Smart people + empathy

[PoetPhilosopher]

I was wondering... do people who are very smart often have problems processing empathy, ie proper understanding of others' feelings and emotions? Why or why not?

I'll save my thoughts or experiences for posting later, should any subjects brought up in this thread remind me of any specifics from my own life. If you have any questions for me regarding this subject, you can also ask me.

 

[an anarchist]

I was wondering... do people who are very smart often have problems processing empathy, ie proper understanding of others' feelings and emotions? Why or why not?

I think people who are intelligent are often aware they are intelligent. This could lead to a development of an ego which could hinder the empathy process. Like “I’m smart enough so I don’t need to consider other peoples feelings and thoughts in order to fully understand the situation”. This could be a subconscious thing.

 

[Meow Mix]

Well. This will probably appear vain, but I would probably be considered smart. I'm very empathetic, and I feel like I do a good job about understanding, predicting, and processing other peoples' emotions (as well as conveying my own). Just one bit of anecdotal evidence here though.

 

[PoetPhilosopher]

Well. This will probably appear vain, but I would probably be considered smart. I'm very empathetic, and I feel like I do a good job about understanding, predicting, and processing other peoples' emotions (as well as conveying my own). Just one bit of anecdotal evidence here though.

I usually believe people at their word, and this is no exception. But I do offer you a test, that you can take or ignore. It's:

What am I feeling right now?

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

How are you defining "smart"? College educated? Well, there's plenty of idiots with degrees.

 

[Meow Mix]

I usually believe people at their word, and this is no exception. But I do offer you a test, that you can take or ignore. It's:

What am I feeling right now?

I don’t have enough cues; I’m not claiming to be psychic

 

[SomeRandom]

I was wondering... do people who are very smart often have problems processing empathy, ie proper understanding of others' feelings and emotions? Why or why not?

I'll save my thoughts or experiences for posting later, should any subjects brought up in this thread remind me of any specifics from my own life. If you have any questions for me regarding this subject, you can also ask me.

Well, there’s intelligence relating to academia and then there’s emotional intelligence. Both can overlap of course. Some people have more in one category than the other.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

I was wondering... do people who are very smart often have problems processing empathy, ie proper understanding of others' feelings and emotions? Why or why not?

I'll save my thoughts or experiences for posting later, should any subjects brought up in this thread remind me of any specifics from my own life. If you have any questions for me regarding this subject, you can also ask me.

It's going to come down to how you define 'intelligence' I think...

 

[Revoltingest]

I dunno.

 

[Jeremiah Ames]

I was wondering... do people who are very smart often have problems processing empathy, ie proper understanding of others' feelings and emotions? Why or why not?

I'll save my thoughts or experiences for posting later, should any subjects brought up in this thread remind me of any specifics from my own life. If you have any questions for me regarding this subject, you can also ask me.

If the person sees themselves better than others because of their intelligence, or for any reason, empathy may be lacking.

 

[oldbadger]

I was wondering... do people who are very smart often have problems processing empathy, ie proper understanding of others' feelings and emotions? Why or why not?.

A high % of people with 'ability' can scorn those without, the scorn showing itself in many differing ways. And those with high IQs and in educational fast streams can show this lack of empathy in many ways.

This lack of empathy can be shown in various words that they write, speak and think, and here is one to show that:-..... 'Duh!'
You've even seen this written in a very few rf posts, I expect.

Ability can be a real snob......... why can't others get jobs?... why should we, the able, support the disabled? .... he left school at 15yrs, the loser!.... he flips burgers so definitely he's nobody....

But you'll find that the 'able' can tend to look down upon the 'disabled' in so many ways.

Sad

 

[Heyo]

I was wondering... do people who are very smart often have problems processing empathy, ie proper understanding of others' feelings and emotions? Why or why not?

I'll save my thoughts or experiences for posting later, should any subjects brought up in this thread remind me of any specifics from my own life. If you have any questions for me regarding this subject, you can also ask me.

Since people who are smart, usually are also smart in their ability to observe and evaluate human behaviour, they are usually more empathic, especially in childhood when the dependence from adults is essential. That can lead to the Drama of the Gifted Child. As a result some people later deny their ability to make themselves independent from the feelings of others. Others use their ability and become psychologists.

 

[It Aint Necessarily So]

do people who are very smart often have problems processing empathy, ie proper understanding of others' feelings and emotions?

Isn't it the other way around?

Look at America today. The lowest information crowds are the ones that vote for monsters, want to put up walls, want to walk the streets armed with assault weapons, don't care about your kid's safety in school, don't care if you don't want to deliver that fetus, and the like.

Who comprise the empathetic? Who are the people that care about other people? Who cares about LGBT rights and dignity? Who cares that all races are treated well? Who supports government that actually cares about people? Not MAGA. Look at how simple the most hateful of these people are.

 

[RestlessSoul]

I usually believe people at their word, and this is no exception. But I do offer you a test, that you can take or ignore. It's:

What am I feeling right now?

A bit sensitive?


You asked the question 5 hours ago though. Can you remember what you were feeling 5 hours ago?

 

[Twilight Hue]

How are you defining "smart"? College educated? Well, there's plenty of idiots with degrees.

Oh..

They just call those individuals idiot savants.

 

[Mock Turtle]

I think it is more down to how anyone processes their emotions and feelings as to how empathic they are and probably has little to do with intelligence - although it is possible that those who are more intellectually inclined might be so if they are more absorbed in reason and rationality as to interests, but this is not necessarily the case.

I know that during much of my life I would not have been seen as having much empathy but that is not the case now, and I observed the change some decades ago. For myself, it was most likely due to being more closed off and protective of myself after some early abuse, and where I was more naturally introverted anyway. The acceptance of pain and coping with such is perhaps the main thing that allows one to see this in others too, and hence to be more empathic. From my experiences at least.

 

[PureX]

How are you defining "smart"? College educated? Well, there's plenty of idiots with degrees.

You're confusing a degree with an education. You pay your money, you get your degree. That's not an education. It's just a waste of time and money that some stupid people are willing to engage in. There are plenty of idiots in the world with or without a degree.

As to intelligence and egotism, I've found that one must learn to control one's ego to able to learn properly. The ego wants to maintain the idea that we are right no matter what. And that's not very conducive to learning new things.

I would say the same about empathy. That developing empathy would be tangential to developing intelligence: an ability to learn from and about others.

 

[Revoltingest]

A high % of people with 'ability' can scorn those without, the scorn showing itself in many differing ways. And those with high IQs and in educational fast streams can show this lack of empathy in many ways.

This lack of empathy can be shown in various words that they write, speak and think, and here is one to show that:-..... 'Duh!'
You've even seen this written in a very few rf posts, I expect.

Ability can be a real snob......... why can't others get jobs?... why should we, the able, support the disabled? .... he left school at 15yrs, the loser!.... he flips burgers so definitely he's nobody....

But you'll find that the 'able' can tend to look down upon the 'disabled' in so many ways.

Sad

I observe that low ability types will also scorn the more
accomplished. Empathy is over-rated anyway...a little
goes a long way. But more can be the mind killer, & can
engender sanctimony towards us lesser folk.

 

[oldbadger]

I observe that low ability types will also scorn the more
accomplished. Empathy is over-rated anyway...a little
goes a long way. But more can be the mind killer, & can
engender sanctimony towards us lesser folk.

We used to 'av sanctimony back in them days if you was leggin' it from bailifs an' stuff. But wot wiv me bein' bright 'n' all, I does tend to look darn on yous types.

 

[Revoltingest]

We used to 'av sanctimony back in them days if you was leggin' it from bailifs an' stuff. But wot wiv me bein' bright 'n' all, I does tend to look darn on yous types.

Welcome to the club.
Just the other day, a poster scorned me for
being empathy challenged.
Liberals....their tolerance fails at times, eh.

Question....
Would the correlation between empathy's lack
& high intelligence be utterly defeated by my
example?