fair assessment? How is lab technician smarter than a painter? The fact is they have tremndous talent in creating a body of work together. They are obviously very musically intuitive more so then lyrically.

They obvioulsy get labled intellectual because there music does not pander to commerical or sensational ends.

Why is everything that is not commerical or thought provoking intellectual?
Is intellectual a genre too?

I would identify them as a strong artistic force with a stranglehold on a certain region of the human experience.

There

They are all obviously far more original than the virtual vampire calling themselves "Happy Birthday" who posted this topic merely because I brought up the subject of intelligence quotient scores earlier today.

And I.Q. scores do in fact mean a whole lot. They provide a very accurate measure of a person's cognitive abilities. Although it's true that some people do not receive the same quality of education as others, thus the squabbles over an inherent cultural bias within the tests in recent times. Another legitimate qualm with I.Q. tests is that they do not provide an accurate measure of an individual's ability to create or their visionary capacity.

But again, an I.Q. test is useful in determining a person's reading comprehension, problem-solving ability and capacity to apply knowledge.

I've taken two Stanford-Binet tests with a tester who asked the questions as I answered with the materials placed in front of me. The result of the first test was a genius level score. When administered the following year, the result was a highly gifted level score.

Never been tested, but i'm guessing lower than Jayne Mansfield.;)

Maybe not a genre but a "mood" according to Allmusic.com

Sonic Youth

Moods
Sprawling
Volatile
Cerebral
Detached
Intense
Tense/Anxious
Complex
Spooky
Atmospheric
Visceral
Hypnotic
Fiery
Literate
Restrained
Enigmatic
Difficult
Cathartic
Eerie
Ethereal
Elaborate
Ambitious

Steve - fairly smart.
Lee - really smart.
Thurston - not the smartest knife in drawer; knows some obscure stuff; but very friendly and receptive.
Kim - i'm not a big kim fan, but I think she seems quite intelligent about things -- her place in life and such.
Jim - genius asshole.
Bob - fucking moron.
Richard - not sure -- decent intelligence, I guess?

Just my guesses. I might be wrong.

There are many kinds of intelligence. As for the members of SY, I have very little basis for assessment. Musically, they are obviously geniuses.

To study the brains interaction with music is a lifetime of work. It is no secret that muscians make for a more interesting subject.

In Daniel Levitin's book, Music and the Brain, the author mentions how one elementary student could play a complicated classical piece but had a problem having enough co-ordination to put the instrument back in its case...

http://www.yourbrainonmusic.com

RN

Oh wow you're a genius huh? Try learning some modesty.

Atari, I want you to have sex with me. Please. I'm wearing Chanel and a red strapless. I'll catch the next flight out.

Intelligence and wisdom are two very different things. To discriminate people by the former reveals a great lack of the latter.

Let's review:

They are all obviously far more original

Here I am pretty much equating originality with intelligence and using the terms somewhat interchangeably. In many ways, innovation, artistic or otherwise, is a manifestation of true intelligence.

than the virtual vampire calling themselves "Happy Birthday" who posted this topic merely because I brought up the subject of intelligence quotient scores earlier today.

First, I defended Sonic Youth's I.Q.s because they are creative. Obviously, they are wise as well to have such a long career making art and music.

And I.Q. scores do in fact mean a whole lot. They provide a very accurate measure of a person's cognitive abilities.

This is my general opinion about I.Q. tests. Moreover, my opinion also happens to be in accordance with most of the brightest minds in the world on the matter, and in fact, the very definition of "intelligence test." I.Q. tests can be useful as a tool to measure a threshold of a person's general intelligence level. I can hardly see how this can be debated against all that successfully by anyone.

Although it's true that some people do not receive the same quality of education as others, thus the squabbles over an inherent cultural bias within the tests in recent times.

Most of us have heard the debate over the relevancy of I.Q. tests based on this point. Let's be honest. Can we? I hope we can. Most of the outrage over I.Q. and standardized testing in general has come from black political groups. I hope you agree. If you do not, then you obviously are obtuse and merely have a specific axe to grind for whatever misguided reason. Anyway, proceeding along in this fashion, I would like to state that any person regardless of race, creed, sex, or national origin has just as much capacity and ability to be as intelligent or wise, (if you prefer) as anyone else. And please don't misunderstand me; do please note that intelligence means "awareness" which has extrasensory and spiritual connotations anyway. And please don't get confused like a dunderhead and try to switch the subject to quacks who believe in ESP either. To get back to my point, anyone has the ability to be intelligent, but the hard facts of history make it a lot less likely for some rather than others. There's no doubting that history has been most unfair to many people; people of color and women spring instantly to mind. The economic status of a person's family seems to be a primary determinant which makes for an unfair society with no true democracy or meritocracy. Okay, enough stated.

Another legitimate qualm with I.Q. tests is that they do not provide an accurate measure of an individual's ability to create or their visionary capacity.

This part specifically relates to "wisdom" and how intelligence tests are not perfect.

But again, an I.Q. test is useful in determining a person's reading comprehension, problem-solving ability and capacity to apply knowledge.

At this point, I'll strongly suggest that some of you desperately need to improve your reading comprehension and abilty to apply knowledge. It's for your own good. I like to think that I care enough to let you know.
Synchophantic blather and crude quips seem to be the norm here just as on other message boards with little moderation. Personally, I'm tired of being dragged down to that level. This board is so very typical and it's a shame. And obviously this serves to underscore the myth that Sonic Youth fans tend to be intelligent and artistic, and implores the common wisdom that they are usually merely poseurs.

I've taken two Stanford-Binet tests with a tester who asked the questions as I answered with the materials placed in front of me. The result of the first test was a genius level score. When administered the following year, the result was a highly gifted level score.

Oh boy, there it is, the ending part that inspires such jealous rage in the insecure. Look, I didn't write about scores. And I didn't go on and on about myself. Do I really deserve to be attacked? Do I deserve it from someone (pig latin username fucker that no one here knows) with eleven posts? Screw this.

His strategy has finally come to fruition.

I don't know why you're responding to me. In fact I didn't notice that you mentioned your IQ scores.

I was referring to "Happy Birthday." I meant to suggest that whatever level of measurable intelligence the members of band have is irrelevant to the music they've created. It's the same gossipy bullshit on the same level of how much money they have or who are they dating now. I find their music to be intelligent but as for themselves I have no idea nor do I care. I would say that it is wiser to judge their character from personal interactions than by citing IQ scores, etc.

And I don't know why you play Guitar Hero. Why not write, "I'm a nerd" instead?

South Park had a humorous ending tonight.
Stan and Kyle rally to get a million points on Guitar Hero and then the game says, "you have scored a million points on Guitar Hero; congratulations, you are fags."

I do like your aphorism though. I just wanted everyone to be crystal clear that I stated as much myself. Some have issues with reading longer posts. You even just stated you hadn't read it.

And that's one of the reasons I posted tonight. To find out if you had read it or not and to hopefully get you to read it if you hadn't already. Yeah, I had some venting to do, sure, but really, in all seriousness, I don't see myself having very much to do with this board anymore. Again, I'm sick and tired of being dragged down to this level.

Atari 2600 is the master of argument.

... ? I don't. Ha, thought I was serious in that other thread? No, I was just rhetorically mentioning my support of SY in the face of claims of "selling out."

I don't even own a console of any sort. A rarity for someone my age, I'd think.

I actually read the first half, noticed that I agreed with the tone of the message, and moved on. All the little criticisms from others I ignored.

Next time I'll quote the first post for sensitivity's sake.

And fishing for victims.
Victims of a sexual nature