Suppose you know you are an idiot, what profession should you choose?

[lolatency]

Quote from walter4:

Stock market trader in 1994.

Real estate trader in 2001.

Best answer yet.

 

[Avid_Consumer]

this is NOT a dis to mud engineers whatsoever, but i've kind of considered how fun this could be from time to time

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mud_engineer

4 weeks of school, work a few hours a day, make 500-1k a day, outside, wear a hard hat, etc

kinda like trading, but apply your intuition and analysis to the viscosity of mud, maximizing efficiency while avoiding a "blowout"

 

[lundy]

military is an option

 

[lundy]

Quote from walter4:

Stock market trader in 1994.

Real estate trader in 2001.

if you had to follow that up with ________ in 2009, what would it be

i'm gonna take a stab.

Credit card debt in 2009

 

[monty21]

Quote from lundy:

if you had to follow that up with ________ in 2009, what would it be

i'm gonna take a stab.

Credit card debt in 2009

Short-term bond trader

 

[Garbage Can Ray]

I would still cast my vote for real estate. I think this is a pretty good post. Most posts on ET are pretty awful, at least this one has a practical aspect to it. Here is why real estate is still the best way for a below average person to make some serious coin... The luck factor is on your side more so than any other career. I trade, and have to make 60 or 70 decisions a day. If you are in real estate, you make one decision and ride it... If you are wrong, you are fucked, if not you bank. Simple. Roulette. Plus real estate is not a liquid asset so you are pretty much forced to hang on for better or worse.

 

[lolatency]

Quote from lundy:

military is an option

This has a political component, because I'm fairly certain a lot of the military operations done on behalf of the US are not for defense. Confessions of an Economic Hitman type of stuff.

 

[Pauly]

Quote from lundy:

military is an option

Military??? You haven't experienced the military that I have.

I was thinking Congressman. It seems that all that's needed is ignorance... and confidence.

Definitely Congressman.

 

[nutmeg]

he wakes up one morning and realizes he is stupid
--------------------------------------------

One of my motto's is: If I am the smartest person in the room, I leave. Point being there is nothing more to learn. I find a new room where I can learn something. This has its drawbacks, which are always facing the wrath of those who condescend but the upside is being in an environment to learn. You cannot learn anything from other idiots except "what one must never be or do". Find some new friends.

If one lacks intelligence this can be overcome with decent social skills and a willingness to learn, there are teachers everywhere.

As far a job to become wealthy while being an"Idiot", people can become wealthly by living a frugal lifestyle regardless of the job.

 

[stoshski]

Quote from lolatency:

Some background:

I once had an interview where the guy basically told me I was an idiot and should never be near finance. Technically speaking, I'm very educated. But we all know this means nothing, as there are educated fools everywhere. I may actually -be- a total idiot, and am willing to consider it as a possibility.

Let's assume this guy was right (and you are welcome to assume his assertion is fact.) I now have no applicable skills to another field and am, for all intents of purposes, unskilled labor. If I pursue another path initially starting out as unskilled and actually happen to be an idiot, then where should I look? Clearly, a failed trader and a failed individual has to do something. The question is what?

I don't see much literature on what you do when you are a complete failure, just a lot of literature on how not to become a complete failure. Clearly though, the case exists where one can be a total failure. Where to go? Where does one get the most return for being dull and unskilled? A government job?

Maybe there is an "Idiot's guide to being an Idiot" book.