Intelligent people often override common sense with their considerable brain power — but this isn't always a good thing. Smart people think in situations where they should feel, like in relationships. They may avoid the correct response because it doesn't seem rational when we all know that life isn't always rational.
In short, it has often been observed that high IQ types are lacking in 'common sense'--and especially when it comes to dealing with other human beings. General intelligence is not just a cognitive ability; it is also a cognitive disposition.
As you can see, common sense and intelligence are not identical. The key difference between the two is that while common sense gives more prominence to practical knowledge, intelligence focuses on intellectual capacities of an individual. Through this article let us examine these two concepts in detail.
Geniuses have high expectations of themselves and despair quickly when they fail to produce superior results. Highly intelligent people have too many interests and tend to get bored easily.
They're more self-conscious
One of the disadvantages of higher intelligence can be a higher degree of awareness of oneself and one's behavior in social interactions. Highly intelligent people may be super conscious of themselves while socializing.
One explanation behind the struggle of smart people in life is because their self-esteem lies only on their intelligence levels. This makes it difficult for them to work with people who are smarter than them. They aren't good at dealing with failed projects and critical feedback.
Despite their intelligence, highly intelligent people may struggle socially. They may find it hard to connect with others, especially those who have different interests or perspectives. They may also find small talk or networking events challenging, as they may prefer more in-depth conversations.
Throw social commitments into the mix, and there's limited time to be alone and be still with your thoughts and creative process. It's common for people with genius qualities to seek out isolation at times, due to a social anxiety and an excessive need for “me” time, in order to practice mindfulness..
However, there are several common traits and characteristics that are often associated with highly intelligent people. Some of these signs include a strong desire for learning, excellent problem-solving skills, and the ability to think outside the box.
Common sense is derived from both intellectual ability and life experiences used together to make good judgements. You are born only with an ability to develop common sense. As life progresses, you learn more about the world and this gives you more insight into what makes sense and what potential solutions could be.
Common sense is a form of practical decision-making and the ability to imagine the consequences of something you do. It stops us making irrational mistakes and makes it easier to make choices on what to do. We aren't born with common sense, we develop it over time.
However, intelligence has drawbacks too. For example, studies have found that higher IQ is associated with more and earlier drug use. Studies have also found that higher IQ is associated with more mental illness, including depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder.
The higher your IQ, the more likely you may be a highly sensitive person.
You might not learn the value of hard work
One study found that conscientiousness — i.e. how hard you work — is in fact negatively correlated with certain types of intelligence. The researchers propose that highly intelligent people might feel like they don't need to work as hard to accomplish what they want.
Just as having a high IQ doesn't ensure success, having an average or low IQ doesn't ensure failure or mediocrity. Even if you have what is considered a low IQ, you may be smart in many other ways and have many other talents and abilities that aren't reflected on a single test.
Intelligent people seek solitude, especially when they have work and other important things to do. They also seek it when they just want to enjoy time alone with themselves. They're able to survive in this world alone and are perfectly happy because their happiness lies within themselves.
The smartest people are the ones who are quietly listening and absorbing everything that is being said around them. These people have the most knowledge because they're processing words instead of speaking them. Their thoughts and opinions arrive from knowledge that has been meticulously collected and curated.
The Intersection of Arrogance and Intelligence
Being smart, bright and clever often leads to business success. But having these intellectual gifts also means that one gets used to being right, being perceived as a good problem-solver and being valued by others. And this leads to arrogance.
Terman defined “potential genius” as having an IQ of 140 and above, which is about 1 in every 250 people, while American psychologist Leta Hollingworth used as an even higher IQ threshold (180), which would translate to approximately 1 in every two million people.
By not settling with one perspective, geniuses do not merely solve existing problems, they figure out new problems we tend to ignore and find mind-blowing solutions. Geniuses are open-minded. Every problem — no matter how apparently simple it may be — comes with a long list of assumptions.
Many people with high level of intelligence lean towards over-thinking and keep analyzing everything that occurs in their life, their surroundings and beyond. Too much thinking can be exhausting at times, especially when your thoughts lead you to conclusions which vex and frustrate you.
Research has shown that there is a high correlation between being intelligent and socially anxious. The higher your IQ, the higher the chance your social apprehension is higher than usual. Of course, that doesn't mean that your social anxiety should be classified as a disorder.
Highly intelligent people are usually highly rational, even when they are also emotionally intense. They enjoy finding solutions to big problems and are aware of their deep potentials. However, they are often misunderstood. Being different, they are often scapegoated.