Dear Marilyn

I sent a email to Marilyn Vos Savant about her story that appeared in Parade Magazine about which was smarter men or women. Since I didn't think it would appear anywhere else, I thought I'd post it here.

Dear Marilyn,

In you article on which is smarter men or women, you did not mention a major body part difference that has bearing on the argument. Just as we start out in the womb all the same, like genitalia our brains are differentiated from then on. Men’s brains are different from Women’s brain, and this may contribute to the idea that one sex is smarter than the other.

First, you tell me exactly what smarter means, and then I can tell you if men are smarter. For example, we all know people who are consider very smart but are inept in a social situation. They are usually referred to as nerds and are the butt of many a joke. At the same time, I’m sure anyone can think of someone who can go into a room full of people and tell who is lying and who is telling the truth, who is own their side and who is not, who they could sell something and those they could not, but who can hardly open their email and are usually totally lost on a computer. Who’s the smarter one here?

Men and women may excel at the use of their differentiated brains in ways that are not comparable in any measurable way other than results. If portions of men’s brains are reserved by the presents of the “Y” chromosome to be wired a specific way that does not occur in women, then this might explain why men generally score higher in math and science and choose that as a career. Where I think society is missing an opportunity because of culture and traditions is not allowing women to use their uniquely wired brain to do what they do best ­­­­-- which may or may not be considered of higher significance than what men do with their brain.

Here’s another little word trick (I don’t know what you call these):
The best solider doesn’t always make the best commander.
The best ball player doesn’t always make the best coach.
The most talented musician doesn’t always make the best conductor.
The most gifted scientist doesn’t always make the best team leader.
The best artist doesn’t always make the best art director.
The candidate with the highest IQ doesn’t always make the best elected official.

The only question on an IQ test that is any measure of how good a President a person could be is the one asking for their name since the President does have to know how to sign his(or her) name.