Pick Your Poison
 

So let's say that as you are ready to be born unto this world, a genie comes up to your spirt and offers you a choice. You will have world-class ability in one of four areas. Whichever area you pick though, you will have below average ability in the other three areas. The extent of your special ability will truly be world class--at your peak, you will be one of a small handful of people on the entire planet as good at what you do as you are. The extent of your detriments will not be as bad. You will just be squarely "below average" there.

The four categories are:

World Class Physical Attractiveness
World Class Intelligence
World Class Artistic Ability (can include music or acting or other "popular" art)
World Class Athletic Ability

Artistic ability. If you are truly on of the top 5 or so artists in the world, across all definitions of art, then you can hardly be called below average intelligence IMHO. You're doing something smart, even if you don't know it.

Intelligence. I see rich smart fugly guys with hot chicks.

World Class Intelligence. It has worked for me well in this life. ;)

I actually really love to fish, so I'll take the joke option seriously.

I would choose looks, modeling seems like the easiest job in the world, and I would get all the girls.

Athletic Ability. I'd hate to be unintelligent, but below average doesn't sound all that terrible, and it has always been my dream to play sports professionally.

Physical Attractiveness. It's all about the ladies.

Intelligence. When I'm a millionaire, looks won't matter when it comes to girls. :)

But do you really want a whole bunch or women that are just with you for the money....Id rather be sure they were physically attracted to me.

Either way, its pretty shallow.

The chances of your physical attractiveness decreasing with time are greater than my chances of intelligence decreasing with time. The same can be said of physical ability vs. intelligence. I think artistic ability and trout fishing are about the same as intelligence.

Yes, yes it's much better if theyre with you just because of your looks instead of your money :p

Well obviously its the lesser of two evils. Id rather a woman be with me for the whole package IRL...

I'm not sure if I'd count a big dong in the "Physical Attractiveness" wish. :)

attractiveness. i've seen people with no talent or ability become famous for no reason other than their fuckability levels (Paris Hilton has the award named after her). if you're easy on the eyes that more than makes up for lack of everything else.

ditto.

Their fame is generally pretty fleeting though.

World-class athletic ability of course. With the presumption that you are a world-class athlete in a major sport, you are rich, only have to "work" for 15 years of your life at the most, and you can pretty much get and do what ever you want in life. Sounds like a pretty damn good life to me.

Hmmm...what if it's one of those Deals with the Devil? The genie doesn't specify what kind of world-class athletic ability you would get. Like you get world-class athletic ability at beating off instead of world-class sprinting speed. With below-average intelligence, you would have a hard time making a buck at that.

intelligence does not equal rich...dont make that mistake

Intelligence. Life would suck being stupid...

Actually, ignorance is bliss my friend.

I'm pretty sure this is exactly the opposite of how it really is.

There seems to be a thin line between genius and insanity anyway

I picked artistic ability. My choice was between intelligence and artistic ability, since there is a shorter peak "lifespan" for appearance and athletics.

Intelligence. I've gotten through life just fine being below average in two of the others.


And I don't fish.

I choose the IQ

I went with Athletic ability, Live fast, make bajillions and die doing what you love. Screw everything else.


That being said I must admit I'm really a very happy man these days. Just as I am.

(warning for those not familiar, bad hattrick joke ahead)
Now, could I drop my "world class" intelligence down to magnificent in exchange for a raise from inadequate to passable in all my other secondaries?

SI