Jeopardy Tournament of Champions is making me feel less smart than I felt a few short hours ago. I don’t generally go around feeling smart. Nevertheless, less so, now.
@hjalm As the child of a one-time Jeopardy champion, I can say that there are many ways to be smart and being good at Jeopardy is only one of them.
@KimberlyHirsh That is the kindest, most empathetic reply I might have hoped for. While one hundred percent true, I will still find myself wondering at times if I have a fully developed brain—or merely a bud at the end of my spine.
@KimberlyHirsh @hjalm I love this take, especially coming from someone obviously very familiar with Jeopardy such as yourself. It should be noted that a big part of being successful on that show is quick comprehension followed by recall. Not everybody is good at that, but it doesn't take away from a person's underlying intelligence. Smarts come in all forms and sources, not just television trivia.
@pimoore @hjalm If we're talking about what specifically makes someone good at Jeopardy, then yes - recall is key. But in addition to that, being quick on the buzzer is crucial, too. My dad said there were times he knew the answer but just wasn't fast enough. He was competing against people much younger than him and he felt that worked against him.