Are Highly Intelligent People Inherently Cruel?

[Dan From Smithville]

I also had a friend who didn't know anything on anything, yet, could tell whether a person was having a good or bad day even if they tried to hide it.

Good at reading people. A useful ability for anyone.

Intelligence is a subject that has interested me for years. There are people that are considered geniuses and have knowledge of a variety of subjects and there are those that have a very specific genius it seems. Some are not very practically minded while others can readily apply their ideas to practical use. It is not something that is as easily defined as we would like.

I often think of intelligence and smart as two different aspects of cognition. As I see it, intelligence is general knowledge, understanding and discernment of abstraction, and pattern recognition. While smart is the ability to apply those things. A very intelligent person can often not be so smart and a very smart person does not necessarily have to be of high order intelligence.

 

[PoetPhilosopher]

Good at reading people. A useful ability for anyone.

Intelligence is a subject that has interested me for years. There are people that are considered geniuses and have knowledge of a variety of subjects and there are those that have a very specific genius it seems. Some are not very practically minded while others can readily apply their ideas to practical use. It is not something that is as easily defined as we would like.

I often think of intelligence and smart as two different aspects of cognition. As I see it, intelligence is general knowledge, understanding and discernment of abstraction, and pattern recognition. While smart is the ability to apply those things. A very intelligent person can often not be so smart and a very smart person does not necessarily have to be of high order intelligence.

Also, high IQ doesn't necessarily result in being say, a better quarterback when playing football. It seems for that, an average IQ, quickness with the hands, and the ability to follow orders is best. Even though there are things about football that in theory, could be better with a higher IQ, but just in theory really.

 

[Dan From Smithville]

Intelligent people tend to treat others the same way they wish to be treated, IMHO. They can recognize sentimentalities for what they and what their place should be in the greater scheme of things.

I think it shows good judgment to follow that rule. Though, I consider the ability to recognize conditions where responding in kind can be an intelligent application.

 

[PoetPhilosopher]

I hope you've never felt that way about me.

You're fine. I remember last year I started a birthday thread for you. I don't start those for every last member.

 

[Dan From Smithville]

Also, high IQ doesn't necessarily result in being say, a better quarterback when playing football. It seems for that, an average IQ, quickness with the hands, and the ability to follow orders is best. Even though there are things about football that in theory, could be better with a higher IQ, but just in theory really.

I agree. There is more to success than intelligence alone. While it is certainly of value itself, considering others on the basis of intelligence alone is one dimensional and can lead to flawed, myopic conclusions.

 

[Dan From Smithville]

There is a myth that many serial killers were so successful at avoiding detection or capture by authorities, because they were highly intelligent. The reality is that most are average or of low intelligence and succeed largely, because they have no visible or direct connection to their victims. Most killings occur in some sort of known or knowable relationship. Where none exists, there is little or no evidence to establish the connections necessary to solving the crime.

There are a lot of myths about intelligence.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

No, I am not cruel. And, no, we dont go around writing people off becausr they dont have as high of an intelligence. Some do, but its cruel itself to think we are all like that.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

There is a myth that many serial killers were so successful at avoiding detection or capture by authorities, because they were highly intelligent. The reality is that most are average or of low intelligence and succeed largely, because they have no visible or direct connection to their victims. Most killings occur in some sort of known or knowable relationship. Where none exists, there is little or no evidence to establish the connections necessary to solving the crime.

There are a lot of myths about intelligence.

One, I forget who, only got caught because he was pulled over by police and had a headless bidy riding in the passanger seat. Not too smart.

 

[Sunstone]

MAD also means mean absolute deviation

Deviate? You called?

 

[Sunstone]

I have been in large meetings where a reasonably intelligent person is addressing highly intelligent people. Imagine being a non-technical speaker to a room full of scientists. I have seen instances where it is like watching a loan enemy soldier in a room full of marksmen. But it was not malicious. Members of a scientific audience ask questions all the time for a living and can come up with a lot of them in looking for answers. No one was trying to destroy the speaker or demean them. People just came up with very good questions and wanted very good answers.

As I have grown older, I have learned to say, "I don't know", and not be embarrassed by it.

 

[Sunstone]

No, I am not cruel. And, no, we dont go around writing people off becausr they dont have as high of an intelligence. Some do, but its cruel itself to think we are all like that.

True. Very true. But also very human to be unfair and cruel to people who scare you.

 

[PoetPhilosopher]

Deviate? You called?

Surely you aren't a deviant. All those missing Amish forum members simply erased themselves.

 

[Sunstone]

Good at reading people. A useful ability for anyone.

Intelligence is a subject that has interested me for years. There are people that are considered geniuses and have knowledge of a variety of subjects and there are those that have a very specific genius it seems. Some are not very practically minded while others can readily apply their ideas to practical use. It is not something that is as easily defined as we would like.

I often think of intelligence and smart as two different aspects of cognition. As I see it, intelligence is general knowledge, understanding and discernment of abstraction, and pattern recognition. While smart is the ability to apply those things. A very intelligent person can often not be so smart and a very smart person does not necessarily have to be of high order intelligence.

How do you think intelligence correlates with wisdom, if it correlates at all?

 

[Sunstone]

Surely you aren't a deviant. All those missing Amish forum members simply erased themselves.

LOL! Good one!

There's an Amish custom. When you turn 15 (I think), you get to go wild for a year or two. There's a name for the period, but I forget it. At any rate, the idea is you need to explore your wild side before you can make an informed decision about whether you want to wholly commit to living the rest of your life within the confines of Amish morals and customs.

At any rate, I used to live near an Amish community, and there were rumors in my town that people driving along rural roads just after dark had on rare occasions come upon young Amish girls standing along the roadside trying to flag down motorists in order to get laid. I myself thought the rumors most likely had little or no substance to them. Just urban legends.

Of course, that didn't stop me from endlessly wandering through the Amish countryside nearly every night of the week for years. I mean, a boy can hope.

 

[Heyo]

“I'm not a psychopath, I'm a high-functioning sociopath. Do your research.”

― Steven Moffat, A Study In Pink

 

[Heyo]

Highly intelligent people are funny

Often but not necessary.
The reverse is more true, funny people are highly intelligent.
It takes some intellectual ability to see connections that other people don't. It takes some intellectual command of language to compose a pun or a witty saying.

 

[Heyo]

There is a myth that many serial killers were so successful at avoiding detection or capture by authorities, because they were highly intelligent. The reality is that most are average or of low intelligence and succeed largely, because they have no visible or direct connection to their victims. Most killings occur in some sort of known or knowable relationship. Where none exists, there is little or no evidence to establish the connections necessary to solving the crime.

There are a lot of myths about intelligence.

There is also some self selection going on. The least intelligent "serial" killers get caught before they get to their to their second victim.

 

[Heyo]

I've met people who are highly intelligent, and often they place the intelligence of people on a hightened level, as if the value of higher intelligence is what matters more than most other things in regards to people...

Sometimes, they will even admit that they don't like wasting their time speaking to or listening to those they deem less intelligent than them...

Other times, I fear what would happen if the world were filled with highly intelligent people.

...What is your opinion of those who write-off the less intelligent? Is it justifiable in your opinion? Why do they do it..?

What do you mean by "cruel"?
Highly intelligent people often get labelled as "cruel" or arrogant for being effective. No time for small talk.
Or are you referring to our ability to push emotions aside when they aren't helpful in solving a problem?
If you are only referring to those of us who only value intelligence, I'm with you. Those people may have a high IQ but they aren't very intelligent (or haven't yet directed their intelligence toward the question). I don't require my garbage collector to have a high IQ but I value his service.

 

[Sunstone]

There is also some self selection going on. The least intelligent "serial" killers get caught before they get to their to their second victim.

Many years ago, I had a friend who was a "cop". That's what Dave called himself. The truth was, he was a bit more than that. He worked for the Army Criminal Investigation Command. The CID. If you know anything about them, you know they are kind of like a combination police force / CIA / and FBI all rolled into one organization. Dave had done everything from investigate murders on the local Army base to fly into countries in stealth helicopters on black op missions. He was the closet person I have ever known to a real life James Bond, only he had none of the 'polished' looks, and didn't own even one tux.

At any rate, for a while back in the 80s, he got involved in serial killer cases. I don't know how that happened, but he ended up flying around the country helping out local law enforcement agencies with investigating the cases. One day, I got him to talking about it while we were painting his house together. I asked him how many serial killers were known or suspected to be active in the country.

"We have evidence for about 200 active serial killers."

"That's a lot", I said.

"I said we have evidence for about 200."

"What do you mean, Dave?"

"I mean we only know about the ones who are just getting started. The experienced ones do not leave evidence."

 

[Mock Turtle]

I've met people who are highly intelligent, and often they place the intelligence of people on a hightened level, as if the value of higher intelligence is what matters more than most other things in regards to people...

Sometimes, they will even admit that they don't like wasting their time speaking to or listening to those they deem less intelligent than them...

Other times, I fear what would happen if the world were filled with highly intelligent people.

...What is your opinion of those who write-off the less intelligent? Is it justifiable in your opinion? Why do they do it..?

I think it is a simple factor of the Bell curve, there being far fewer highly intelligent people, and it does tend to isolate one more than most, and especially where one might recognise better answers coming from other intelligent people but often ignored by the majority, within which one must live. Hence the nature alone tends to isolate one, even in a democracy, but where many probably will not be voting for those things most thought about but rather on just what affects them. That's just one example why they might be alienated from others - the others always being in a majority.

Also, many highly intelligent people might be using the rational part of their brain much of the time rather than the intuitive part (or more emotional part), and hence might come across as less feeling.

I've met some highly intelligent people, and most to me didn't have the arrogance which is cited here. I think perhaps they would rather be conversing with others of similar intelligence, and have a chance of further learning, than not doing so, unless they enjoyed showing off their intelligence and possibly dominating others. Not met so many of them either, and they are easily spotted.

I'm sure it can be quite lonely being so highly intelligent, and fortunately I am not such, but I am sufficiently intelligent to understand how it might feel. I also think that anyone with sufficient intelligence is unlikely to place intelligence as having a higher value than many other qualities, especially when we see what such often brings to life. A few might, but not a majority.

And no, highly intelligent people are as just as likely to be cruel as any others.