Are highly intelligent people more likely to be unhappy, and why?

Question

I read this quote that intelligence and happiness as a combination is rare, something along those lines.

I feel a lot of very smart people are very serious and so it makes me wonder if there's a correlation between the two.

If that is the case, then why do so many people aspire to be lawyers, bankers etc. It can't be just for the money as there's just as much money in other things for example nowadays trades is making insane amounts.

Telekinetic-Potato · Accepted Answer

Being smart just sucks sometimes. Let me give you an example:

Imagine you saw a kid trying to throw a ball with their left hand and they're getting frustrated it's going all different directions whenever they throw. So you say

"Hey, you might be right handed, give it a shot"

And the kid is like

"What? My mom says I'm left handed like her"

And you think back to all the times you saw them write with their right hand and do basically everything else right handed... It's a little frustrating because you know 109% for sure you're right. To the point it's a fact, not a guess or an opinion.

Now that kid is going to notice you're annoyed. It doesn't matter how good your poker face is or how emotionally intelligent you are, there's a primal circuit in the brain that activates as soon as your body knows you're dealing with someone who might threaten your identity. And herein lies the problem with being smart.

We all like to think if we were the kid we'd take the advice, throw better and move on with our lives. But in practice, the kid is actually every friend, coworker...

Essentially every person you come into contact with, you're walking in the eggshells of their fragile egos, everyone is trying to outsmart, control, prove wrong or frame themselves socially above you.

Intelligence isn't about having some magic ability to understand things other people can't. Sure we could sit here all day and talk about how different people have better or worse approaches at abstracting their thoughts.

It's about paying attention to details. And then organizing them in a way that's useful. The story about the kid is a loose but powerful example.

I won't bore you with the details but there's a bunch of other little meanings in there. Including a hint about why even my logic here is shaky.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is when you're smart you see the world in a way that feels really transparent. And a lot of the time you just want to share it but its very, very hard to do that in a way where people see it the way you do. It can make you feel pretty shitty when something you always bieved would be a key to connection for yourself actually became the poison that keeps them away.

OneViewpoint · Accepted Answer

Ever hear the phrase "ignorance is bliss"? Yeah, stupid people are blissfully unaware of the train perpetually coming at them. Intelligent people can get overwhelmed because they see all the disasters that can potentially occur and it's really hard to ignore that when you can see it.

On the flip side stupid people can be really angry and defensive because they don't understand how the world works and they are always wrong about economics, politics, religion, math, technology. They can feel that they are always looked down on by smart people. They are. But the fact they deserve to be looked down on is impossible for them to grasp. They don't know how or why but they are certain someone is screwing them while other people have the nice homes, luxury cars, vacations, designer clothes, hot girlfriends or boyfriends, good health, etc.

Tiffany_Taylor_Made · Accepted Answer

Happiness is irrelevant to intelligence. Albeit higher intelligence often leads to better socioeconomic outcomes, such as higher income, healthiness, and high-paying careers, such socioeconomic outcomes do not guarantee happiness. Moreover, people with lower intelligence can also have better socioeconomic outcomes and be happy with their lives. Happiness is highly subjective, and what makes a person happy can vary greatly depending on the individual, regardless of intelligence level.

Taurus_Woman · Accepted Answer

I believe that highly intelligent people can’t be fully happy, because their deep thinking and awareness make it hard for them to avoid overthinking problems and feeling dissatisfied.

indissoluble · Answer

I'm happy and I have an IQ of 158. Getting a reportedly high paying job is not what makes you happy if you are smart. Dumb people chase status and careers to feel happy. It plays on their narcissism... In reality a doctor or a lawyer doesn't make all that much money. Put a doctor, a waitress, and a captain of industry like Elon Musk in a line... Which two are more similar? The Doctor and the Waitress, yet they are trained to believe that they are two completely different classes in society. In reality their isn't much between them, but they will belittle each other because that is how they were trained to behave... You know, like a dog that's been to a course at the local PetsMart.

EveryDayIsPretzelDay · Answer

Imagine that a farmer has ten pigs. Every day the farmer feeds the pigs, takes care of them, protects them from predators, makes sure the pigs have everything they need to live a safe, comfortable pig life.

Nine of the pigs spend all day enjoying the free food and care the farmer gives them, but one of the pigs is a little smarter than the others. This pig asks himself questions like, "Why is the farmer doing all this? What's in it for him? Why are there no older pigs on the farm?"

I think intelligent people are more likely to look behind the curtain, so to speak, and ask uncomfortable questions about the people they know, and the situations they might find themselves in.

genericname85 · Answer

actually more intelligent people are actually more likely to be more satisfied with their life (that's a good "happiness" measure in social science). and the reason they tend to be more happy is that higher intelligence has a big impact on all the other variables that have a positive impact on happiness. like education level, income, mental health, professional fullfillment, social engagement and so on. though the intelligence itself doesn't make people more or less happy. it just helps them manage life in ways that facilitates happiness better. of course at the extreme ends it will look slightly differently but generally speaking, being more intelligent makes it more likely to be happy.

Anonymous · Answer

Yes, but so are cynical a**holes. So just because you're unhappy doesn't automatically mean you're smart.

Yes, smart people think and overthink things. This is why the term, "ignorance is bliss".

People that aspire to be lawyers many times do it from a young age. And a lot of them are legacies. So it's just as much of a way of life as it is a profession. Also a lot of tem are tied into things like politics. Again I said a way of life.

As far as people choosing other avenues to prosperity. The world has really changed since the rise of the internet. I grew up In a world without the internet. There were no social media influencers. And a job was generally 9 to 5. Alternative streams of income have really blossomed. As has the cost of EVERYTHING. I do not envy the youth today trying to navigate their way to prosperity in this world today. You guys really are dealing with a stacked deck.

MisterWack · Answer

Well there tends to be an issue where a lot of the people who find themselves in high status of success feel as though they never truly earned it and people will find them out to be frauds. That doesn’t sound happy at all.
Not generalizing or saying everyone who finds success (who are intelligent) go through this line of thinking and beating themselves up over it, but certainly a good number do and wanted to add that perspective into the mix of other opinions that will take place.

Maybe_Maybe_not · Answer

Deconstructing that question's premise, things get complicated for me because:  There is no consensus I know of on what high intelligence is, only about what high-functioning cognition is. To me, happiness is most likely self-reported, it is also something unsteady, plus, like the concept of intelligence, it is not as if it was clearly defined.

jshm2 · Answer

Yes, but not for the reasons you think.

So called "intelligent" people suffer in other ways. They tend to get taken advantage of, they tend to be highly strung, or they tend to be odd balls. etc etc.

Being "maxed" in one category tends to mean you have less in other categories.

slatyb · Answer

I don't think that's true. I think they are more likely to honestly describe their feelings. Everyone has good days and bad. I know a lot of highly intelligent people and they seem to be pretty happy.

Trades may be well-paid, but not like computer programmers. I'm in Seattle and the starting salary at a FAANG company is about $125,000. That's to start. A couple promotions and it's closer to $400,000.

findacure4wokeness · Answer

They say intelligent people are often not happy. perhaps knowing the terrible truth is worse then being ignorantly bliss plus people are threated by intelligence and there for intelligent people are often back stabbed by co-workers, acquaintances and friends. Some smart people I know have pretend to be stupid for this exact reason.

msc545 · Answer

The problem with being intelligent is that one tends to ask a lot more questions and to think a lot more about the world and one's place in it. Those things tend to lead to unhappiness to some extent, although not knowing something is even worse.

DonaldDarko · Answer

If so it's because low IQ people out breed them and they end up surrounded by a culture that caters to dull wit. You don't find Science magazines at the supermarket you find tabloids. It's like that everywhere.

MrChinaski · Answer

Happiness = Outcomes - Expectations. Tibetan monks are the happiest people on earth. If happiness is your measure of success.

strateguy632 · Answer

yes we are aware of problems. ignorance is bliss.

Staximus · Answer

People feel like they need to accomplish or achieve something for the status, prestige, money, or to jerk off their own ego. It’s all bullshit.

Wodens_Apprentice · Answer

Intelligent people suffer more then less intelligent people, because intelligent people think, criticise & self reflect more.

Texaskid1 · Answer

Overthink can lead to unhappiness. Some very smart people tend to overthink things.

TonyMetal___86 · Answer

Yes you can be very intelligent and at the same time happy

Anonymous · Answer

They spend too much time thinking about existential matters 🕳️🌌 🚀

Anonymous · Answer

Yes, because you know enough to see just how fucked up everything is in the world

abc3643 · Answer

Unhappy... for obvious reasons.

Dargil · Answer

They fear becoming ordinary people.

megan20022 · Answer

I really have no idea, my guess would be no

Anonymous · Answer

By that notion, I must be a genius

jahaims · Answer

Yes, Google it

Are highly intelligent people more likely to be unhappy, and why?

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