Jonathan Fisher
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Street smarts is the ability to manage or succeed in difficult or dangerous situations, especially in big towns or cities. Learn more about this term, its synonyms, and how to use it in sentences from various sources.
- Street Smarts Examples
- Additional Examples
- Top Traits of People with Street Smarts
- Conclusion
- References
Having ‘Common Sense’ – The phrase ‘common sense’ is used to describe the ability to utilize sound judgment and make decisions that are practical and reasonable. People with street smarts identify...Ability to Blend into a Crowd – The capacity to blend into a group setting mean the ability to adjust behaviors so they are in harmony with the people and circumstances that surround an individual....Constant Awareness of your Surroundings – Staying aware of one’s environment involves taking notice of all that is occurring in the vicinity and being conscious of potential risks or hazards. You m...Situational Awareness –If you have situational awareness, you have the capacity to recognize the social contexts of what’s going on. People with street smarts often develop this out of necessity: f...Knowing how to read a mapAbility to navigate unfamiliar areasIdentifying potential dangers early on to avoid themKnowing what to wear for each situation1. Excellent Observational Skills
Perhaps the main trait that differentiates street smart people from book smart people is that street smart people tend to have astute observational skills. For example, when they enter a situation – such as a party, a subway station, or a police station, they will intuitively take in a lot of details: 1. The exit points 2. The mood of their interlocutors 3. The appearance of any potentially dangerous people 4. Any moving objects that might cause problems 5. Which people are gathering together...
2. Improvisation
Street smarts people are improvisers. They are always using signals around them – their environment and social cues – and allowing those signals to affect their next actions. You’ll want a street smarts person next to you when you’re trying to talk yourself out of a tough situation. They’ll be able to come up with a good story that is based on an intuitive reading of their interlocutor and the capacity to appease the person they’re talking to.
3. Composure and Not Showing Weakness
People with street smarts often have the ability to maintain composure because they have lived experienceof thinking on their feet. They tend not to panic because they know that doesn’t help. Additionally, they may have developed strategies for concealing their weaknesses in order to protect themselves from danger and social threats. This can be especially true in situations such as the prison yard, where vulnerability or weakness may be perceived as a liability or disadvantage.
Street smarts and book smarts are useful metaphors for thinking about two different but equally useful forms of intelligence. However, I do find them to be somewhat stereotypical and binary and don’t fully reflect the complexity of human intelligence and behaviors (see also: dualistic thinking). Nevertheless, through a social constructivist lens of...
Cottam, P. (2005). After-school time and the social construction of childhood. Masters Thesis. Lincoln University. Davies, M. (2019). Street smarts and critical thinking: An examination of students’ voices on critical thinking. American Educational Research Association (AERA): Leveraging Education Research in a” Post-Truth” Era: Multimodal Narrativ...
- You Stay Aware Of Your Surroundings. Nothing screams "I have zero street smarts" quite like walking to your car at night whilst wearing headphones or checking your phone.
- You Have A Self-Assured Walk. Sometimes, all it takes to stay safe is a don't-f*ck-with-me walk. "Self-assured posture and movement tells a lot about you," Turner says.
- You Know How To Blend In. If you've ever toured a new city — or gotten stuck behind people touring yours — then you know how travelers stick out like a sore thumb.
- You Don't Get Easily Intimidated. Of course you know not to pick fights or get mixed up with bad company. But that doesn't mean you let people push you around, either.
- Knowledge source. As mentioned above, the knowledge source for street smart people is the pool of their own experiences. Book smart people learn from the experience of others.
- Knowledge type. Street smart people are focused on learning how to do things. They have practical knowledge. They’re good at getting things done. Execution is of utmost importance because that’s how they learn.
- Skills. Street smart people tend to be generalists. They tend to know a little bit about everything. They know enough to get the job done. They tend to have good survival, emotional and social skills.
- Decision-making. Street smart people can make quick decisions because they know they don’t have to know everything to get started. They have a bias for action.
4 days ago · Being street smart is an important skill to have and a good way to take care of yourself. Research neighborhoods, transport systems, and emergency services in whatever area you find yourself in. Avoid dangerous spots and situations, and...
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Apr 3, 2024 · Street smarts is the quality of being streetwise, or having common sense and practical knowledge of the world. Learn the origin, synonyms, and examples of this word from the Merriam-Webster dictionary.
Street-smart means having common sense and knowledge of the streets, especially in urban areas. Learn how to use this adjective in sentences and see synonyms, antonyms and translations.
