Formal Education vs. Street Smarts

[radiostationrep]

Street smarts = common sense. not trusting people in a naive fashion.

That is true to a great extent. But if you think street smarts as a whole is solely based upon common sense, you must not be from the streets. Intelligence is one thing, playing the game is another.

 

[Dhadnot]

Or spin the "smart" off as something entirely different.

Common sense tells you in a bedroom for instance, there is probably a bed, night stands, tv, maybe a bathroom and shower, etc., if it is a master bedroom suite. But can one truly navigate and describe the said room without actually entering the room? It is sort of like these scholars that think they know all the answers, or have the "common sense" to associate their state of mind as being "street smart." Associating and or dealing with people in the streets does not give you both. You need to live it, imo.

you taking street smarts to the extreme though, you're talking about criminal smarts if you will. Street smarts basically just a saying for knowing how to handle yourself and make out alright in a urban environment where you might meet some unsavory characters or possibly be involved in illegal activities, what you talking about goes way beyond that. You're talking about the difference in being able to get around manhattan as opposed to being a drug dealer or gangbanger in Harlem.

 

[radiostationrep]

you taking street smarts to the extreme though, you're talking about criminal smarts if you will. Street smarts basically just a saying for knowing how to handle yourself and make out alright in a urban environment where you might meet some unsavory characters or possibly be involved in illegal activities, what you talking about goes way beyond that. You're talking about the difference in being able to get around manhattan as opposed to being a drug dealer or gangbanger in Harlem.

That is 100% accurate. Being street smart does not make you street, if you will, is my point though. You got dudes in our society who listen to rap music, try to emulate what these rappers talk about, dress like the rappers, and consider themselves street savy. It goes well beyond that in reality. The streets are a product of the "real" criminal element in our society.

 

[Talus]

Define formal education.
Define street smarts.

 

[HERESY]

Define formal education.
Define street smarts.

This is what the OP said:

I've learned about life and how to live through observation has been my university.

Based on that I'm assuming formal education means college (cc/jc, universities) and street smarts to mean learning about life and how to live it through observation.

Thats just what I got from it, I could be wrong as two left shoes.

 

[Talus]

its like saying which left hand vs right hand, which is more important?

 

[NovaFire]

For me street smarts just means having common sense wisdom. Knowing how to deal with people effectively, and judging character correctly. On the flip side you cant get ahead without a solid education. I equate education to a blueprint, its the roadmap for how you will get something done. Without it, you will just be wasting time and energy.

If i had to chose one, i would chose common sense wisdom, education saves you time and energy, but common sense can save your life.

 

[MRTHECOSE]

heres what i think of street smarts

If you ain't ever been to the ghetto
Don't ever come to the ghetto
'Cause you ain't understand the ghetto
And stay the fuck out of the ghetto