Definition:
Gullibility is a failure of social intelligence in which a person is easily tricked or manipulated into an ill-advised course of action. It is closely related to credulity, which is the tendency to believe unlikely propositions that are unsupported by evidence
Classes of people especially vulnerable to exploitation due to gullibility include children, the elderly, and the developmentally disabled.(wikipedia)
Note the following points:
A.The key elements of social intelligence:
1. Verbal Fluency and Conversational Skills. You can easily spot someone with lots of SI at a party or social gathering because he or she knows how to “work the room.” The highly socially intelligent person can carry on conversations with a wide variety of people, and is tactful and appropriate in what is said. Combined, these represent what are called “social expressiveness skills.”
2. Knowledge of Social Roles, Rules, and Scripts. Socially intelligent individuals learn how to play various social roles. They are also well versed in the informal rules, or “norms,” that govern social interaction. In other words, they “know how to play the game” of social interaction. As a result, they come off as socially sophisticated and wise.
3. Effective Listening Skills. Socially intelligent persons are great listeners. As a result, others come away from an interaction with an SI person feeling as if they had a good “connection” with him or her.
4. Understanding What Makes Other People Tick. Great people watchers, individuals high in social intelligence attune themselves to what others are saying, and how they are behaving, in order to try to “read” what the other person is thinking or feeling. Understanding emotions is part of Emotional Intelligence, and Social Intelligence and Emotional Intelligence are correlated – people who are especially skilled are high on both.
5. Role Playing and Social Self-Efficacy. The socially intelligent person knows how to play different social roles – allowing him or her to feel comfortable with all types of people. As a result, the SI individual feels socially self-confident and effective – what psychologists call “social self-efficacy.”
6. Impression Management Skills. Persons with SI are concerned with the impression they are making on others. They engage in what I call the “Dangerous Art of Impression Management,” which is a delicate balance between managing and controlling the image you portray to others and being reasonably “authentic” and letting others see the true self. This is perhaps the most complex element of social intelligence.
The Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.w. and His followers were traders, commanding armies, females were nurses ,doctors etc. They were good fathers,wives,husbands,daughters and sons.So how could you say they were a failure at social intelligence?
Muslims and many of the practicing followers of many other religions as well, are doctors,engineers,successful businessmen, craftsmen, good in their profession as well as their social lives,How come you mention them as socially failed?
B.Easily tricked or manipulated?
The believer is mentioned to be WISE.
Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudri reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said, “Beware of the wisdom of the believer. Verily, he sees with the light of Allah.” Then the Prophet recited the verse, “Verily, in that are signs for those of discernment.” (15:75)
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 3127
Reasoning and using logic is greatly recommended in Holy Quran.
Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and earth, and the alternation of the night and the day, and the [great] ships which sail through the sea with that which benefits people, and what Allah has sent down from the heavens of rain, giving life thereby to the earth after its lifelessness and dispersing therein every [kind of] moving creature, and [His] directing of the winds and the clouds controlled between the heaven and the earth are signs for a people who use reason.(2:164)
So,a wise person using logic and reasoning abilities would not be gullible,at least any Muslim.
C.The classes specially vulnerable are disabled,elderly and children:
The practicing followers of most of the religions are HEALTHY AND YOUNG ADULTS,not the disabled,elderly or children.
