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Some people like to think the world of themselves. And while there's nothing wrong with a healthy dose of self-assurance and a little bit of cockiness, we might sometimes think we're a tad bit smarter, more good-looking, and better at things than we actually are.
When it comes to intelligence, one study found that 65% of Americans believe they're smarter than the average American. And not all of them are wrong: more educated respondents, for example, correctly assumed their intelligence is above average.
But how do we measure intelligence? Are there any signs that betray a non-intelligent person? Two people online were probably wondering the same thing when they decided to ask what the giveaways of low intelligence are. What do you think, Pandas? Do you agree that we can measure intelligence by a single behavior? Let us know in the comments!
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#1
Using complex words without fully grasping what they mean. I do it sometimes, it makes me sound photosynthesis.
RELATED:
#2
They talk about being an alpha male.
Little Wonder 3 months ago
Alpha men are like Alpha software - not ready for public release, unstable and full of errors.
#3
Only use one source of news and believe it fully instead of looking across a number of different sources.
#4
Casual littering is one that gets me.
#5
Instead of having a good point in an argument, they call you names and insult you.
#7
Kinda an oddly specific one, but people who brag about doing dangerous things and thinking they have the biggest c*ck in the world for it.
I had a coworker once who was bragging about the fact that he was going over 100 on the freeway that morning and my manager looks at him and says “you were going over 100 in your s**t car with your pregnant girlfriend?”
#8
Absolute insistence that scientists are all lying because they are in the bag of government grants while Ignoring the three scientists who are Making three times money shilling for corporations.
Libstak 3 months ago (edited)
Claiming world wide conspiracles in health and science is a big one. It's also dangerous. Reality is there are millions of scientists and doctors combined across the globe. The idea that they would by a factor of hundreds of thousands be complicit in some diabolical plot just doesn't work.
#9
Thinking that they know how everything works. Typically, from my own experience, the smarter someone is the more they admit just how little they actually know.
#11
Lack of curiosity.
#12
Laughing or mocking people for asking dumb questions.
Intellectual humility is the only way we learn.
TheBlueBitterfly 3 months ago
Thete are no dumb questions when someone truly desires to learn.
#13
Sexism, racism, ableism.
And, even worse: The toxic assumption they have all the awareness they need and could never learn to do better.
A lack of awareness of your own privilege.
#14
Not being able to learn from mistakes. There’s a Chinese proverb that says that…
Smart people learn from their mistakes, but the really wise ones learn from other’s mistakes. When it comes to fools, sadly they (edit typo) do NOT learn from anyone’s mistakes.
As long as you can learn from mistakes, you are at least half as more smart than you really need to be to succeed in life…
#15
They see the world in black and white. There is no nuance. No understanding of the other side of anything. There is only right and wrong; and conveniently they are alway on the side of ‘right.’.
#16
Hate people that don’t look/act/think like them, people who are cruel. Greatest telltale signs. People with low intelligence tend to show distain towards things they don’t understand, or that don’t fit their world view.
#17
They have strong opinions about topics they don't really even understand the basics of.
David 3 months ago
Back in the 80s when people could canvas folks at the airport I got off my flight and passed a table where a lady was saying radiation was bad. (basically they were against nuclear power). I worked in nuclear power so I stopped long enough to ask her what kind of radiation she was talking about. She had zero clue. While I recognize there can be valid concerns, she literally knew nothing about radiation or even that there were different kinds. If you are going to try to influence people, at least learn the basics of what you are talking about.
#18
Celebrity worship i.e. the Kardashians.
TheBlueBitterfly 3 months ago (edited)
People whose entire personality revolves around the worship of celebrities, or worship of anything trendy really.
#19
I feel like people who ride motorcycles without wearing at least a helmet have low intelligence.
#20
The inability/unwillingness to try understand someone else's point of view, and how their personal experiences contribute to that view. It doesn't mean you have to accept it, or agree with it, just try understand it.
#21
Repeating rhetoric, you have heard, but not being able to actually explain what it means.
Pedantic Panda 3 months ago
Repeating rhetoric, you have heard, but not being able to actually explain what it means.
#22
No self awareness.
fckiforgotmypassword:
Self awareness is a pretty big one. There’s a lot of people I know that would hate themself if they were able to meet themself.
keyboardtek 3 months ago
The opposite is too much introspection, self criticism, and self doubt.
#23
They think they're always right. Not curious / open to learning.
Stephanie Did It 3 months ago
Not being willing to change or improve because "that's just the way I am and will always be"
#24
When they never questioned the beliefs they grew up with.
TheBlueBitterfly 3 months ago
Or they never question ANYTHING that comes from a person in "authority" i.e. religious leaders, government leaders, parents, teachers. Questioning their statements or actions doesn't mean you immediately disagree with them, just that you want to know WHY before you follow them. Learn. Ask. Research. Think critically before reacting emotionally.
#25
They tell you about the time they scored 450 in an online IQ test.
khanfusion:
Over my years of the Early Internet, it was always easy to spot to a pseudo-intellectual by how readily they dropped 200 or close to 200 as their score. Because they didn't know that's a ludicrous score to lie about.
#26
Well I'm not sure you can reliably guage intelligence by just looking at behaviour, but people who try to get on the train while others are getting off score pretty f**king high in my book.
#27
They don’t know the difference between their there they’re.
#28
They don't just not take the time to listen to other opinions, they actively shoot them down.
EmmaDaBomb:
A lot of debates you see online are going to be people trying to yell over one another. Most of the time, people pick apart grammatical errors or things that they didn't phrase right and use it as the base of their whole argument.
An intellectual debate shouldn't include yelling. Hear another person out before disagreeing with them.
#29
They have a hard time understanding how a concept in one context could apply to another context.
#30
Thinking being louder in an argument means you are winning.
keyboardtek 3 months ago
Speaking louder is sometimes the only way to get heard over the constant unending stream of hate from the right wingers.
#31
They act like they are smarter than anyone else. They really believe they are. Flat out. No matter the education they have, they know more about any subject you bring up.
nottheactualphoto 3 months ago
A proper education - or even life experience - helps you to grasp how profoundly ignorant you are.
#34
No critical thought. I knew a lady who got suspicious of the donkey charity adverts on TV because "if they're helping new donkeys, why are they still showing the old ones."
#35
Telling you how smart they are.
lovemy suffolk 3 months ago
Where they went to university coming up in every single conversation. 🙄
#36
Not trying to figure something out before they ask for help/ no desire to learn.
#37
Inability to process hypotheticals and the IF scenario. That's really the main development people have gone through intellectually over the latest handful of generations. We can entertain, not just what is, but what might be or what could've been. It helps us think in abstract ways that allows us to for example categorize information which is immensele useful in the types of tasks a modern society requires. It helps us with basic skills like arithmetic ("IF you have 5 apples and then remove two how ma--" "But I don't have 5 apples though"). One of the most important abilities it gives us is the ability to put ourselves in someone else's place ("How would you feel IF you were treated the way you treat others?" "I'm not, though").
#38
Repeating conspiracies they have not really researched. Because as someone that has, it's like the writer of most of them didn't think the logic of it to fill completion, so you run into a story with no purpose, ending, motive, or even plot. How a ton of them have to be believed in total isolation but this specifically they are willing to give the benefit of the doubt, not the reasonable or rational and educated argument.
#39
People who "don't get" art or literature. *"It's just a picture/statue." "Reading is lame."*.
Stephanie Did It 3 months ago
People who actually brag about never having read a book or being unable to write and spell, then laughing about it. I'd be ashamed. (Talking about those who ignored their schooling)
#40
Their entire personality is based off trendy identities based off Tiktok, Tumblr or Twitter.
What do you think ?
panther 3 months ago
Thinking that random people on tiktok and other social media platforms are credible news sources.
cherry~ 3 months ago
I know a person that regularly used unfactchecked Twitter sources for debates and thought he was super smart for doing so…
Load More Replies... Breadcrumb. 3 months ago
Taking your kids out of public school, heaven forbid they learn critical thinking.
Lara Verne 3 months ago
I met lady, who believed that pouring vinegar on the ground would change weather. She was also antivax, pro-Putin, anti-Ukraine, and and very loud about her beliefs. I was working with her and she would talk whole day, even when peoplev repeatedly told her that they're not interested in topics.
Sand Ers 3 months ago (edited)
Rank and file magats are gullible, stupid, or both. Some on the second and third rank sycophants just below the exalted orange leader are dangerously intelligent. And it’s those people who have spent the last 4 years laying the groundwork to challenge the next election far more effectively than the last try. (Some OF, dammìt!)
Load More Replies...
René Sauer 3 months ago (edited)
They answer to a joke comment (clearly marked as such) as if the poster was serious. I once posted under a video where a guy was pulled over because *gasp* he had his window down while driving: " Well, you don´t need to scroll your window anyway. You have AC. /s" And so many answered me like: " What are you talking about? You need to roll it down if you smoke, when your passengers farts, you want to throw something out. etc." so stupid... Not to mention some people on this very site here...
Pencil McGovern 3 months ago
I once posted this a26.png 
meme in a thread that had evolved into some pretty complex advanced mathematics that went over most people's heads. The mathematicians laughed but others berated me saying I had no concept of the importance of math. I mean... really? Lol.
Roland Nijveld 3 months ago
People that have to make a reference to an American politician or political party.
Lisa Delgado 3 months ago
Every time, even when the topic has nothing to do with politics. There's always that one poster.......
Load More Replies...
reuben kift 3 months ago
Been guilty/will probably be guilty of some of these, but I'm trying to improve on this.
The Darkest Timeline 3 months ago
At least you have enough self awareness to not just dismiss all of these as something you never do.
Load More Replies...
StrangeOne 3 months ago
LOL This is all funny when you catch on that the list is comprised of average people who may or may not be as intelligent as they think.
Panda McPandaface 3 months ago
Do I overestimate my intelligence? I don't know, maybe everyone does to a greater or lesser extent, but when I see some people on television I am almost convinced I'm a borderline genius.
Kraneia The Dancing Dryad 3 months ago
People who need to be the loudest voice in the room. Always.
ArcanaPanda 3 months ago
Unless you're in Texas, where you have to shout to be heard. I kid you not, I'm originally from there and I've found I've managed to relax my vocal cords significantly after moving away from there. It honestly sucks and I wouldn't be surprised if half the people still there are tired of yelling.
Load More Replies...
Gandalf the Pink 3 months ago (edited)
Stephen Hawking once said "People who boast about their IQ are losers", and the arguably even more genius Joe Pera said about Stephen Hawking: "When Stephen Hawking cheated on his wife, she must have felt pretty sad. It was a terrible thing to do, and I don’t want to defend him, but try thinking about it from his perspective for a moment. He spends all day thinking about the universe and how big it is. How our star, the sun, is just one of dozens of stars in the galaxy, which is just one of dozens of galaxies in the known universe, all set against handfuls and handfuls of time. If one guy cheats on his wife, what’s the big deal? Thinking further down the same line of thought however, if we’re so tiny and insignificant, if you’re able to find one person in the entire universe who cares about you, why would you want to disappoint them?"
LokisLilButterknife 3 months ago
MAGA still voting for a convicted criminal and rapist despite all the information and verified facts available online ...
D. Pitbull 2 months ago
Instead of attempting/trying to learn/grow - they immediately invent a diagnosis (and I'm talking about people who honestly do NOT have a diagnosis, and are wholly against going to a doctor to see if they really have one) to excuse it.
Liz The Biz 3 months ago
People who trivialise other people's problems or concerns because its not something they've ever experienced themselves.
LovePsychos 3 months ago (edited)
The one that I believe someone is dumber than they think; they genuinely believe they are more intelligent than you calling you dumb but when you see their life, they haven't really achieve something that makes you go like "wow, that person must be really intelligent". Imagine constantly called dumb by someone that they don't even know a second language apart theirs. Okay Einstein!
Schmebulock 3 months ago
Someone who constantly talks at a meeting usually to cover they don't know s**t.
panther 3 months ago
Thinking that random people on tiktok and other social media platforms are credible news sources.
cherry~ 3 months ago
I know a person that regularly used unfactchecked Twitter sources for debates and thought he was super smart for doing so…
Load More Replies... Breadcrumb. 3 months ago
Taking your kids out of public school, heaven forbid they learn critical thinking.
Lara Verne 3 months ago
I met lady, who believed that pouring vinegar on the ground would change weather. She was also antivax, pro-Putin, anti-Ukraine, and and very loud about her beliefs. I was working with her and she would talk whole day, even when peoplev repeatedly told her that they're not interested in topics.
Sand Ers 3 months ago (edited)
Rank and file magats are gullible, stupid, or both. Some on the second and third rank sycophants just below the exalted orange leader are dangerously intelligent. And it’s those people who have spent the last 4 years laying the groundwork to challenge the next election far more effectively than the last try. (Some OF, dammìt!)
Load More Replies... René Sauer 3 months ago (edited)
They answer to a joke comment (clearly marked as such) as if the poster was serious. I once posted under a video where a guy was pulled over because *gasp* he had his window down while driving: " Well, you don´t need to scroll your window anyway. You have AC. /s" And so many answered me like: " What are you talking about? You need to roll it down if you smoke, when your passengers farts, you want to throw something out. etc." so stupid... Not to mention some people on this very site here...
Pencil McGovern 3 months ago
I once posted this a26.png meme in a thread that had evolved into some pretty complex advanced mathematics that went over most people's heads. The mathematicians laughed but others berated me saying I had no concept of the importance of math. I mean... really? Lol.
Roland Nijveld 3 months ago
People that have to make a reference to an American politician or political party.
Lisa Delgado 3 months ago
Every time, even when the topic has nothing to do with politics. There's always that one poster.......
Load More Replies... reuben kift 3 months ago
Been guilty/will probably be guilty of some of these, but I'm trying to improve on this.
The Darkest Timeline 3 months ago
At least you have enough self awareness to not just dismiss all of these as something you never do.
Load More Replies... StrangeOne 3 months ago
LOL This is all funny when you catch on that the list is comprised of average people who may or may not be as intelligent as they think.
Panda McPandaface 3 months ago
Do I overestimate my intelligence? I don't know, maybe everyone does to a greater or lesser extent, but when I see some people on television I am almost convinced I'm a borderline genius.
Kraneia The Dancing Dryad 3 months ago
People who need to be the loudest voice in the room. Always.
ArcanaPanda 3 months ago
Unless you're in Texas, where you have to shout to be heard. I kid you not, I'm originally from there and I've found I've managed to relax my vocal cords significantly after moving away from there. It honestly sucks and I wouldn't be surprised if half the people still there are tired of yelling.
Load More Replies... Gandalf the Pink 3 months ago (edited)
Stephen Hawking once said "People who boast about their IQ are losers", and the arguably even more genius Joe Pera said about Stephen Hawking: "When Stephen Hawking cheated on his wife, she must have felt pretty sad. It was a terrible thing to do, and I don’t want to defend him, but try thinking about it from his perspective for a moment. He spends all day thinking about the universe and how big it is. How our star, the sun, is just one of dozens of stars in the galaxy, which is just one of dozens of galaxies in the known universe, all set against handfuls and handfuls of time. If one guy cheats on his wife, what’s the big deal? Thinking further down the same line of thought however, if we’re so tiny and insignificant, if you’re able to find one person in the entire universe who cares about you, why would you want to disappoint them?"
LokisLilButterknife 3 months ago
MAGA still voting for a convicted criminal and rapist despite all the information and verified facts available online ...
D. Pitbull 2 months ago
Instead of attempting/trying to learn/grow - they immediately invent a diagnosis (and I'm talking about people who honestly do NOT have a diagnosis, and are wholly against going to a doctor to see if they really have one) to excuse it.
Liz The Biz 3 months ago
People who trivialise other people's problems or concerns because its not something they've ever experienced themselves.
LovePsychos 3 months ago (edited)
The one that I believe someone is dumber than they think; they genuinely believe they are more intelligent than you calling you dumb but when you see their life, they haven't really achieve something that makes you go like "wow, that person must be really intelligent". Imagine constantly called dumb by someone that they don't even know a second language apart theirs. Okay Einstein!
Schmebulock 3 months ago
Someone who constantly talks at a meeting usually to cover they don't know s**t.
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