Intelligent or Intellectual

There were various instances growing up where I was personally reminded of my lack of street smartness in certain contexts.... - "Look at person X deal with the auto rickshaw driver, I was told (to quote an example) -, look at him smartly negotiate - that's the way you ensure that you don't get ripped" -in an obvious reference to my alleged gullibility when it comes to handling money!

Over the years - I'd like to think I'd like to think I've imbibed a few of these aspects - but the point is it didn't come naturally to me. I guess I was pre-disposed to trust people. I use the past tense because once you become a parent yourself - you also become a cynic of everything (but that's a subject for a different day)...

I've realised that street smartness is heavily genetic, some of us have it, the rest of us have to work darned hard to get it...

But how do we figure out what we have ? 

It comes down to the understanding of two terms - 

Wikipedia defines Intelligence as follows :
 "Intelligence has been defined in many different ways including, but not limited to, abstract thought, understanding, self-awareness, communication, reasoning, learning, having emotional knowledge, retaining, planning, and problem solving."

But in the real world - Intelligence is simply understanding the system - the matrix - and acting according to it's specifications. 
For eg. - an intelligent movie maker would rather rip-off than try and be auteur as it makes 'business sense'

Wikipedia defines Intellect as follows :
Intellect is a term used in studies of the human mind, and refers to the ability of the mind to come to correct conclusions about what is true or real, and about how to solve problems. 
Historically the term comes from the Greek philosophical term nous, which was translated into Latin as intellectus (derived from the verb intelligere) and into French (and then English) as intelligence.

That definition makes it sound like Intelligence was derived from Intellect..

However an Intelligent Person and an Intellectual couldn't be more different (they sometime reside within the same person..)
An Intelligent person sizes up his environment, understands what it's flaws and strengths are, realizes it's futile to evaluate and judge and toe's it's line while exploiting it's loop holes. Cynics may call that selling out - but the Intelligent man scoffs at cynics as he knows their words can't hurt him. An intelligent man is happy with his life in the matrix.
An Intellectual on the other hand is the exact anti thesis in behavior, he analyzes the system deeply and is scathing in criticism or abundant in praise. He isn't overawed by the matrix.

The intellectual is Morpheus, Neo
The intelligent person is Cypher

It's also largely believed that 
The intellectual is Tesla
The intelligent person is Edison

But you get the picture..

Random observations on the categories over the years :

• It takes an intelligent man to be successful, but it takes an intellectual to shape the future and define epoch's.
• The easiest way to create some frustration would be to force fit an intellectual to be intelligent all the time.
• One of the biggest positive effect of a good economy is that people who belong to both categories can do well and even flourish.  
• It's imperative that we are not one or the other, but both. However it's equally important to understand the percentages. 

 As for me - I'd rather try and figure out why certain auto drivers end up being the scums of the earth while some others are courteous and decent. With some luck - I may even come up with a Malcom Gladwell like analysis..