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AMA

I am highly intelligent, ask me anything

858 replies

nolinkname · 22/02/2026 09:01

Using standard IQ scales/assessments I am highly intelligent. I have also done some research into high intelligence. Being highly intelligent has advantages and drawbacks. Ask me anything :-)

(Just to preempt some comments: No, I don’t think intelligent people are better human beings than other people. I think qualities such as being kind are more important for example. No, intelligent people are not always ‘better for society’, there is some evidence, for example, that really highly intelligent people carry out proportionally somewhat more crimes (white collar). No, I don’t look down on less intelligent people (sometimes I envy them), but it can obviously be a bit difficult to connect if you have very different frames of reference. No, intelligence does not have any direct links to social skills (positive or negative).)

OP posts:
nolinkname · 22/02/2026 13:00

thanks2 · 22/02/2026 12:41

I'm sorry I find your post puzzling.

When I was 10 in my home country, the government tested 26,000 10 year olds and put the top 400 of us in an accelerated programme to finish high school quickly and enter uni at 15. Some of the kids were clearly brighter than the teachers, solving maths problems much quicker etc. So I grew up with really bright kids and have stayed in contact with my best friend from high school.

I suspect this goes deeper than your intelligence. The whole population has a wide ranging IQ ... lots of people have to 'wait' for others to catch up or spend more time then expected explaining things - and they don't get bored or frustrated with it as they accept it as part of social relations.

My best friend from high school is a Dr - regardless that her IQ is in the top 400 of 26,000 kids she has a wonderful personality for a dr and is patient, reassuring and understanding.

What I do get though is that feeling of impatience and frustration when waiting for people. Its an ADHD trait.

Edited

Another hobby diagnosis (just as an example, for people who questioned it).

If you read research on intelligence, it is common for people to feel impatient, frustrated and bored.

OP posts:
MonstrousRegimentRocks · 22/02/2026 13:00

nolinkname · 22/02/2026 13:00

Another hobby diagnosis (just as an example, for people who questioned it).

If you read research on intelligence, it is common for people to feel impatient, frustrated and bored.

I think that's common among a lot of people.

MrsBennetsPoorNervesAreBack · 22/02/2026 13:02

NeverDropYourMooncup · 22/02/2026 12:50

That's a huge question, with an even bigger answer.

I think there's a mixture of things at play, including neurodiversity, the social environment, socioeconomics, cultural capital and early familial relationships.

If somebody has a secure, safe, loving and supportive childhood, one where there is always 'enough' of everything, from food and clothes to affection and joy is expressed in their existence, their abilities, they're supported and encouraged to try in everything, they're in a position where they feel safe and confident in people, not just themselves.

Then put them into education, where they encounter a welcoming, warm and happy school environment. This then helps them to learn to form friendships and play, further increasing the feeling that the world and people is a benevolent place. They're encouraged and supported to grow and maintain friendships of all kinds, creating further positive feelings and relationships intermingle between home, school and where further encouraged in outside activities, there's a strong network of interconnected support and communication. As part of this, they learn in a safe, caring way that maybe there are people whom you don't necessarily become friends with, but that's OK, you can still have pleasant interactions with them (or not, they fade out of view).

As they progress to adulthood, that network of connections changes but there is always sufficient support that they feel safe. So the person is always able to find ways to connect with others - they don't have any reason to feel awkward or confused - and if they encounter any unpleasantness, they're not isolated.

Compare that to a child whose parent actively despises 'clever people' and spends their time knocking the child down, criticising them for the things they are good at and taking pleasure or becoming angry at the things that aren't so effortless for them. Add in children who have been taught by their parents in turn that clever kids are weird, all up themselves and should be brought down a peg or five - or are angry that this kid gets something - and instead of this being stopped and resolved, the able child is told it's all their fault and the reason it happens is because of something wrong with them 'No wonder everybody hates you', 'Why do you keep on showing off about how smart you are? Nobody likes a smart-arse', 'Not so smart are you? You can't even go to school without somebody wanting to hit you'. This then, because of a lack of home and financial/environmental security, is accompanied by insults and criticisms designed to deflate them, based upon such things as not having a nice home, not having the right shoes, their physical appearance, anything that will make them shrink.

As they grow up, they learn that there will always be somebody ready to attack them and it's all their fault, as even their parent hates that about them. Nobody wants to talk about things they like, they are mocked if they open their mouth, mocked if they don't. Maybe there's somebody they do get along with - but even that's up for criticism 'You're playing with that weird kid. Stay away from them, you'll end up just like them'. People are scary. People are mean. People don't like me. And it's all my fault.

If every time you put a hand out it gets slapped hard, you learn to not do it. Soon enough, even if there isn't anybody there that would slap it, you can't bring yourself to take the risk.

Perhaps they're stopped from continuing study because a) the parent doesn't want it, so won't fund applications, won't complete forms, threatens them with being kicked out on the street if they don't get a job at 16/18 or b) b has told them for so long that it's not for the likes of them so they don't believe it's possible.

Maybe somebody then gives the impression that they at least like them some of the time. And before you know it, there's an abusive/coercive/controlling romantic relationship to add to the mix - any signs of getting along with others is treated as cheating, attempting to cheat 'they don't like you, how stupid can you be to think that anybody would ever like you?'.

We can also add in gender based ideology - girls don't like computers, men don't like women that are too smart, ugh - maths, girls don't do maths, you must be a boy if you like Physics/dinosaurs/science fiction, why aren't you interested in makeup and hair like a normal girl, never ever let on to a man that you know more than him, don't think she's suitable for the promotion above James as he wouldn't like that, I'm not sure she would be suitable for that role, she's very, very smart, but I'm not convinced she would be the best candidate in charge of hundreds of thousands of pounds (ie, really smart people are more likely to commit crimes), HOW DARE YOU show me up by talking about Medieval architecture/renaissance music/Ealing comedies/ cars/whatever?

They might continue to feel shame at themselves, they might think 'fuck it, it's part of me and I will not apologise for it', but it still tells them that other people won't like them for something they cannot change.

If you chuck in some ADHD bull in a china shop enthusiasm, some hyperfocus, Autistic special interests that everybody around them make clear are not in any way special to them, some incredibly irritating tapping or stimming that heightens any difficulties around others or just being very easily distracted on top of all that, it's pretty easy to see why one person with high intelligence can find it easy to get along with others whilst another would feel that they don't because of their intelligence; one has a pleasant world where, whilst it still has challenges, their intelligence is part of what makes them 'good', 'nice' or 'likeable', whereas the other is in a precarious place where their intelligence is behind the majority of negative experiences.

Have a tl;dr.

Some people don't struggle because their intelligence isn't a problem for the world around them and they have developed the skills to be able to navigate around other humans and relationships. Some people do because their intelligence is a problem for the world around them.

Thanks for the considered response.

I don't disagree with much of what you've said, but my fundamental point still stands - it isn't actually the high intelligence itself that is getting in the way of people's social connections, it is all the other factors around the individual, which might impact on their development, including poor parenting, neurodivergence etc.

And of course, some of the messages that a child receives during their early years may well cause them to frame their difficulties fitting in in terms of their intelligence, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the intelligence is the actual cause of those issues - had it not been their intelligence, their abusive parents would no doubt have found something else to pick on instead.

I actually think a more common scenario that I have observed is that parents of highly intelligent children are so impressed by their advanced skills that they develop an unhealthy focus on this aspect of their child's development and thereby fail to support them adequately in other areas of their development, including the development of strong social skills.

Random321 · 22/02/2026 13:04

Got to go but think this attachment sums up everything I think about intelligence.

Best of luck OP. It may not be the same in real life but if you are genuinely interested in learning, it is worth noting that you have a written tone that doesn't read well. It may be worth exploring as it may also be the cause of issues in work or social situations.

Enjoyed the thread overall.

I am highly intelligent, ask me anything
Westfacing · 22/02/2026 13:04

nolinkname · 22/02/2026 12:40

Yes, I will not engage with questions discussing giraffes eg. I find it mundane and boring and indicates that people are trying to be funny/provoke people. Similar questions are asked in many threads in the same way.

Yes, some people disagree and that is fine. Others, I would argue, do their best to diagnose me (and other people discussing intelligence). Not very fruitful, in my view.

You can think whatever you want about my 'lazy mind' :-) (Another attempt to diagnose, perhaps!)

Yes, I will not engage with questions discussing giraffes eg. I find it mundane and boring and indicates that people are trying to be funny/provoke people. Similar questions are asked in many threads in the same way.

You seem not to understand the true significance or the real reason for the question about the giraffe's tie. I'm not highly intelligent but do know that this was not meant to be funny or provoke.

MrsBennetsPoorNervesAreBack · 22/02/2026 13:05

nolinkname · 22/02/2026 12:53

And another hobby diagnosis :-)

I completely agree that too many parents fixate on academic ability, btw. But it is a feature of a education system where life chances are decided very early and young people can be considered to have 'failed' when they are 15.

Sure, but a highly intelligent child who sails through the academic side of school is not going to fail if their parents choose to focus their attention on other sides of their child's development.

nolinkname · 22/02/2026 13:05

blythet · 22/02/2026 12:52

Your intelligence is not that important to you. You prefer not to talk about it. You prefer to talk to people you know IRL.

Yet here you are - on a virtual forum - inviting discussion with people you have never met, actively wanting to boast about discuss your intelligence.

Doesn’t sound particularly intelligent to me!

Edited

Yes, some things are interesting do discuss, sometimes for a short while, with people who don't know you!

I can think of other such things that it is easier to discuss anonymously: intimacy, bodily functions, sensitive political topics etc.

OP posts:
Chenecinquantecinq · 22/02/2026 13:06

I have interacted with super intelligent people in the past. I suppose what I have found is they often struggle to be interested in the trivia that tends to bond people, perhaps this was personality though. I also tended to notice that some are perhaps envious of how clearly much less intelligent people seem to do so well financially in life in comparision to them. Occassionaly there is the combination of high intelligence with the necessary social skills to succeed but personally I think this is rare.

nolinkname · 22/02/2026 13:06

blueshoes · 22/02/2026 12:58

Where parents fixate on academic ability, it may not be the academic ability per se but the potential for high earnings in the future.

Have you thought about how you could have monetised your intelligence better than a career in academia? Why didn't you?

Because I am not driven by money. I want to do something worthwhile, as much as I can, I want to help people and, as far as possible, contribute something useful to this world. Many money making careers do not feel worthwhile or useful to me.

OP posts:
OtterlyAstounding · 22/02/2026 13:06

nolinkname · 22/02/2026 13:00

Another hobby diagnosis (just as an example, for people who questioned it).

If you read research on intelligence, it is common for people to feel impatient, frustrated and bored.

I believe this was the most important part of pp's comment:

The whole population has a wide ranging IQ ... lots of people have to 'wait' for others to catch up or spend more time then expected explaining things - and they don't get bored or frustrated with it as they accept it as part of social relations.

As averagely intelligent people have to 'wait' just as often for people of lower intelligence to catch up, it seems you're saying that highly intelligent people are less capable of patience?

BrotherViolence · 22/02/2026 13:07

Worth noting that Von Neumann - maybe the most intelligent person to have ever lived - was known to be sociable and kind to others (and was married with kids). Genius doesn't equal feeling above social interactions or getting frustrated with others for being beneath you. Tbh after I read about Von Neumann I stopped having any illusions about my own greatness. Truly exceptional genius is a totally different kettle of fish and it just felt like a silly thing to care about.

nolinkname · 22/02/2026 13:07

MonstrousRegimentRocks · 22/02/2026 12:59

You can read back your comments with "see all".
I am accusing you of being contradictory, but perhaps I am being unfair. I am seeing contradictions, but perhaps you just struggle a bit with logic? Or perhaps you're just trying to answer too many questions at once and forget what you've said?

Edited

I think you're misinterpreting me, so I will leave this here.

OP posts:
Pollqueen · 22/02/2026 13:09

CamillaMcCauley · 22/02/2026 09:08

Do you know how and why to use the quote function?

🤣 no, not that intelligent

RosyCam · 22/02/2026 13:09

This is one of the most boring AMAs I have read. I have learned very little about the OP and his/her life really.

MrsBennetsPoorNervesAreBack · 22/02/2026 13:10

OtterlyAstounding · 22/02/2026 13:06

I believe this was the most important part of pp's comment:

The whole population has a wide ranging IQ ... lots of people have to 'wait' for others to catch up or spend more time then expected explaining things - and they don't get bored or frustrated with it as they accept it as part of social relations.

As averagely intelligent people have to 'wait' just as often for people of lower intelligence to catch up, it seems you're saying that highly intelligent people are less capable of patience?

I'm pretty impatient and I don't tolerate boredom easily. I assume that this is because I have adhd.

I don't get frustrated with other people taking time to understand things, though. I actually find it really interesting to see how other people's minds work, and how we all have such different strengths and weaknesses.

Over40Overdating · 22/02/2026 13:10

I think you’ve made the same mistake many self assessed / self congratulatory ‘highly intelligent’ people make and equate a very narrow definition of intelligence with a superior intelligence.

I have been labelled highly intelligent my whole life. Extremely successfully academically with little effort. Having to ‘dumb down’ my intelligence to fit in with others, knowing more at 8 about languages, science and history than most fully grown adults around me, getting (not so silently) frustrated when people didn’t get things as fast, all the stuff you’ve mentioned.

In hindsight was I really intelligent or just good at learning and regurgitating? Good at pattern spotting and logic?

Equally I had the emotional and social intelligence of a spoon until at least my mid 20s.

You talk about being kind and helpful whilst getting very spiky with people equating high intelligence with social difficulties.

What you have described is doing emotionally or socially intelligent things to curry favour with those around you (with a clear implication that you are better than them) rather than them being innate traits. You have been extremely contemptuous and derogatory towards many posters on here who clearly aren’t awed by you as you expect ordinary people should be.

That’s nothing to do with people being threatened by your intelligence or wanting to take you down a peg or two, and everything to do with you being unlikeable due to a clear lack of genuine emotional and social intelligence.

I’m curious what age you are because I can tell you my academic intelligence was blown to smithereens by peri meno and removed any ability to mask my adhd.

I can’t imagine the state I’d be in if my ability to be ‘clever’, the thing that put me ahead of everyone else, no longer existed in the same way. I am very grateful that life kicked me in the ego enough to put more value on expanding my emotional and social intelligence than maintaining my position on a pedestal that valued academic ability.

Having been both sides of the fence, I don’t think valuing being ‘highly intelligent’ is big or clever. When combined with arrogance it’s extremely dull.

nolinkname · 22/02/2026 13:10

SixtySomething · 22/02/2026 12:53

So in which country do exams not pave the way for the next educational stage?

There are many countries where grades/exams are not the only way of getting into university. There are alternative options, and, more than that, there are many countries where you are not considered a 'mature student' when you are 21+, which makes it much easier to use for people to use more time to think about what they want to do and not be disadvantaged by starting later. That leads to less exam fixation.

OP posts:
nolinkname · 22/02/2026 13:12

dontcallhimpunch · 22/02/2026 12:55

Great! That’s a really valuable skill to have. It reflects a kind of operational intelligence the ability to anticipate issues, coordinate moving parts and think a few steps ahead.

That’s especially useful in roles like project management, event planning, crisis management and any position where logistics and foresight are critical. Maybe being an academic isn't the best professional environment for your as (generalising here) academic thinking is rather very different to operational thinking. You could be making lots of money and be more appreciated in a different work environment.

Just one further note
(and I am often the first one to point out that you can look at something in two ways).

Surely more than 2 ways?

Yes, that was one example. Not sure what your point was, unless you wanted to argue that you know my full spectrum..? It is difficult to think of examples without being outing, unfortunately, but this is a useful ability in many academic situations too.

Not biting on your nitpicking :-)

OP posts:
ChimpanzeeThatMonkeyNews · 22/02/2026 13:14

RosyCam · 22/02/2026 12:51

The cleverest people I know don’t feel the need to join Mensa.

My Dad, who left school at 15, is easily the cleverest person I know.

nolinkname · 22/02/2026 13:16

MrsBennetsPoorNervesAreBack · 22/02/2026 13:02

Thanks for the considered response.

I don't disagree with much of what you've said, but my fundamental point still stands - it isn't actually the high intelligence itself that is getting in the way of people's social connections, it is all the other factors around the individual, which might impact on their development, including poor parenting, neurodivergence etc.

And of course, some of the messages that a child receives during their early years may well cause them to frame their difficulties fitting in in terms of their intelligence, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the intelligence is the actual cause of those issues - had it not been their intelligence, their abusive parents would no doubt have found something else to pick on instead.

I actually think a more common scenario that I have observed is that parents of highly intelligent children are so impressed by their advanced skills that they develop an unhealthy focus on this aspect of their child's development and thereby fail to support them adequately in other areas of their development, including the development of strong social skills.

'it isn't actually the high intelligence itself that is getting in the way of people's social connections'

Lots of research backing up that this is an issue for many intelligent people.

OP posts:
nolinkname · 22/02/2026 13:17

Random321 · 22/02/2026 13:04

Got to go but think this attachment sums up everything I think about intelligence.

Best of luck OP. It may not be the same in real life but if you are genuinely interested in learning, it is worth noting that you have a written tone that doesn't read well. It may be worth exploring as it may also be the cause of issues in work or social situations.

Enjoyed the thread overall.

Glad you enjoyed it. Not surprised to yet again see someone who makes assumptions about what I am like based on this one thread :-)

OP posts:
ImFinePMSL · 22/02/2026 13:19

Do you believe having high intelligence = low common sense. (Not to you personally but in general)

In my work, where I work with consultant psychiatrists (on paper highly intelligent people) have absolutely no common sense. Whereas I believe I have more common sense but am clearly nowhere near as “book smart” than them.

nolinkname · 22/02/2026 13:22

OtterlyAstounding · 22/02/2026 13:06

I believe this was the most important part of pp's comment:

The whole population has a wide ranging IQ ... lots of people have to 'wait' for others to catch up or spend more time then expected explaining things - and they don't get bored or frustrated with it as they accept it as part of social relations.

As averagely intelligent people have to 'wait' just as often for people of lower intelligence to catch up, it seems you're saying that highly intelligent people are less capable of patience?

It is very different having to wait (if we stick to this term) sometimes and having to wait for people daily/hourly/in every topic that is discussed. This is definitely not me, but I have had one friend (and read lots of research saying the same) who was probably hardly ever able to 'move the conversation' as fast as he would have been able to. That must be very boring.

OP posts:
Anewuser · 22/02/2026 13:22

RosyCam · 22/02/2026 13:09

This is one of the most boring AMAs I have read. I have learned very little about the OP and his/her life really.

I agree.

She only wanted to answer questions about her intelligence, which to us thickies is really boring.

I would have loved to know that some intelligent people can have interesting personalities as well.

BunnyLake · 22/02/2026 13:23

nolinkname · 22/02/2026 13:17

Glad you enjoyed it. Not surprised to yet again see someone who makes assumptions about what I am like based on this one thread :-)

You’ve said AMA but you don’t answer some questions and get quite prickly at other questions.

This seems quite common with AMAs though, so I do wonder sometimes why people even start them, especially people who are very guarded.

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