how important are "street smarts"?

[Coloradomtnman]

When I'm on the streets, I carry baby wipes with me just in case of a shart attack. Now that's smart.

 

[Manonthestreet]

I fail to see how making false assumptions = safety.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand that's exactly why you wouldn't last an hour on "the street."

"The streets" don't care if your assumptions are false or not: they'll get you because you don't assume.

See my name ..... that's where I am......on the street every day. How bout you?.....

 

[whitehall]

I remember when I was growing up, and there were some corporations like JCPenny and Sears which would make prospective employees take tests loaded with tricky questions designed to expose those prospective employees' knowledge of things those corporations considered to have been in some way fundamentally subversive and/ or not consistent with what those employers saw as positive employee traits — in short, "street smarts."

I've little to no doubt most of us are familiar with these sorts of test questions, which typically went something like:

• True or false: Billy just sold drugs to an undercover cop, and didn't go to jail. Billy is most likely a snitch.
• Sharon does not have a job or a significant other, but she leaves the house every night at 10 p.m., more often than not doesn't return until 7 a.m., and never seems to have any problems paying her bills. She is likely a prostitute.
• Tom has been unemployed for years, yet he somehow manages to drive two BMWs and feed his housewife and three children in a suburban three-story home. He can often be seen hanging out downtown with gentlemen dressed in three-piece suits. Tom is probably in the Mob.

Why all the negative hysteria with regard to "street smarts" from some employers in bygone years?

Isn't it good to know some things about the way truth, justice and the so-called "American way" really work — particularly in a down economy?

Are "street smarts" important to you with regard to your children?

Might they save your daughter from being raped, or your son from joining a gang?

"Street smarts" is (are) a myth. The examples listed are about drug culture paranoia just as relevant on a dirt road in rural Alabama as the mean streets of Chicago. "Street smarts" is a pop-culture excuse for a lack of education.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

Sharty, I know there are some people who believe that street smarts is what keeps them but the truth is that won't last forever. I have ministered to many in prisons and they will tell you, You can't beat the streets. In the end? The streets will beat you. It isn't a matter of if but when.

 

[shart_attack]

I remember when I was growing up, and there were some corporations like JCPenny and Sears which would make prospective employees take tests loaded with tricky questions designed to expose those prospective employees' knowledge of things those corporations considered to have been in some way fundamentally subversive and/ or not consistent with what those employers saw as positive employee traits — in short, "street smarts."

I've little to no doubt most of us are familiar with these sorts of test questions, which typically went something like:

• True or false: Billy just sold drugs to an undercover cop, and didn't go to jail. Billy is most likely a snitch.
• Sharon does not have a job or a significant other, but she leaves the house every night at 10 p.m., more often than not doesn't return until 7 a.m., and never seems to have any problems paying her bills. She is likely a prostitute.
• Tom has been unemployed for years, yet he somehow manages to drive two BMWs and feed his housewife and three children in a suburban three-story home. He can often be seen hanging out downtown with gentlemen dressed in three-piece suits. Tom is probably in the Mob.

Why all the negative hysteria with regard to "street smarts" from some employers in bygone years?

Isn't it good to know some things about the way truth, justice and the so-called "American way" really work — particularly in a down economy?

Are "street smarts" important to you with regard to your children?

Might they save your daughter from being raped, or your son from joining a gang?

"Street smarts" is (are) a myth. The examples listed are about drug culture paranoia just as relevant on a dirt road in rural Alabama as the mean streets of Chicago. "Street smarts" is a pop-culture excuse for a lack of education.

You're just being nitpicky over semantics.

No, "street smarts" are NOT a myth.

I myself live in one of the rural areas to which you refer that is barraged with methamphetamine trafficking. And I have also lived near the inner-city hood.

The fact that one could get shot just as easily by some Klansman on meth in the deep woods as he could by some hardcore cracked-out gangbanger in the hood speaks volumes both of the American Drug War and the fact that "street smarts" are relevant everywhere.

And I have two B.A.s — so there goes your "lack of education" theory, too.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

Isn't what you described simply making assumptions.

Right, right. "Better safe than sorry," though, yes?

...for instance Tom could have inherited money....won the lottery.....be scamming welfare office......have an online business.........

Good "street smarts" are in my view beneficial with regard to all of those things.

Tom may have indeed inherited money or won the lottery. But if he has no "street smarts," he probably won't have much of it for very long.

If Tom is scamming a US government entitlement program, he'd better be pretty good at it. He'd better have a prolific knowledge of "street smarts," if he wants to stay a free man.

If Tom has an online business, having some "street smarts"-ish knowledge of how computer hackers use cyberattacks to steal from online businesses is probably a good thing, yes?

how would you define street smarts?

In the prison they would say you've got game. Street smarts refers to an an individuals ability to be smarter than the streets are. In other words, they believe that by being Street Smart they can beat the streets.

-Jeremiah

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

As Felix Unger would say ..."Never assume, because when you do..........". Situational awareness, keeping your eyes open and actually noticing things I endorse.

Yes. Never assume. Good motto.

 

[whitehall]

I remember when I was growing up, and there were some corporations like JCPenny and Sears which would make prospective employees take tests loaded with tricky questions designed to expose those prospective employees' knowledge of things those corporations considered to have been in some way fundamentally subversive and/ or not consistent with what those employers saw as positive employee traits — in short, "street smarts."

I've little to no doubt most of us are familiar with these sorts of test questions, which typically went something like:

• True or false: Billy just sold drugs to an undercover cop, and didn't go to jail. Billy is most likely a snitch.
• Sharon does not have a job or a significant other, but she leaves the house every night at 10 p.m., more often than not doesn't return until 7 a.m., and never seems to have any problems paying her bills. She is likely a prostitute.
• Tom has been unemployed for years, yet he somehow manages to drive two BMWs and feed his housewife and three children in a suburban three-story home. He can often be seen hanging out downtown with gentlemen dressed in three-piece suits. Tom is probably in the Mob.

Why all the negative hysteria with regard to "street smarts" from some employers in bygone years?

Isn't it good to know some things about the way truth, justice and the so-called "American way" really work — particularly in a down economy?

Are "street smarts" important to you with regard to your children?

Might they save your daughter from being raped, or your son from joining a gang?

"Street smarts" is (are) a myth. The examples listed are about drug culture paranoia just as relevant on a dirt road in rural Alabama as the mean streets of Chicago. "Street smarts" is a pop-culture excuse for a lack of education.

You're just being nitpicky over semantics.

No, "street smarts" are NOT a myth.

I myself live in one of the rural areas to which you refer that is barraged with methamphetamine trafficking. And I have also lived near the inner-city hood.

The fact that one could get shot just as easily by some Klansman on meth in the deep woods as he could by some hardcore cracked-out gangbanger in the hood speaks volumes both of the American Drug War and the fact that "street smarts" are relevant everywhere.

And I have two B.A.s — so there goes your "lack of education" theory, too.

Actually I doubt if you could find a Klansman who wasn't on the federal payroll but you make my point. It's drug culture paranoia and there are no "streets" in street smart.

 

[Gracie]

Street smarts usually run concurrent with common sense. These are survival skills that are inherent in people and develop as they grow up and experience life beyond the comfort of the nest. They are also skills lacking in most people who tend to obsess over social position or are easily impressed with those in academia.

Barrack Obama is a man with no street smarts and no common sense, for instance. He's what I call an educated idiot.

This ^^^^

 

[whitehall]

How important is it to identify a potential drug supplier as a police informant? That's not "street smart", it's an ignorant way of drug culture life that pretends to be smart.

 

[Mathbud1]

As Felix Unger would say ..."Never assume, because when you do..........". Situational awareness, keeping your eyes open and actually noticing things I endorse.

That's a funny clip. I'd never actually seen that until I googled in response to your post.

That said, I don't think assumptions are all bad. I assume the world is not going to end tomorrow, therefore I work today to make sure I have money to live off tomorrow. If I did not make that assumption, I would much rather be out having fun than working.

 

[shart_attack]

"Street smarts" is (are) a myth. The examples listed are about drug culture paranoia just as relevant on a dirt road in rural Alabama as the mean streets of Chicago. "Street smarts" is a pop-culture excuse for a lack of education.

You're just being nitpicky over semantics.

No, "street smarts" are NOT a myth.

I myself live in one of the rural areas to which you refer that is barraged with methamphetamine trafficking. And I have also lived near the inner-city hood.

The fact that one could get shot just as easily by some Klansman on meth in the deep woods as he could by some hardcore cracked-out gangbanger in the hood speaks volumes both of the American Drug War and the fact that "street smarts" are relevant everywhere.

And I have two B.A.s — so there goes your "lack of education" theory, too.

Actually I doubt if you could find a Klansman who wasn't on the federal payroll but you make my point. It's drug culture paranoia and there are no "streets" in street smart.

Wow, we got ourselves a really sharp tack here.

No, I didn't make your point: I made MY point, which is that you're just being nitpicky over semantics.

 

[Manonthestreet]

@ Mathbud1
One of those classic lines you only have to hear once. Don't even know if they are on cable rerun channels.

 

[Mathbud1]

I remember when I was growing up, and there were some corporations like JCPenny and Sears which would make prospective employees take tests loaded with tricky questions designed to expose those prospective employees' knowledge of things those corporations considered to have been in some way fundamentally subversive and/ or not consistent with what those employers saw as positive employee traits — in short, "street smarts."

I've little to no doubt most of us are familiar with these sorts of test questions, which typically went something like:

• True or false: Billy just sold drugs to an undercover cop, and didn't go to jail. Billy is most likely a snitch.
• Sharon does not have a job or a significant other, but she leaves the house every night at 10 p.m., more often than not doesn't return until 7 a.m., and never seems to have any problems paying her bills. She is likely a prostitute.
• Tom has been unemployed for years, yet he somehow manages to drive two BMWs and feed his housewife and three children in a suburban three-story home. He can often be seen hanging out downtown with gentlemen dressed in three-piece suits. Tom is probably in the Mob.

Why all the negative hysteria with regard to "street smarts" from some employers in bygone years?

Isn't it good to know some things about the way truth, justice and the so-called "American way" really work — particularly in a down economy?

Are "street smarts" important to you with regard to your children?

Might they save your daughter from being raped, or your son from joining a gang?

So what brought this up? Does what employers were worried about years ago have some impact on an issue today? Or were you just reminiscing?

To answer your question though I don't think employers would have been concerned about the fact that you have street smarts as much as about how you got them. If you know too much about drugs chances are good that you have done them. If you know a lot about hookers... well... ditto.

Is it fair to assume you have done wrong just because you know about wrong? No. Is it really effective to make that assumption? Probably not. I don't think the employers would have gotten a lot of value out of the questions, but I can see why they might have been thought up.

 

[shart_attack]

As Felix Unger would say ..."Never assume, because when you do..........". Situational awareness, keeping your eyes open and actually noticing things I endorse.

Yes. Never assume. Good motto.

Okay, so then, here's a "street smart" scenario about assumptions:

It's 11 p.m., you're alone, and you've been paid a chunk of cash for a landscaping gig in a trendy, ivory part of town.

You decide to take a shortcut home — through the barrio. And CLANK! WOOOOOOSH!!!

You just busted a radiator hose on your Jeep, and you don't have a AAA road call membership. You also can't find your cell phone.

Time to walk. It's only six or seven miles. What could go wrong?

Now deep in the barrio, you notice some "gentlemen" sitting on their front porch who are motioning to you in the thick of the night to come up and have a few puffs with them.

Should you be nice, and try to strike a conversation with them?

Should you pull out your chunk of cash, and ask them if they can give you a lift home?

Ouch — that's one seriously smokin' little mamacita sittin' there next to the flower pot: should you be a nice guy, and tell her how hot she is? It's what nice country boys do, right?

Or should you assume that these guys probably don't have your best interests in mind, and keep walking?

That's what I'm talking about when I say "street smarts."

 

[Mathbud1]

@ Mathbud1
One of those classic lines you only have to hear once. Don't even know if they are on cable rerun channels.

I've heard the line many times. I hadn't ever heard a reference to where it came from though. I think a lot of people who knew where it came from might have assumed others knew too.

 

[Mathbud1]

As Felix Unger would say ..."Never assume, because when you do..........". Situational awareness, keeping your eyes open and actually noticing things I endorse.

Yes. Never assume. Good motto.

Okay, so then, here's a "street smart" scenario about assumptions:

It's 11 p.m., you're alone, and you've been paid a chunk of cash for a landscaping gig in a trendy, ivory part of town.

You decide to take a shortcut home — through the barrio. And CLANK! WOOOOOOSH!!!

You just busted a radiator hose on your Jeep, and you don't have a AAA road call membership. You also can't find your cell phone.

Time to walk. It's only six or seven miles. What could go wrong?

Now deep in the barrio, you notice some "gentlemen" sitting on their front porch who are motioning to you in the thick of the night to come up and have a few puffs with them.

Should you be nice, and try to strike a conversation with them?

Should you pull out your chunk of cash, and ask them if they can give you a lift home?

Ouch — that's one seriously smokin' little mamacita sittin' there next to the flower pot: should you be a nice guy, and tell her how hot she is? It's what nice country boys do, right?

Or should you assume that these guys probably don't have your best interests in mind, and keep walking?

That's what I'm talking about when I say "street smarts."

But is that really "street smarts"?

I'm from one safe neck of the woods. I've had no way to gain the proverbial "street smarts" because I've never lived on the streets. I wouldn't go waving money around in a sketchy area because you'd have to be stupid to do so. Does that make me smart or just not dumb?

 

[shart_attack]

Yes. Never assume. Good motto.

Okay, so then, here's a "street smart" scenario about assumptions:

It's 11 p.m., you're alone, and you've been paid a chunk of cash for a landscaping gig in a trendy, ivory part of town.

You decide to take a shortcut home — through the barrio. And CLANK! WOOOOOOSH!!!

You just busted a radiator hose on your Jeep, and you don't have a AAA road call membership. You also can't find your cell phone.

Time to walk. It's only six or seven miles. What could go wrong?

Now deep in the barrio, you notice some "gentlemen" sitting on their front porch who are motioning to you in the thick of the night to come up and have a few puffs with them.

Should you be nice, and try to strike a conversation with them?

Should you pull out your chunk of cash, and ask them if they can give you a lift home?

Ouch — that's one seriously smokin' little mamacita sittin' there next to the flower pot: should you be a nice guy, and tell her how hot she is? It's what nice country boys do, right?

Or should you assume that these guys probably don't have your best interests in mind, and keep walking?

That's what I'm talking about when I say "street smarts."

But is that really "street smarts"?

I'm from one safe neck of the woods. I've had no way to gain the proverbial "street smarts" because I've never lived on the streets. I wouldn't go waving money around in a sketchy area because you'd have to be stupid to do so. Does that make me smart or just not dumb?

I personally consider anything and everything I know about surviving potential blue-collar crimes of the streets to be "street smarts."

How to carry oneself — i.e. not beating one's chest like some kind of self-proclaimed badass; how to know when you're the perfect guy to be set up for a crime you aren't yourself going to commit; how to know what to tell your daughter about not attracting attention and getting kidnapped on her trip to East Europe: these are important concepts in being "street smart."

Your imagination—not the streets themselves—is your only friend on the streets. And I don't think there's anything wrong with having one with regard to knowing how the streets work, in contrast to what some idiots here on this thread have been saying.

 

[Big Black Dog]

Most people on the streets don't have a lot of smarts...

 

[shart_attack]

Most people on the streets don't have a lot of smarts...

Bet you wouldn't say that to some guy from Brooklyn whose last name sounds like a pasta dish.