Are Highly Intelligent People Inherently Cruel?

[MonkeyFire]

I've met people who are highly intelligent, and often they place the intelligence of people on a hightened level, as if the value of higher intelligence is what matters more than most other things in regards to people...

Sometimes, they will even admit that they don't like wasting their time speaking to or listening to those they deem less intelligent than them...

Other times, I fear what would happen if the world were filled with highly intelligent people.

...What is your opinion of those who write-off the less intelligent? Is it justifiable in your opinion? Why do they do it..?

Knowledge is a fallen angel, and vows to rise to the paramount of God, where he once sat for eternity alway before. Imo, they should not get too smart without legitimate believers to counter balance them. Science knows, but faith is the truth.

 

[Polymath257]

If you're speaking from personal experience, I may be interested about talking about this some day, myself.

From my personal experience, I see the first step toward improvement, as simply resisting fear.

Usually, a fear brought on by some sort of stupidity. But I agree--fear is the mind killer.

 

[Revoltingest]

Nobody does smear the intelligent as "cruel", though the question has been asked for research purposes. Perhaps arrogance and self-pride have stood in the way of acknowledging this possibility.

Questions can be a Rorschach test.
The presumed motive says something about one.
I took no offense, despite my high IQ (almost 70).

 

[Revoltingest]

Usually, a fear brought on by some sort of stupidity. But I agree--fear is the mind killer.

I searched for you know what....

But the search oddly also yielded....

 

[Revoltingest]

Yes, it is incorrect. Accusing others of being stupid is appropriate when they are, in fact, being stupid.

Then I'm fortunate that it's against the rules here.
Otherwise it would happen much more often.

"Rule" their own lives, "Control" their own destinies, whatever. Maybe the willfully ignorant don't deserve freedom and autonomy, as they'd only squander it on selfishness, anyway.

Are you thinking of a career in politics?

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Wow...

...Those words in this post seem really arrogant to me.

And yet it happens. People get intimated around people who they perceive as more intelligent, and one way this shows is language and word choice (I'm not referring to "curse words"). Or they downplay you amd dismiss you becausr if this absurd nonsense of "book smarts and street smarts." Or they berate reading habits, and mockingly ask if you believe everything you read in a book. In the worst case and most extreme, (I have since forgotten the exact wording I was told) it has something to do with Satan and luring people away from god.
And, do you remember, you opened this thread accusing me of cruelty.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Do you not think it's arrogant to consider yourself the smartest person in a room?

When it comes to IQ, I'm in the 1%. I can say that, and it generally be accurate, like my 7 foot something friend who can rest assured its accurate for him to say hes the tallest in the room. It's not necessarily bragging, but the presentation of fact. Now, if I believed that makes me privileged and entitled, that would make me arrogant.

Is that like some kind of dominance? Like wild animals do?

Its what people do. Men do it with men. Women do it with women. And for very many different issues and subjects and topics. Tylically amd generally none of them good or healthy.

 

[Cooky]

And yet it happens. People get intimated around people who they perceive as more intelligent, and one way this shows is language and word choice (I'm not referring to "curse words"). Or they downplay you amd dismiss you becausr if this absurd nonsense of "book smarts and street smarts." Or they berate reading habits, and mockingly ask if you believe everything you read in a book. In the worst case and most extreme, (I have since forgotten the exact wording I was told) it has something to do with Satan and luring people away from god.
And, do you remember, you opened this thread accusing me of cruelty.

It would be a waste of my time to continue conversing with you, but that doesn't mean I reject you. Especially not for good, like they do me.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Yes, it is incorrect. Accusing others of being stupid is appropriate when they are, in fact, being stupid.
"Rule" their own lives, "Control" their own destinies, whatever. Maybe the willfully ignorant don't deserve freedom and autonomy, as they'd only squander it on selfishness, anyway.

What a fine way to show intolerance in a thread that is deeply based and rooted in intolerance.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

It would be a waste of my time to continue conversing with you, but that doesn't mean I reject you. Especially not for good, like they do me.

So jts a waste of your time to learn about how views such as those you espoused effect people who are intelligent?

 

[Cooky]

So jts a waste of your time to learn about how views such as those you espoused effect people who are intelligent?

You haven't grasped the true nature of the thread. Though, I'm sure you're certain you have.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

You haven't grasped the true nature of the thread. Though, I'm sure you're certain you have.

Yes. Of course you say that when called out for stating things you have. We, the intelligent cruel people, can't even state a fact without you thinking is arrogant. If some one is the strongest or fastest, it's awesome, especially when they can back it up. But, because this is America and this thread is about intelligence, it's arrogant to be intelligent and say "wait a minute" over false claims and statements.
To put this in another perspective, one I think you'll understand, and I feel confident speaking on this, it's like liberals who go on passively-aggressively in blanket ways with questions and "observations" against the wealthy. With you being like the liberal who has never actually met a rich person and thinks them all nefarious and malevolent anyways.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

No, they are not. I have been written-off my whole life. Throughout my life I've been an object of humiliation, whether it's by superior thinkers, stronger people, taller people, more beautiful ones etc. etc. etc. It's not acceptable. I personally believe God Has Given us all different, unique talents. Just because I lack in some aspects as compared to others, doesn't mean they are overall better than me. I might be better in some other regards. Same logic to everyone.

Personally, I don't think highly intelligent people are inherently cruel. People, in general, are inherently cruel. By the end of it all, we are just advanced homo sapiens with Reptilian brain. It is the millions of years of evolution that has hard-wired our psyche. Humans are inherently cruel. Rich people write-off poor people, powerful people write-off the weaker one, intelligent people write-off less intelligent, physically stronger write-off physically deficient ones, beautiful people write-off the less attractive ones, spiritual people write-off the materialistic ones, and so on.

No matter how far we have, we still have our cruel reptilian brain and millions of years of conditioning to keep us inherently negative. It's not just exclusive to intelligent people per se

Your post saddens me immensely.

I confess, in many ways I've been lucky (after an unfortunate childhood). Moderate good looks in a 6'2'' frame, some measure of intelligence and the ability not to completely alienate everybody around me. But it eventually took my own effort to make whatever success I've had. Yes, I depended on my talents (what you might call "God given" but I do not), and -- much more importantly -- the help of other people who took an interest. And there have been quite a few of those.

But I do not think that people are inherently cruel. I do not think so at all. In fact, I think that people are generally good, generally supportive of their social group -- because they need to be -- and willing to be so outside of their social group if they feel safe doing so.

Where we go wrong is when forget how cooperation makes us all stronger, how goodwill is returned, how a sufficient village makes possible a next generation of even more talent.

 

[Cooky]

Yes. Of course you say that when called out for stating things you have. We, the intelligent cruel people, can't even state a fact without you thinking is arrogant. If some one is the strongest or fastest, it's awesome, especially when they can back it up. But, because this is America and this thread is about intelligence, it's arrogant to be intelligent and say "wait a minute" over false claims and statements.
To put this in another perspective, one I think you'll understand, and I feel confident speaking on this, it's like liberals who go on passively-aggressively in blanket ways with questions and "observations" against the wealthy. With you being like the liberal who has never actually met a rich person and thinks them all nefarious and malevolent anyways.

I never suggested intelligent people were cruel. Your flawed assumptions have gotten the best of you... So much so, you've gone on a tangent, convinced you're correct, when you actually are dead wrong.

...You have no clue why I started this thread. Dont pretend like you do.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

I never suggested intelligent people were cruel. Your flawed assumptions have gotten the best of you... So much so, you've gone on a tangent, convinced you're correct, when you actually are dead wrong.

...You have no clue why I started this thread. Dont pretend like you do.

Actually, I confess I also have no idea why you started this thread. I would consider it a favour if you would enlighten me.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I never suggested intelligent people were cruel. Your flawed assumptions have gotten the best of you... So much so, you've gone on a tangent, convinced you're correct, when you actually are dead wrong.

...You have no clue why I started this thread. Dont pretend like you do.

Here is an account of the posts in question.

I've met people who are highly intelligent, and often they place the intelligence of people on a hightened level, as if the value of higher intelligence is what matters more than most other things in regards to people...

Sometimes, they will even admit that they don't like wasting their time speaking to or listening to those they deem less intelligent than them...

I fear what would happen if the world were filled with highly intelligent people.

I often wonder why many highly intelligent people seem to react more harshly to those who think differently.

...Is it possible for a highly intelligent person to not be arrogant?

Do you not think it's arrogant to consider yourself the smartest person in a room?

Also, I think it's immoral to offer more respect to someone viewed as "intelligent" than common people.

(said just after my intelligence was vouched for and respected, though no mentions of it being more respectable than other traits)

Nobody does smear the intelligent as "cruel", though the question has been asked for research purposes.

Perhaps arrogance and self-pride have stood in the way of acknowledging this possibility.

...Those words in this post seem really arrogant to me.

...But my point is about sizing people up, in regards to intelligence, for pride.

Are you suggesting that because it's a fact, it *cannot* also be arrogant? Or even immoral to take it one step further?

the attached preferences towards the "intelligent" rather than those who are "kind"... But the feeling is so strong, and seems so righteous, I have trouble reducing it to a mere instinctual level.

I'm trying to do a study here, and you're trying to get personal / judge... Show me where I've judged against anything aside from cruelty, hate, arrogance and dominance... All traits worthy of condemnation.

...All I've done aside from that is ask questions.

You also have a clear trend of assuming and inserting arrogance as a trait of intelligence,and it assumes it a reason for certain things. You say its for research, but you've projected and assumed so much that your motives are questionable.

 

[Cooky]

Here is an account of the posts in question.













(said just after my intelligence was vouched for and respected, though no mentions of it being more respectable than other traits)













You also have a clear trend of assuming and inserting arrogance as a trait of intelligence,and it assumes it a reason for certain things. You say its for research, but you've projected and assumed so much that your motives are questionable.

Again, I have no interest in wasting time. Sorry. See you on the next one.

 

[Cooky]

Actually, I confess I also have no idea why you started this thread. I would consider it a favour if you would enlighten me.

I would, but it's a private matter. The person knows... He doesn't care what I think or how I feel.

...Hopefully there was something all could learn anyway.

 

[Cooky]

...I'm finished now.

 

[PureX]

What a fine way to show intolerance in a thread that is deeply based and rooted in intolerance.

Tolerating willful ignorance is not a virtue. As it does not one any good.