The unexpected downsides of being smart — and how to deal with them
Published in · 7 min read · Feb 15, 2021
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Almost 70% of the global population has an average IQ between 85 and 115. An IQ of 130 or more is considered high intelligence and only 2.2% of people reach these levels.
The average IQ in the United States is 98.
If you find yourself in the 2.2% group, or anywhere above 115, your life is full of benefits. Smart people solve problems better, are adaptable, and learn faster.
Besides this, highly intelligent people are more likely to succeed at work, avoid getting into trouble or committing crimes, and use critical thinking to deal with everyday problems.
However, high intelligence comes with many downfalls as well. Smart people even tend to be more miserable than folks with an average IQ.
The quote from Bertrand Russell explains one of the cons of high IQ,
“The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are co*cksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.”
That’s not everything, though. The following points show 6 other problems highly intelligent people might struggle with every day.
