Are intelligent people often lonelier than average people?

Question

They have a tendency to isolate themselves(usually subconsciously) from their peers. I feel like, from an average person's POV, they are somewhat outcasts. I'm talking people with IQs almost reaching, or in, the genius level. For example, there's this guy who was in my class, and he was really, really smart. He had friends and such, but it's almost as if he looked down on us in some areas. He didn't look down on us as people, of course he wasn't a total a-hole, but he did make smug remarks all the time. But that's not the only case, you see it all the time. Does anyone else see this? And if you're really intelligent, what is your opinion on this? It's just something I've always kind of picked up when I had actual conversations with really intelligent people.

Answer 1

i think the basic answer is yes since they are probably more selective

Answer 2

Intelligent people can be excluded a number of ways. They tend to not have the best social skills over all. They can not relate to others and often to others feelings. Therefore they find something that they are superior with and go with it. They may feel resentment that they are not as readily accepted by others, therefore make smug remarks, belittle others, etc in order to defend their own egos. In turn, others push them away, and of course many people dont want to be compared to others that are better to them either. Intelligent parents often have intelligent children (nature and nurture) The children may have their idea that they are superior, reinforced by their parents that had the same done to them. Good grades are also valuable and more readily measurable than social skills, which in turn will be noticed by parents and other adults surrounding them. In turn, highly intelligent children may identify with adults that give them more positive attention. Every teacher loves a kid that learns well. It makes them feel they are doing a good job. Highly intelligent children often also have difficulties socializing with others their same age because they are on a different cognitive level, but will not completely fit in with an adult crowd due to intelligence not being able to substitute for experience. These are just some reasons and generalizations, and of course there are many exceptions.  

Answer 3

Usually for me it can be difficult communicating with others. I can't boast about whether or not I'm intelligent, but I do find enjoyment in talking about intelligent topics. I like talking about science, religion, politics, philosophy, history, etc... and I always find it difficult to stay up-to-date on the things most guys seem to want to talk about - like cars, music, sports, comedians, shows, etc... because I don't stay up-to-date with them, usually because those things bore me.

Again, I don't know if I'm intelligent, but I do usually score around 140-150 on online IQ tests (although those aren't reliable), I've never had an official IQ test done. I usually only get Bs in my college classes, but that's because I don't try hard and some of the subjects don't hold my interest for long.

Hope this helped a little.

Answer 4

I consider myself as an intelligent person. I don't want to sound like a complete ******* but being smarter and more analytical than the average sometimes makes you arrogant, specially when you notice that people can't comprehend or deduct things that are so obvious to me. Despite of that, I can tell you that I have some good friends, they invite me to hang out with them, they come to my place, everything normal. But I have problems starting relationships with new people unless they start them. I have it really hard trying to flirt with girls, only had one real gf in my life, but well, many men have that problem.

Answer 5

I think some people that are very intelligent sometimes have a superiority complex.

Answer 6

Really intelligent people know enough not to put other people down or make a big deal about it .

   They know better than to show off or show up less intelligent people .

  

Answer 7

I was until I went to college!!!!

Answer 8

Watch the movie idiocracy in 500 years we just might be surrounded by idiots.  

Answer 9

Nick K's answer is pretty spot on.

It may appear that we have a tendency to "isolate ourselves", however that isn't so much the case. Intelligent people are pretty disconnected from average people. I mean we're able to talk to regular folk about their interests and things they like to do because we're able to communicate with them on their level. However, the feeling of isolation occurs when we try to communicate with people on OUR level. It isn't the easiest of tasks finding people who want to have in-depth discussions on topics like psychology, social sciences, epistemology, philosophy, current world events etc. We need to be intellectually stimulated, so I guess most of us can be selective about who we talk to, not so much in an arrogant, or egotistical manner (though some intellectuals possess superior/condescending attitudes), there just isn't much point in talking to people who won't understand you/can't relate to you anyway.

Answer 10

I can explain this, but stay with me:

There are substantially more stupid people in the world then there is smart people. Obviously people with the same interests will group together, right? Natural selection has been impeded in soicety (hence the huge population of people on earth), causing stupid people to live and have kids, making more stupid people. Stupid people then outcast the smart people because they are different, leading to less smart groups, less smart people reproducing with smart people and thus more stupid people. Get it?

Stupidity is a genetic trait that has been impeded by fightfighters, hospitals and the police so that more of them keep coming.

The kid who eats marbles and glue unfortunately gets to grow up and have kids of his own in this soceity.

Answer 11

I am many times smarter than everyone I met in my school so far, though it sounds arrogant, it's true.  Yes, I am more selective, since stupid people don't seem to bother with actually thinking or listening to what I have to say when it dispels the illusions they believe in.

Yes I do agree that society has allowed stupid people to increase.