I have mixed feelings here. My father had a very high IQ, but he wasn't particularly adept at everyday life. He had personality problems and was weak in people skills. Yes, in the long run his very high IQ served him no real purpose.

Former husband, same deal. He missed qualifying for Mensa by two lousy percentage points, and hadn't slept the night before the test. If he had, he might have made it in. He had NO people skills whatsover, and was a sad, lonely, depressed man.

Both of these men were unable to make much of a living. They had trouble getting hired, even more trouble holding on the jobs they could get. As for moving up the ladder once they had a job, forget it. Never management. Always low-wage entry level, because people just plain didn't like them. Both men died before the age of 50, one of a coronary condition, and the other of a brain aneurysm. What practical good did their high intelligence do them? Not much, if you ask me.

I tested at fourth-grade level when I was in kindergarten, and I'm not even employable.

On the other hand, I'm not comfortable with the idea of dismissing and minimizing strengths. I've seen too much of, "So what if you got straight A's on your report card? That's just book smarts. It doesn't count. You don't know anything about (sports, pop culture, fashion, whatever), so you see? You're stupid after all."

Maybe that kind of thing *causes* the personality problems that turn people off.