[darkerside]

Smart people also realize the world isn't perfect, and it wasn't before we were here either. In a world where long term outcomes have infinite factors taking actions with short term benefits is rational because there is no control or impact over the long term effects.

That is obviously not totally true, but I think probabilistically speaking, it's _somewhat_ true.

[TchoBeer]

So the defining feature of intelligence is that the truly smart take actions with short term benefits at the cost of long term detriments?

[darkerside]

Close. Smart people are _willing_ to take actions with short term benefits at the cost of long term detriments.

Smart people understand that there are multiple correct answers to the same problem depending on what timeframe you are operating under, and that the long timeframe is less controllable.