Having an above average IQ has benefits - but it’s not all ‘a bed of roses’.
Far from it, in fact.
In this series of posts, I'll try to cover just how having an higher IQ is very much, a double edged sword.
I’m both lucky - and unlucky.
I know my IQ.
I was tested when I was 11 years old due to me winning a free scholarship to a very prestigious school.
(I never actually attended the school after passing the entry exams and siting the IQ test, but that’s a whole other story).
Many people fail to understand the negatives of drawing the 'winning ticket', in what is nothing more than a ‘genetic lottery'.
For that's all it is.
Sheer luck.
There are many 'less than positive' side effects of having a ‘higher IQ’ (135 to 165+, range) .
There are various negative aspects that come along with this ‘high IQ package’, aspects that many people are simply not aware of.
Why?
Because it's is very seldom talked about for reasons that, hopefully, may start to become apparent after reading the first of these posts...
Having an above average IQ can give you many opportunities that are not easily available to those with a lower IQ. It’s not that simple however.
High IQ is no guarantee of anything, and definitely doesn't mean that success and happiness are a given.
The opposite, actually.
What are the drawbacks of having an high IQ (135 -165+)?
One of the hardest things to come to comprehend, is that intelligence isn’t valued.
Or rather - not nearly as much as you think that it is.
When intelligence is your natural skill - and it's no different than being a talented sportsman or musician - you often find that other people don’t appreciate it, unlike being a talented musician or athlete.
Not only do they not appreciate it, they actively dislike it - and you - for it.
Why is that?
...People of lower IQ’s tend to feel threatened by the intellectual abilities of others and because of the emotionally response it can illicit - they can, and will, actively attempt to undermine or berate these higher IQ individuals.
It's a resentment - and jealousy - over a talent that the high IQ individual, has had no say in having !
The high IQ individual has been blessed (or cursed) with an IQ and is then pilloried for it.
Racism?
Sexism?
...How about intellectualism?
This negative perception does not happen whose talents are exhibited that are not cerebral in nature.
Have you ever heard of Mozart being criticized for his musical abilities?
Have you ever heard of Da Vinci being berated for The Mona Lisa? (who was, paradoxically , a freakin' uber genius).
'Intellectual insecurity' within individuals is expressed towards those with higher IQ talent in a much more significant way than in any other field of innate talent.
I use the word 'talent' on purpose - for that is what it is, nothing more - but is seldom perceived as such.
How many times do you hear ‘I’ve no musical talent whatsoever, but I can really appreciate good music’.
How many times do you hear, ‘I’ve no intellectual talent whatsoever, but I can really appreciate higher intelligence’?
It appears that for some reason (explained below) that ‘intellectual talent’ comes with a certain baggage.
Baggage that other talents do not have to 'carry'.
Showing off you’re skills on the guitar is applauded – While showing off your intellectual agility is met with resentment, envy - and even fear.
The exhibiting of 'non intellectual' talent , is met with respect and positive accolade - and defensiveness and insecurity if it's an intellectual talent.
Charisma and politicking (especially in today's world) seems to be more highly valued than intelligence.
You only have to observe ‘celebrity culture’ to understand this. (and how stupid is that?)
Being correct is not important in a low IQ world.
Being socially ‘personable’ has a much higher value.
Being correct may be seen as a negative quality to possess in your social life - or in any kind of social acceptance .
Pointing out other people’s errors in their thought processes (especially if they are higher in the hierarchy of an ecosystem) may result - not in respect - but in social isolation and ‘group derision’.
The resentment of intelligence in the ‘non thinking mob’ is very real and it can lead to real world dangers.
You can look at the purges and victimization of the more intelligent individuals in societies during socialist revolutions, for example.
They were attacked because they were seen as a threat.
(which, in all fairness - they were …. Socialism IS a low IQ ideology that’s designed for useful idiots to get behind, by fooling them into thinking that they understand economics , philosophy, anthropology, and psychology).
Did you know that those with higher IQ’s, are at a higher risk of having mental issues?
Studies indicate that those with an above average IQ are at more risk of having bipolar disorder (for example).
'Bipolar disorder' used to known as manic depression and is characterized by periods of severe depression, and then, extremely elevated moods. These moods can be in cycles lasting days or even weeks.
I have a love/hate relationship with modern psychology and the definitions that it tries to apply to mental illnesses in general.
I think that many times it can be an actual example of the resentment that I’ve just mentioned above, expressing itself.
Fear, insecurity, and resentment.
Is it an example of those with lower IQ's, looking critically at those with higher IQ’s ?
Is ‘bipolar’ simply a state of mind that very intelligent people can have sometimes ?
'Lucky' and 'unlucky', 'blessed' or 'cursed' - are two sides of the very same coin.
This can cause severe problems for those with 'intellectual talent'.
By framing higher IQ issues as a mental illnesses, it becomes a very convenient low hanging fruit - to then be used by those individuals who are, themselves, ‘low hanging IQ’-ers.
And who just happen to be in the positions of power.
Now, if you juxtapose this with ‘musicians’ paradigm – they are seen as being ‘artistic' , 'quirky', or just 'a bit weird'.
And while it can be painful to watch their mental state affect them in a negative way, they're still ‘respected' - and their talent is still appreciated.
The 'tortured artist' talent is seen positively. (even if a little morbidly vicarious in it's nature).
The 'tortured intellectuals' talent however, is seen as mental illness.
It's framed as being somehow ‘potentially dangerous' in an individual in respect towards society - this is the group mentality.
For those with the conformity mindset , they are dangerous - as they most definitely do not conform.
Mood disorders may need some medical treatment to limit the extremes of emotions within certain individuals – but just as equally maybe they don’t AT ALL.
Nothing is free in this world, and maybe , just maybe - the brilliance that the higher IQ-ers have is paid for, by the mood swings they have to endure.
The price they pay.
How different is that to the talented artist who may forgo material wealth and stability in their life for the freedom to express themselves freely?
Nothing is free.
There's always price to pay , one way or another.
MAYBE.... if those with 'high IQ talent' suffered less resentment at the hands of those with lower IQ over the years, and instead, more acceptance these so called 'mood disorders' would never even begin to emerge?
I’ve known one person with ‘severe bipolar’ issues – and he's definitely a genius. (Far far smarter than myself that’s for sure).
Here’s the interesting thing though - (one that led me to the hypothesis I've just mentioned)
....I don’t feel insecure, or resentful, in the presence of those with a much higher IQ than myself.
I see it as an opportunity.
An opportunity for me to have a glimpse onto a landscape that I'm simply not capable of seeing - not without the help given by those with a higher IQ than myself.
I feel privileged to be able to have access to that level of intelligence.
There’s no insecurity/fear/resentment/envy/ego involved.
In respect to my bi-polar buddy – He said that 'how being around me', he felt very ‘centered’ and at peace (a state of mind that he seldom felt).
He explained how I seem to ‘just get him’ - but no one else does (including his ‘highly qualified’ psychiatrist).
I accepted him for all his ‘craziness’ and we got along just fine.
We were good mates.
He, in turn, allowed me to see into a world that I never even knew existed (in the realms of math, physics, and architecture).
He is, truly, an amazingly beautiful individual.
....A 'funny' story - he tried to hang himself once - while I was making him some dinner. Why? - 'To see how it felt'. ..
When I returned he was choking away, turning himself a nice shade of purple.
I said to him 'Do you want Parmesan with your rope?'
He stopped his choking himself and laughed - and told me that's why he loved me.
It was a funny moment, believe me.
I didn't give him sympathy. He had buckets of that from everyone - that pitying look in people's eye's...He just wanted to be understood.
I digress..
This story concerning my friend isn’t about me – it’s about how ‘the institutions’ are nothing more than scared 'dinosaurs'.
Dinosaurs that are feeling the threat of extinction ? Maybe, and one that could be brought around by those very high IQ'ers....? maybe...
Self protecting bureaucracies want nothing more than to perpetuate themselves.
They want to continue whatever the status quo is - the one that they happen to find themselves in.
(and thus providing themselves a cushy life of guaranteed - non meritocratic based - employment in the process).
Nothing disrupts the status quo quite so much as a highly intellectual, thinking, person.
By creating ‘mental illness’ as a narrative - it becomes a very convenient - and NON OBJECTIVELY VERIFIABLE weapon .
One which can be used to marginalize the higher IQ'ers into to the fringes of society, and thus 'dealing with the problem’ very quietly and expeditiously .
These midwits (those of slightly higher IQ to 130 IQ range) are scared individuals - they are small minded , 'little people' in every sense of the word - and with ultra fragile , weak ego’s.
These same individuals are also just intelligent enough to recognize their own intellectual lack of talent in themselves and at the same time, resent those that do have this talent.
It would be a pathetic pathology to observe if you didn't understand how the psychology of fear, resentment and weak ego, expressed themselves in such a predicable, boring, and very clear way.
These are the same individuals who love to serve in an equally fearful, self serving, bureaucratic structure.. (governments and corporate).
These are the same individuals who are jealous of not drawing the lucky/unlucky 'IQ talent' , straw.
These are the same individuals who's whose biggest fetish in life is to stay exactly the same, to never rock any boats, and to try to be as small as is possible - while at the same time, pretending to be the exact opposite.
