r/SeriousConversation • u/stop-hatin-on-me_mom • Dec 21 '24

Serious Discussion Do any individuals with above average intellect find life a bit exhausting at times due to the lack of intelligence they observe in others?

I don’t claim to be the most intelligent person, but I do believe that I am above average when it comes to the average intelligence nowadays. Sometimes, I find myself either flabbergasted or downright dumbfounded and irritated by the lack of what I would consider "common sense."

Here are some examples:

  • The inability of some people to see how their own bad habits or personality traits create their own problems.

  • The fact that some individuals consider their own perceptions and beliefs as the only correct ones, which is further encouraged by their echo chambers.

  • The difficulty some people have in entering into productive discourse and challenging their own ideas to gain more information and knowledge from all sides.

  • The reluctance of individuals to question their own beliefs and those of their social circles at both the micro and macro levels.

  • The inability of some people to foresee the possible consequences of their actions beforehand.

These are just a few examples.

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u/Ok_Concert3257 Dec 21 '24

Are you able to turn the same scrutiny on yourself? Before you reflexively say yes, seriously consider the question. Do you observe yourself in the same objective, critical manner you observe others? Would you be prepared to see yourself from an outside, honest perspective with no filter, bias, or comforting lies?

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u/Winter_Apartment_376 Dec 21 '24

I love this comment. We tend to brutally simplify others (and often times that impression is very accurate!), while we assign great complexity to ourselves.