Social Are intelligence and happiness tied together in any way? If you are highly intelligent, is it more likely that you’ll be more, or less happy?

If you are highly intelligent, is it more likely that you’ll be more, or less happy?

  • Total voters
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To slightly rephrase the signature I have had on Sherdog for over two decades:

Smart people tend to be unhappy.
Being unhappy does not make you smart.
The world is full of idiots.

...seemed appropriate.
 
From what I recall there was a study on intelligent people which found that they were more likely to be emotionally well-rounded than average. The stereotype that if you're intelligent that means you're socially inept is just that, a cultural stereotype, it's not true statistically.

The "idiot savant" stereotype is also generally untrue. All facets of intelligence (g factor) are highly correlated with one another. For example if someone has high verbal intelligence, chances are they also have high or fairly high spatial abilities, reasoning skills, working memory, and so on. That doesn't mean that there can't be someone outside of the norm that scores high on one facet of intelligence, but low on all the others, but that's very rare.

There were also studies on the relationship between intelligence and happiness. I don't recall the details but the bottom line is that past a certain point of intelligence you're more likely to be unhappy. Why? Because you can't relate to people around you; they feel stupid and annoying to you. Imagine that you're having to deal with world depicted in the movie Idiocracy, because that's what society could feel like for a genius. The basket of people (i.e. people with similarly high intelligence) with whom you can relate is very small. It's harder to find friends at your level, find conversation partners, find a partner at your level, and so on.
 
Takes_Two_To_Tango said:
I find that when you are highly intelligent academically, you end up losing something or missing some other skill like social skills for example.

I think if you are a obsessive analyzer keen observer of life, you're going to go bonkers, because your hypersensitivity and the amount of info you are processing is through the roof.

I believe people who super intelligent, may tend to be less happy than people with average intelligence. I could be wrong though.

Do you think people who are highly intelligent are more happier or less happy in the long run?

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I think it's unrelated.

As for the intelligent people who think that they're unhappy because of it, the truth is, they're not as intelligent as they think they are. That's the real cause of their unhappiness.
 
Wow, nobody pinged the smartest man on Sherdog for his opinion.

As an intelligent person, It's easy to look at the world in a cynical manner. The world is becoming a dump, we're destroying ecosystems and tainting the planet with our toxic products. Most people live in poverty as well. Ask yourself, have we done a good job as a species to protect the planet and raise the standard of living? In my view, we've done a terrible job. When you try to theorize all of the possible outcomes we could have had, and where we could have been as a species if we did things differently, it becomes clear that we haven't taken a great path. Our selfish nature is a burden to our progress, through the systems we created that incentivize the negative human aspects like greed.

However, being intelligent also allows you to see the beauty of the world. The complex design which can also bring absolute joy, happiness and love. The intricate connection between all things and how every action effects our future. The universe requires balance. Good and evil, right and wrong, and it's because of this ubiquitous balancing act that all spectrums of existence are available to us. We can't experience the highest of the highs without the lowest of the lows.

The world is a deadly, unforgiving, brutal place, but it can also be paradise, because we have the ability to make that happen.

Happiness is a mindset, it's up to us to bring happiness to ourselves and others.
 
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Renard said:
There were also studies on the relationship between intelligence and happiness. I don't recall the details but the bottom line is that past a certain point of intelligence you're more likely to be unhappy. Why? Because you can't relate to people around you; they feel stupid and annoying to you. Imagine that you're having to deal with world depicted in the movie Idiocracy, because that's what society could feel like for a genius. The basket of people (i.e. people with similarly high intelligence) with whom you can relate is very small. It's harder to find friends at your level, find conversation partners, find a partner at your level, and so on.
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This was definitely the case for my dad who used to work on the design & engineering of nuclear reactors & power plants. He'd often say that his work was the only place where he could actually have an intelligent conversation, and that being around the general public often felt like dealing with a bunch of moronic children. He also called me a moron a lot until I got a university scholarship, but that's another story.
 
probably personality more than not.

I'm technically a high intelligent person (software engineer), and I work towards goals that bring me happiness.... my goal in life is to travel a lot and the wife provides lots of sex. I'm a simple man.

I dont pretend to know everything, dont care to, as long as I can get enough funds to move around, then all is good. My wife is going through the get rich phase, and it's whatever, honestly have way more money than we need I think, but it's better than shopping all day. I think it's good for our kids to learn some tricks of finances/work/grind.

I cant stand micromanaging, so maybe it's behavioral, and generally an optimist.
 
Renard said:
From what I recall there was a study on intelligent people which found that they were more likely to be emotionally well-rounded than average. The stereotype that if you're intelligent that means you're socially inept is just that, a cultural stereotype, it's not true statistically.

The "idiot savant" stereotype is also generally untrue. All facets of intelligence (g factor) are highly correlated with one another. For example if someone has high verbal intelligence, chances are they also have high or fairly high spatial abilities, reasoning skills, working memory, and so on. That doesn't mean that there can't be someone outside of the norm that scores high on one facet of intelligence, but low on all the others, but that's very rare.

There were also studies on the relationship between intelligence and happiness. I don't recall the details but the bottom line is that past a certain point of intelligence you're more likely to be unhappy. Why? Because you can't relate to people around you; they feel stupid and annoying to you. Imagine that you're having to deal with world depicted in the movie Idiocracy, because that's what society could feel like for a genius. The basket of people (i.e. people with similarly high intelligence) with whom you can relate is very small. It's harder to find friends at your level, find conversation partners, find a partner at your level, and so on.
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by definition, an "idiot savant" is someone with autistic behaviors, wont have a lot of friends by being autistic (too blunt for most), but can still be very happy. What they show on the outside is not exactly how they feel.
 
JoeyJoeJoeJr said:
Wow, nobody pinged the smartest man on Sherdog for his opinion.

As an intelligent person, It's easy to look at the world in a cynical manner. The world is becoming a dump, we're destroying ecosystems and tainting the planet with our toxic products. Most people live in poverty as well. Ask yourself, have we done a good job as a species to protect the planet and raise the standard of living? In my view, we've done a terrible job. When you try to theorize all of the possible outcomes we could have had, and where we could have been as a species if we did things differently, it becomes clear that we haven't taken a great path. Our selfish nature is a burden to our progress, through the systems we created that incentivize the negative human aspects like greed.

However, being intelligent also allows you to see the beauty of the world. The complex design which can also bring absolute joy, happiness and love. The intricate connection between all things and how every action effects our future. The universe requires balance. Good and evil, right and wrong, and it's because of this ubiquitous balancing act that all spectrums of existence are available to us. We can't experience the highest of the highs without the lowest of the lows.

The world is a deadly, unforgiving, brutal place, but it can also be paradise, because we have the ability to make that happen.

Happiness is a mindset, it's up to us to bring happiness to ourselves and others.
Click to expand...
3224372_c4nwlgqxkx9f9j6_full.jpeg
 
My father was extremely smart, but also very mentally unstable
Made him a bit of a monster
 
Here in Asia the higher IQ countries have higher suicide rates...

While lower IQ countries like Philippines are reportedly happier
 
It depends on life circumstances and despite IQ, people can be effected by trauma or positive experiences that can make them either cynical or an optimist. That being said, this thread reminds me of Frank Grimes who was a genius and much smarter than Homer but he was extremely unlucky and also had a traumatic upbringing.


Happiness I feel is more about emotional impact. If you are going through life facing failure, rejection or ending up in an abusive environment will reduce your happiness. The opposite is true, you go through life finding amazing friends, romantic partners, perfect job opportunities and are surrounded by joy , you most likely experience happiness.


I have a friend who is extremely handsome like a young Christian Bale, built like a Greek God without going to the gym and is naturally good at boxing. He has a personality of a golden retriever. Similar to Sage Northcutt. They both also come from great family and neighborhood.
 
Probably not, at least within the "average to highly intelligent" range. Actually intellectually disabled people tend to have less responsibility/stress and seem to be amused by simpler and more easily attainable things, but your culture probably has more to do with being miserable than your level of intelligence. Plus, most bummy malcontents think they're smart when they're just mediocre and miserable.

The most miserable people aren't that intelligent, nor are the most intelligent people particularly miserable. The super intelligent person who's just too smart to be happy is the same kind of thing that caught on where a lot of people believed(or do believe) that serial killers are all a bunch of geniuses, when really there were a couple that had high IQs and most of them are borderline retarded.
 
nostradumbass said:
Probably not, at least within the "average to highly intelligent" range. Actually intellectually disabled people tend to have less responsibility/stress and seem to be amused by simpler and more easily attainable things, but your culture probably has more to do with being miserable than your level of intelligence. Plus, most bummy malcontents think they're smart when they're just mediocre and miserable.

The most miserable people aren't that intelligent, nor are the most intelligent people particularly miserable. The super intelligent person who's just too smart to be happy is the same kind of thing that caught on where a lot of people believed(or do believe) that serial killers are all a bunch of geniuses, when really there were a couple that had high IQs and most of them are borderline retarded.
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I think you are right for the most part

However effective communication range is a real thing. I think that could potentially be an even stronger factor in being unhappy rather than "being aware the world is imperfect" as it could lead to isolation.
 
d0g said:
What's funny is unhappy people trying to convince themselves it's because they are smarter than everybody else. If you are really that intelligent, you would find a way to fix most of your problems and the things that make you unhappy in life
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Intelligent people search for solutions through education and soon realize that there isn't any way to fix the problems.
d0g said:
A quick google search and I find things like this:

"New research suggests that IQ leads to greater well-being by enabling one to acquire the financial and educational means necessary to live a better life"

"“Results: Happiness is significantly associated with IQ. Those in the lowest IQ range (70-99) reported the lowest levels of happiness compared with the highest IQ group (120-129).(...)"

"People with lower intelligence are more likely to be unhappy than their brighter colleagues, according to UK researchers."
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Education and money don't lead to happiness. Many people who achieve wealth and recognition often search for happiness in alcohol or drugs and end up dying in the process.
 
d0g said:
A quick google search and I find things like this:

"New research suggests that IQ leads to greater well-being by enabling one to acquire the financial and educational means necessary to live a better life"

"“Results: Happiness is significantly associated with IQ. Those in the lowest IQ range (70-99) reported the lowest levels of happiness compared with the highest IQ group (120-129).(...)"

"People with lower intelligence are more likely to be unhappy than their brighter colleagues, according to UK researchers."
Click to expand...
Do these UK researchers realize that the IQ range doesn't end at 129, and that the people at 129 are in fact smarter than most but not quite gifted/mensa level? The IQ test itself can't measure all aspects of intelligence either so there's that....
 
Gomi1977 said:
Can really fuck up developing social skills as well. My perception of life, at five, was so vastly different from all the other five year olds, that I became completely isolated. I mean, what five year old obsesses over death and the universe, and always has his head buried in a book, instead of wanting to kick a ball or play chase or some other nonsense, useless game? It wasn't until I was 15, 16 till I came across someone of a same age who shared my world view and obsessions.
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Obsesses over death? I tried to stab multiple people when I was 5.
You're over there reading about, while im fuckin doing it.
Fuckin nerd.
 
ralphc1 said:
Intelligent people search for solutions through education and soon realize that there isn't any way to fix the problems.
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On the upside: they are typically capable of rationalising that exerting emotional effort on something that is beyond their control is pointless, so stop caring.

It's still far better than those midwits who think that they can affect some great change upon the world if they just care more and activist harder... not realising that all they are achieving is wasting their lives and making themselves miserable in the process.
 
How the world is now, I'd say you'd be less happy the more intelligent you are.

If you're an idiot, you'll fit right in.
 
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