Is being intelligent a curse?

Question

I feel that, generally, the more intelligent people are, the less they are able to socialize. I am not saying Im smart, but in my case every time I socialize with people I do not talk much because I am constantly thinking about what to say. There are thoughts zipping through my head at all times. When I am with very close family or my girlfriend, however, I talk non stop and am carefree. I have tried to have close friends but have never been successful and am quite sad most of the time. I try to work as hard as I can to contribute to society and rarely take a day off. I believe I have the grades to enter medical school/ MBA school or get a PHD but I feel empty on the inside. My brother told me that the smarter you are, the sadder you become. Is this true? Is there any research to back this up?

Answer 1

I think your brother is right...I have in fact read some material on intelligence and happiness and well, let's just say....ignorance is bliss.

Being intelligent has many advantages, but also a lot of disadvantages.  You find it harder to just passively accept information given to you, you feel the urge to question and analyze things that most people don't think twice about. It is draining and a lot of times you discover things that you wish you didn't know about.  

I might be wrong, but I think the sadness in your case comes from not finding how to utilize your intelligence in a way that interests you, so you find yourself able to think on a higher level than the average person, but with no real direction or anything to focus your thoughts on.

If you are confident about your cognitive abilities, take full advantage of it and put it to use so that you can get the most out of life.

Good luck

Answer 2

eh....to some extent. i think it also has to do with how pessimistic or optimistic you are. i USED to take after my father who was a scientist. he is VERY smart and VERY pessimistic. my mother isn't dumb, but she's not nearly as intellectual and she's VERY optimistic. now when i was younger....understanding the world greatly depressed me, though as i've grown to be more like my mother, i've learned to accept the good with the bad. yes there are some bad things in the world...but there is beauty too. i'm not less intelligent than i was, but i've allowed myself to see things in a more positive light. there are also different types of intelligence.  

Answer 3

I know of no research, although it might exist somewhere.  I think it is true to an extent than high intelligence can make for problems.  Consider a very low intelligence person (I am trying to avoid derogatory titles).  This persons doesn't see a lot of the possibilities of the future, has consequently little to worry about.  On the other hand, a highly intelligent person can think of all kinds of possibilities, and hence has a lot potentially to worry about.

I don't think high intelligence is a curse, though.  Most really intelligent people want to become dumb!

The trick is to use that intelligence well, to move in the direction of happiness and satisfaction with life.

Here's a book that can help, that has powerful tools for taking better control of your thinking, which in turn strongly affects your moods:

http://www.amazon.com/Ten-Days-Self-Este...

Don't let the title  put you off.

On not wanting to socialize, I think it is more a case of finding a lot of socializing boring and the conversations at parties, for example, very hard to get interested in.

Also, go to this website and take the free test as described below.  It could be a real eye-opener and helpful to you, to accept yourself:

http://kts2.personalityzone.com/user/reg...

     Once you've taken the test and have your 4-letter personality/temperament designator, go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myers-brigg...  and scroll down to the paragraph titled: "Type dynamics and development" and look to the right at the rectangle titled "The Sixteen Types" and find your four-letter type and click on it, and read about yourself!  If you answered the questions on the test honestly and accurately, you'll be amazed at how well you're described!