I guess you could call it fatalist, but is it fatalist to say I was born to be 5'10" and there's not a damn thing in the world I can do to be 6'? Isn't it the same with intelligence? You may feel smarter now, but are you really? What, exactly, makes you fell like you are? Do you think that if you met those same people today they wouldn't still be significantly smarter than you?

I would argue that while similiar, they ( height and intelligence ) are not exactly the same. Brains have plastiticity to them, which allows some level of calibration and adjustment ( though seemingly mostly intended and used to overcome damage )

<< You may feel smarter now, but are you really?

Best I can tell you is that, looking back, I was definitely dumber:D To your point, that may be just experience talking.

<< What, exactly, makes you fell like you are?

Now that is a good question. I think it is mostly reflection on what was and comparison to what is.

<< Do you think that if you met those same people today they wouldn't still be significantly smarter than you?

Hard to say; life has a way of beating you on a consistent basis and, from what I understand, all 3 have kids, which bring their own challenges ( you certainly can't pursue what you want to pursue as easily ).