Thursday, February 21, 2013

Clever vs. Cunning


Clever (adj.)- 1. Mentally quick and original; bright 2. Exhibiting quick-wittedness

Cunning (adj.)- 1. Marked by or given to artful subtlety and deceptiveness 2. Skill in deception; guile 3.  Skill or adeptness in execution or performance; dexterity

Clever vs. cunning is like smart vs. sneaky. Both involve quick-thinking but are used for different reasons. If you want to take it to the extreme it is like good vs. evil. Clever is finding a way to “work smarter, not harder”. Cunning is finding a way to get out of work or use short-cuts. When I think of clever I think of original, creative people; cunning brings to mind criminals and politicians. I would rather be thought of as clever than cunning. 

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