There are several potential downsides to high intelligence. Gifted children are often perceived as socially different from their peers and are ostracized, ignored, bullied, or ridiculed. This was the case for people like Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos, and Elon Musk (who had his nose broken when thrown down a flight of stairs). While average children can self-reference to anticipate how others feel, this is often unavailable to those who are socially different. They see the world differently from the average and are sometimes perceived as “weird.” However, this is the difference that enables them to make a difference when they reach adulthood. Jobs, Bezos, and Musk continued to have social conflicts throughout their careers as they founded companies, yet driven by their visions, they were able to change the world. Their personal lives were often fraught with discord, as one might expect from behaviours that are seen as eccentric.
Another potential downside to a high IQ is what Edward de Bono called “the intelligence trap.” Those who have a high IQ are accustomed to being right when most others are wrong–especially in their area of expertise. For this reason, they may tend to dismiss the opinions of others, even when outside their domain of expertise. However, a high IQ is not a valid substitute for knowledge, and those of high IQ who assume that superiority in their field transfers into areas outside their expertise often override the opinions of others who are more knowledgable. Indian astrophysicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, who won the Nobel Prize in 1983 described how a scientist may fall into this cognitive trap: ( Quote from Hammond, A. L. 1984. A Passion to Know: Twenty Profiles in Science . New York: Scribner. p.5.)
These people [winners of prestigious awards] imagine afterward that the fact that they succeeded so triumphantly in one area means they have a special way of looking at science that must be right. But science doesn’t permit that. Nature has shown over and over again that the kinds of truth which underlie nature transcend the most powerful minds.
As my Latin teacher told us, quoting a Roman author, “To think is to be sad.” It’s the downside of having a high intelligence. The highly intelligent are often introverts who feel alienated from the rest of humanity by their different view of the world. Their friends are usually a few colleagues in their field of study or other highly intelligent people with whom they can share ideas. Einstein had few friends in his older years.
The adage, “It’s lonely at the top” is usually applied to leadership, but it applies equally well to intelligence. Of course, these statements are generalizations. There are many highly intelligent people who are able to accept life on its own terms and learn to derive some joy in life from loving relationships and interesting projects. Yet, the dark side of quiet reflection is always lurking in the background.
The best way to deal with your high intelligence is to recognize that your interests may differ from most of your acquaintances and many people may view you as different or even weird. However, if you engage in team sports or activities involving social interactions, you will learn how to socialize with people of all different abilities. Seek to understand how others feel and think. It will broaden your horizons and you will be welcome in most groups. You will then be able to get the solitude when you crave it and receive companionship when it is needed.
