which will get you farther

[tripletres]

I have a very simple question that i will ask. which will get you farther in life? what you know, or who you know? please post your answers and your reasons behind your choice. for me, i think what you know will get you farther because using what you know, you will gain inluence over other people. but what do you think?

-333

[leerock89]

Theres no question to this. It's who you know. Look at Bush. Common, he's a freaken dumb loser but yet he's the president of the US. If you happen to be smart it would help you out but its most definitely the people you know.

[analogZero]

both are to their own positions. to network you have to have either a lot of money and sway, or a solid brain otherwise people won't deal with you. The less outstanding you are in your field, the less others are going to want to associated themselves.
they both do their part but relying on just one is like rowing one side of a boat, you'll just go round and round in circles never getting anywhere.

[spirit]

Theres no question to this. It's who you know. Look at Bush. Common, he's a freaken dumb loser but yet he's the president of the US. If you happen to be smart it would help you out but its most definitely the people you know.

uhhh.... I can sense such an intense adoration and respect of yours towards our beloved Mr. President... ahh! shame on the rest of our society they don't show their love as greatly as you! / haha joke ;)
Yeah, but you are completely right on this one ;) And I personally believe it takes both to conquer something in life, especially if you are a typical mr. Smith and not mr. Bush.

[leerock89]

Yea but knowing people takes precedence. Being intelligent is a plus and will help greatly but if you don't know the right people you aren't going to be able to go far.

[Mugen]

I'd rather choose to get farther on my own, without knowing powerful people, it isn't possible. :/

[analogZero]

Yea but knowing people takes precedence. Being intelligent is a plus and will help greatly but if you don't know the right people you aren't going to be able to go far.

but is anyone going to accept you if you're not all too bright? bush got his cuz his daddy knows people, not him. everything's been handed to him pretty much. methinks he's not the best of subjects when it comes to this topic.
in many cases I'd see this as a chicken/egg situation.

[Nahmu]

isn't it the case that the more intelligent you are, the more people you know in your subject area? i would have to agree that it's the people you know that gives you more of a power status though... i've met some INCREDIBLY intelligent folk who can't get very far because of their socio-economic status... it's about money and connections.

[MelBrooks]

I think that what you know is the same thing as who you know cas who you know is apart of what you know so its more inportent on what you know.

[suune]

It's a fine combination of both... someone maybe just playing dumb in order to get what (s)he wants...

[alsharid]

it's who you know

[puppetz]

good question. i think who you know is the more important thing. just look at some of the historical figures. like artists who where never praised in their lifetime because they were social outcasts but as soon as they died someone noticed them and became famous. some of the musical artist got where they are just by knowing people not by pure talent. thats why this world is run by morons while the people who should be actual leaders go unnoticed...

[Kanu]

Its difficult. 'What you know' will take you much further assuming your a super genius/ social manipulator who not only knows your stuff, but how to apply it. But that also broaches the 'who you know' category as clever people know to make good connections. Even if you do know your stuff, its quite easy to merely stagnate and not go anywhere in this day and age, whereas the people who know all the right people are more likely to be more motivated and catapaulted further.

But, speaking from the 'what you know' category, id say thats the best way to go about it, (she says, broke, bored and with nothing better do do that sit at my computer, lol)

[Xunlai]

Who you know, and no i will not explain my reasoning, i do not want to sound redundent by saying something already said

[Russkie]

Personaly, I think it could be both. Depends on what life throws at you.

[analogZero]

jesus got by on his skills alone. everybody else just followed him. what a success story!!!
then he got nailed to a cross...
Socrates is remembered for his deep philosophical insights and ability to make people question their own beliefs.
then he was forced to drink poison for corrupting the youth.
Orson Welles garnered most of his acclaim through grants from the government.
he lived a rather full life though...but he did manage to scare the crap out of the entire nation with one radio broadcast!

Not all great people made their way through life riding on the coat tails of others. And while we may get help from many people along the way, it's not to say that they are the sole cause of our success. The best of both worlds will make the best of yours.

[Nahmu]

jesus got by on his skills alone. everybody else just followed him. what a success story!!!
then he got nailed to a cross...
Socrates is remembered for his deep philosophical insights and ability to make people question their own beliefs.
then he was forced to drink poison for corrupting the youth.
Orson Welles garnered most of his acclaim through grants from the government.
he lived a rather full life though...but he did manage to scare the crap out of the entire nation with one radio broadcast!

all are brilliant examples... but in their own lifetimes, they couldn't even see the point of influence to which they rose after they died. they used what they know to get the attention of people who listened, but their popularity postmortem as more people knew of them. if their ideas had died out with them, they would not be remembered. while what they knew was enough to garner them attention, if they had known people of more power, they would have risen higher or even lived.

[HN~]

In my opinion, what you know will get you farther in most cases - Cases when you are not born into wealth, fame or family connections.
You have to be intelligent to gain the valuable connections that will help you along. Not so many people will be helpful in the 'who you know' if you seem to be in the lowest part of the IQ curve.
So ultimately knowledge is usually the initial step in furthering yourself and expanding the 'who you know'. After that, both who you know and what you know go hand in hand, both be more useful in certain situations.

[spirit]

jesus got by on his skills alone. everybody else just followed him. what a success story!!!
then he got nailed to a cross...
Socrates is remembered for his deep philosophical insights and ability to make people question their own beliefs.
then he was forced to drink poison for corrupting the youth.
Orson Welles garnered most of his acclaim through grants from the government.
he lived a rather full life though...but he did manage to scare the crap out of the entire nation with one radio broadcast!

That's something I do very often, question my own beliefs. Re-thinking things.

[Nahmu]

In my opinion, what you know will get you farther in most cases - Cases when you are not born into wealth, fame or family connections.
You have to be intelligent to gain the valuable connections that will help you along. Not so many people will be helpful in the 'who you know' if you seem to be in the lowest part of the IQ curve.
So ultimately knowledge is usually the initial step in furthering yourself and expanding the 'who you know'. After that, both who you know and what you know go hand in hand, both be more useful in certain situations.

i can't help but think of people like van gogh who was brilliant but didn't know anybody during his life and died penniless and alone. only after connections were made with his art and those in the upper social strata did he "get anywhere."

[analogZero]

all are brilliant examples... but in their own lifetimes, they couldn't even see the point of influence to which they rose after they died. they used what they know to get the attention of people who listened, but their popularity postmortem as more people knew of them. if their ideas had died out with them, they would not be remembered. while what they knew was enough to garner them attention, if they had known people of more power, they would have risen higher or even lived.

live as someone of great material wealth, or die and be remembered for ages to come for the person you became of your own making.
I personally see the legacy of artistry as being a bit ridiculous. That a person's talent is essentially worthless until they're gone is rather ludicrous and moreover insulting. van gogh is a good model for that, I suppose.

[Kanu]

live as someone of great material wealth, or die and be remembered for ages to come for the person you became of your own making.
I personally see the legacy of artistry as being a bit ridiculous. That a person's talent is essentially worthless until they're gone is rather ludicrous and moreover insulting. van gogh is a good model for that, I suppose.

Its an interesting question. Im not sure if i agree. See, Oscar Wilde said something along the lines of artists put in their work what they themselves dont possess. I think artists understand that they relinquish their ownership when they creat something of profound beauty - the value lying in the sense of numinous felt when its looked at and you cant buy, label, or own that. Whether or not the artist is alive is irrelevant its just an equation of time and exposure which in van goghs day didnt work out well for him.

Art is an example of 'what you know' because its an expression that isnt justified by outside influences. Masters of art have attained immortality, which is essntially what all these other succesful people are after - engraving their names on the tomes of history.