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Are Highly Intelligent People Inherently Cruel?
- Thread starter Cooky
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QuestioningMind
Well-Known Member
Interesting and original post.
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...
I suspect that's true to an extent with most people, in that whatever a person is most gifted or interested in is what they tend to also value and seek out in others. People who are into physical fitness tend to want to compete with other people who are physically fit and value being physically fir above most other things. Just like musicians value others with musical talent, etc.
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...
Again, I'd say you also have bodybuilders who admit they don't like to workout with people they deem less fit and musicians who admit they'd prefer not to play with less skilled musicians.
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 don't think anyone should 'write-off' people with lesser intelligence, since there are many different types of intelligence. But I certainly don't think there's any evidence that people considered highly intelligent by IQ standards are anymore inherently cruel than any other group of people. So you shouldn't fear the world being filled with highly intelligent people. What you should fear is the world being filled with inherently cruel people, regardless of their intelligence.
QuestioningMind
Well-Known Member
Very sad, but true.
Not what I've found. But im not american
...um ...er... Does anyone know what thread this is? I just now forgot.
Erebus
Well-Known Member
I don't believe that high intelligence indicates a greater tendency towards cruelty. Some of the most arrogant, spiteful people I've known have also been pretty dim. That's not to say the reverse is true either mind you. Some people are just unpleasant.
I've found that when somebody is highly knowledgeable in a given area, they often enjoy sharing that knowledge. They're typically happy to simplify things to make them more easily digestible if needed.* I'll admit though that this is one area where communication skills vary and is potentially a source of frustration for all involved.
However, arrogance and dismissiveness tend to annoy people who know what they're talking about. There are very few areas in which I consider myself reasonably knowledgeable so it's certainly annoying when somebody doesn't appreciate my genius!
*Except for people who know a lot about computers. I don't know why but every IT geek I've encountered in person has been utterly incapable of dumbing things down for us luddites. Some of them take an active delight in seeing my neolithic brow furrow in panic as they begin speaking in what amounts to a foreign language.
I've found that when somebody is highly knowledgeable in a given area, they often enjoy sharing that knowledge. They're typically happy to simplify things to make them more easily digestible if needed.* I'll admit though that this is one area where communication skills vary and is potentially a source of frustration for all involved.
However, arrogance and dismissiveness tend to annoy people who know what they're talking about. There are very few areas in which I consider myself reasonably knowledgeable so it's certainly annoying when somebody doesn't appreciate my genius!
*Except for people who know a lot about computers. I don't know why but every IT geek I've encountered in person has been utterly incapable of dumbing things down for us luddites. Some of them take an active delight in seeing my neolithic brow furrow in panic as they begin speaking in what amounts to a foreign language.
Shadow Wolf
Certified People sTabber & Business Owner
This thread is a fine example of all the lies, myths, and general crap believe about intelligent people.
So far as I know, there doesn't appear to be any discernible correlation between IQ and a person's lack of moral fibre.
Some of the smartest individuals I've encountered in my life have also proved to be the kindest and most caring people I know.
I think in particular of a guy I would consider rather intimidatingly bright: at a very young age, in his early twenties, he already had a first-class degree, an LLM with distinction from Oxford University and - in addition to his own legal qualification to practise in his native Singapore - had breezed through the New York bar exam.
He had the most magnificent verbal reasoning, problem-solving and just general cognitive skills I've come across - his essays were positively Aristotelian in terms of their structure and content, yet pared with an explanatory power of expression that might have impressed a prose-stylist.
For all of this, if you actually met him in person, you'd think he was just cute as a button. He comes across rather innocent, naive and with that kind of charming level of very mild social awkwardness, added to which he's invariably the first to help you out if you happen to find yourself in a real pickle.
On the other hand, I've also encountered another class of people who have more in the way of "superficial charm" than they actually possess in demonstrable brain capacity. These are the kinds of folks I don't like and I guess you could say that some of them have moderately sociopathic tendencies. They're the type who often use those around them with possibly greater acumen and intellect (but who are more liable to hide their light under a bushel), only to end up coming away with the prize and pushing themselves up the pedigree chart, so to speak, because they have more physicality and self-confidence.
Their skill set lies chiefly in being naturally charismatic leaders and having this enormous, boundless drive to succeed at any cost, along with the willingness to take risks that many other, more discriminating, persons feel wise to avoid.
Occasionally, I've come across personality types that seem to combine the first type of person (I'll dub "the intellectual") with the more benign qualities of the latter and I guess such individuals would make effective political leaders (i.e. drive and charm matched by their idealistic visions and social conscience).
Some of the smartest individuals I've encountered in my life have also proved to be the kindest and most caring people I know.
I think in particular of a guy I would consider rather intimidatingly bright: at a very young age, in his early twenties, he already had a first-class degree, an LLM with distinction from Oxford University and - in addition to his own legal qualification to practise in his native Singapore - had breezed through the New York bar exam.
He had the most magnificent verbal reasoning, problem-solving and just general cognitive skills I've come across - his essays were positively Aristotelian in terms of their structure and content, yet pared with an explanatory power of expression that might have impressed a prose-stylist.
For all of this, if you actually met him in person, you'd think he was just cute as a button. He comes across rather innocent, naive and with that kind of charming level of very mild social awkwardness, added to which he's invariably the first to help you out if you happen to find yourself in a real pickle.
On the other hand, I've also encountered another class of people who have more in the way of "superficial charm" than they actually possess in demonstrable brain capacity. These are the kinds of folks I don't like and I guess you could say that some of them have moderately sociopathic tendencies. They're the type who often use those around them with possibly greater acumen and intellect (but who are more liable to hide their light under a bushel), only to end up coming away with the prize and pushing themselves up the pedigree chart, so to speak, because they have more physicality and self-confidence.
Their skill set lies chiefly in being naturally charismatic leaders and having this enormous, boundless drive to succeed at any cost, along with the willingness to take risks that many other, more discriminating, persons feel wise to avoid.
Occasionally, I've come across personality types that seem to combine the first type of person (I'll dub "the intellectual") with the more benign qualities of the latter and I guess such individuals would make effective political leaders (i.e. drive and charm matched by their idealistic visions and social conscience).
Yup. To all appearances, it is also a thinly disguised attempt to promote some of those lies, myths, and crap too. Spread the good cheer around a bit, you know. But who cares? The world's never going to be perfect, and the thread has some good jokes in it. Dan got off a really good one about rabbits multiplying like MAD.
Yup. To all appearances, it is also a thinly disguised attempt to promote some of those lies, myths, and crap too. Spread the good cheer around a bit, you know. But who cares? The world's never going to be perfect, and the thread has some good jokes in it. Dan got off a really good one about rabbits multiplying like MAD.
We can always prop up this side - not that they need it.
10+ Jokes That Only Intellectuals Will Understand
We can always prop up this side - not that they need it.
10+ Jokes That Only Intellectuals Will Understand
I love them! Thanks so much for posting those!
Why am I suddenly feeling envy?
exchemist
Veteran Member
It can certainly be justifiable, but only on a case by case basis. Some unintelligent people are wonderful human beings. The girl I grew up next door to proved to be one. Hopeless academically, simple-minded opinions, terrible choice(s) of husbands, but a lovely and caring person without an ounce of malice in her, and in her day a talented ballet dancer. On the other hand, I once had the misfortune to work, for a while, for an impenetrably stupid boss (from Kansas
), who I wrote off completely, though I still had to manage him, as he was the boss! It was the second-worst period of my career.wellwisher
Well-Known Member
In terms of psychological functions, intellect and emotion are opposites. By being opposite, one of these two will tend to dominate the other. One become more developed compared to the other. Mr Spock from Star Trek, was an exaggerated example of someone who he was pure intellect, with minimal emotional development and rapport. The result was cold intellect but little skill in maintaining a warm emotional rapport. This slant can result in not playing the emotional games very well, which can come across as cold, distant or even cruel.
An emotionally centered person, can say you look nice in your new outfit, even if it is not true. To the emotional centric person, it is less about factual content and more about creating the proper social emotional ambiance. This type of person could come across as being two faced or dishonest to the intellectual. They would prefer stick wth the facts, which may not make that same person feel welcome. The facts may seem cold or cruel, since they are not massaging the facts to create nice feelings.
A good example of both affects would be friendly older couples at a party, where the men and women segregate so they can catch up with the members of the same sex. Some women will talk behind the backs of the other women, but will be very pleasant to their face. This is based on an emotional approach ,which is trying to maintain a peaceful social ambiance. The intellectual male is often made uneasy, by the lack of honesty.
The men, if they have a grudge or disagreement, will often confront each other with the facts.This can creative tension leading to arguments. Men are not typically emotional centered, but will try to use an intellectual approach; facts without regard to emotional needs. The men may talk about the sports score statistics, which leads to friendly conflict with others, who choose a different team. There is no concern about feelings, if the facts add up. Reality comes before social fantasy.
Since emotions and intellect are opposite, a strongly intellectual person will have an underdeveloped emotional side, while the strongly emotional person will have an underdeveloped intellectual side. The under developed sides will often come across as more primate or infantile. The Intellectuals may argue philosophy in complex ways, but get overlay emotional during the exchange, to where a fight breaks out. While the emotional person may be able to charm the party, but they will depend too much on prestige of the status quo to explain themselves, while glossing over support logic.
The line between the two used to male and female but culture has attempted to make men more emotional and females more intellectual. However, psychological functions are not a choice but is part of one's innate makeup. This is useful for developing the weaker hand, but it has also led to less development in the naturally stronger function.
A mutant hybrid seems to have developed, where the intellectual uses emotions, as intellectual tool defined by culture, while still having infantile or primitive emotions; Liberal. They can be warm and fuzzy when needed, but two faced to the facts as a way of intellectual strategy, such as the inconsistency in reporting similar news such as Biden and his sexual allegations.
An emotionally centered person, can say you look nice in your new outfit, even if it is not true. To the emotional centric person, it is less about factual content and more about creating the proper social emotional ambiance. This type of person could come across as being two faced or dishonest to the intellectual. They would prefer stick wth the facts, which may not make that same person feel welcome. The facts may seem cold or cruel, since they are not massaging the facts to create nice feelings.
A good example of both affects would be friendly older couples at a party, where the men and women segregate so they can catch up with the members of the same sex. Some women will talk behind the backs of the other women, but will be very pleasant to their face. This is based on an emotional approach ,which is trying to maintain a peaceful social ambiance. The intellectual male is often made uneasy, by the lack of honesty.
The men, if they have a grudge or disagreement, will often confront each other with the facts.This can creative tension leading to arguments. Men are not typically emotional centered, but will try to use an intellectual approach; facts without regard to emotional needs. The men may talk about the sports score statistics, which leads to friendly conflict with others, who choose a different team. There is no concern about feelings, if the facts add up. Reality comes before social fantasy.
Since emotions and intellect are opposite, a strongly intellectual person will have an underdeveloped emotional side, while the strongly emotional person will have an underdeveloped intellectual side. The under developed sides will often come across as more primate or infantile. The Intellectuals may argue philosophy in complex ways, but get overlay emotional during the exchange, to where a fight breaks out. While the emotional person may be able to charm the party, but they will depend too much on prestige of the status quo to explain themselves, while glossing over support logic.
The line between the two used to male and female but culture has attempted to make men more emotional and females more intellectual. However, psychological functions are not a choice but is part of one's innate makeup. This is useful for developing the weaker hand, but it has also led to less development in the naturally stronger function.
A mutant hybrid seems to have developed, where the intellectual uses emotions, as intellectual tool defined by culture, while still having infantile or primitive emotions; Liberal. They can be warm and fuzzy when needed, but two faced to the facts as a way of intellectual strategy, such as the inconsistency in reporting similar news such as Biden and his sexual allegations.
I am not a raving computer nerd but i do know a lot about computers, i needed more than basic knowledge in my business. My mind also seems more amenable to digital thinking than analogue.
I do think you are right about dumbing down though. But there are reasons.
An acronym is easier than reeling off the full name. But even a full name is beyond many people. And to understand the meaning of an acronym you need to know what it means.
Much of the electronics uses quantum principals, also difficult to explain to those with no knowledge of quantum mechanics.
To dumb it down you wind up with something along the lines of. The thing migrated across the thing to charge the thing.
I might have agreed with you some years back but having regained some emotionality in my life from being more rationally minded I can't see it this way. I think there is a tendency for many to drift into the more rational areas and perhaps leave the emotions behind but this is not necessarily the case if one remains firmly grounded and observes how one deals with all that one comes across. Such that it is quite possible to switch between modes as required, and which then is never detrimental to either, where such is appropriate. I think that such people, who I would suggest are fully integrated, would have the same responses as most others to emotional events but they might raise the bar when required for that which did need more intensive thought.
Me social difficulties are bad enuf with out be'n a unibrow!
Sp0ckrates
Member
It’s a theme in modern American culture (e.g., Sheldon Cooper).
But then, there are people with high IQs who have a genuine concern for those less blessed with intelligence or opportunities than themselves (e.g., Bill Gates), so...
There was a young lady named Wright.We can always prop up this side - not that they need it.
10+ Jokes That Only Intellectuals Will Understand
As she neared a speed close to light
when she ate her dinner
she then became thinner,
but kept her original height.
The smartest person I know on RF isn't an academic.
Reasoning & knowledge are the symptoms.
Fixed.
It's my demographic...spell it correctly!