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Not being afraid of saying “I don’t know”, asking really good questions, being able to admit mistakes—these are just a few examples of what people think is characteristic of an intelligent person. And while signs that indicate that someone is highly intelligent might differ from person to person, you’ll know one when you meet them by the way they carry themselves.

Members of the ‘Ask Reddit’ community have recently discussed such signs after the user ‘Occyz’ started a thread about it. If you’re curious about what kind of person might make you feel like Pinky next to The Brain, scroll down to find the redditors' thoughts on the list below and feel free to upvote the signs you believe are indicative of intelligence as well.

Below you will also find Bored Panda’s interview with a professor of psychology in the College of Human Ecology at Cornell University, author of Adaptive Intelligence, Dr. Robert J. Sternberg, who was kind enough to answer a few of our questions about perception of intelligence.

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#1

30 Subtle Signs Of Incredible Intelligence, As Shared By People Online I have met several off the charts intelligent people. One thing I noticed that they have in common was low self esteem. They had an actual low self esteem club at the science fiction club I belonged to. The guy who did a lot of the calculations that allowed the Voyager probes to make the Grand Tour of our solar system was a member of the club. All he could think about were what he didn’t know or what he physically couldn’t do. The common issue I observed from these bright folks was relentless school bullying. We lose so many of these geniuses to depression, suicide, self medication, or just flat out self inflicted mediocrity—society in the US does a s****y job of nurturing intelligence, it makes me incredibly angry how many of these people’s potential were wasted. (I don’t include myself in that club—My intelligence is dead average.) Frank Zappa said it best when he said that intelligence is treated like a hideous deformity by American society.

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1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My wife is so damn smart and has lived and amazing life and yet insists she's nothing special.

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#2

30 Subtle Signs Of Incredible Intelligence, As Shared By People Online Someone who can understand someone’s opposing view without having to agree with it or get angry over it.

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1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Only if there are reasons for their view. "Just because" is no valid reason. My father has some really dumb views but when I ask him to explain them he never can. Even worse, he's accusing me of belittling him and starting a fight.

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#3

30 Subtle Signs Of Incredible Intelligence, As Shared By People Online They struggle with imposter syndrome. Dumb people always think they’re the tits.

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1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's called "The Dunning–Kruger effect": people with low ability in a specific area give overly positive assessments of this ability, and highly skilled people tend to underestimate their abilities.

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Discussing the signs that indicate that a person is of high intelligence, Dr. Robert J. Sternberg noted that for him, intelligence is not about people’s score on a test or how much they impress others with their erudition. “It is about what you do in your life that makes a positive difference to the world at some level.”
#4

30 Subtle Signs Of Incredible Intelligence, As Shared By People Online How often they are confident in saying "I don't know".

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1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Always believe someone who tells you they are seeking the truth. Never believe anyone who tells you they know it.

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#5

30 Subtle Signs Of Incredible Intelligence, As Shared By People Online I consider someone intelligent if they're able to explain something incredibly complicated in simpler and more readily understood terms.

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1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The KISS Principle, "Keep It Simple Stupid." (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KISS_principle)

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In an interview with Bored Panda, Prof. Sternberg emphasized that “Intelligent people don’t have to talk about how smart they are, or try to use subtle signs to broadcast their superiority. Rather, they are out there making life better not just for themselves, but for others as well.”
#6

30 Subtle Signs Of Incredible Intelligence, As Shared By People Online Choosing not to argue with someone who's wrong and choosing their own peace of mind over being right.

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1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Several times a day. Sometimes it's blatantly obvious you're not going to convince eachother so it's pointless to have that argument. I never talk about religion and several other topics for that reason.

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#7

30 Subtle Signs Of Incredible Intelligence, As Shared By People Online They mispronounce less common words.

It means they probably haven’t heard those words spoken much, and they learned the words by reading. They’re curious and self-educated.

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1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh, that is an interesting one, and less obvious as the others, I really like that!

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#8

30 Subtle Signs Of Incredible Intelligence, As Shared By People Online When being taught to do something new, they care just as much, if not more, about why it should be done a certain way as they do about what needs to be done.

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1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It really bothers me when I have to follow a rule that I genuinely don't understand and the people who make me follow the rule can't explain it either.

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“There are a lot of high-IQ people whose main claim to fame is their high IQ or their impressive educational credentials, but they do little with their IQ,” Dr. Sternberg said. “High-IQ societies compete with each other to be more selective in allowing in people whose claim to membership is spending a lot of time solving meaningless puzzles irrelevant to real-world adaptation. It can become a test of narcissism, not intelligence – for bragging rights rather than the ability to adapt.”
#9

30 Subtle Signs Of Incredible Intelligence, As Shared By People Online They ask really good questions and listen more than they talk.

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1 month ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A guy I grew up with is a rocket scientist for JPL/NASA, and he always asks really good questions and listens more than he talks.

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#10

30 Subtle Signs Of Incredible Intelligence, As Shared By People Online My freshman college roommate was a mechanical engineer. One of the first nights we were in the dorms, we had pizza delivered. We didn't eat it all, but the pizza box didn't fit inside the dorm fridge. He went all out origami and transformed the box into a smaller, perfectly square box that did fit inside the fridge...in about 12 seconds.

I'm pretty good at math, but not necessarily geometry. My mind was blown.

I spent 35 years in academia between my student/teacher years and he's still one of the three smartest people I've ever met. His ability to "just do it" is dumbfounding to me. His retirement project is transforming his father's 1963 Mercedes convertible into a "hybrid" that has a small diesel engine that runs on vegetable oil along with a totaled Tesla Model S battery pack.

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1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nothing is more satisfying than watching someone who is really, really good at what they do.

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#11

30 Subtle Signs Of Incredible Intelligence, As Shared By People Online They don't continually need to tell people how intelligent they are.

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1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is true for everything. The stupid one pretends to be clever, the stingy one pretends to be generous and the wicked one pretends to be a saint.

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The expert continued to point out that our society’s notion of intelligence seems to be somewhat twisted. “Just look at the stupidities uttered by some of our leaders who have degrees from the most prestigious universities in the world and choose to use their intelligence to show they are bozos, pretending to serve others while caring only about how their position leads them to power, resources, fame, or infamy. Unfortunately, many people fall for the show.”
#12

30 Subtle Signs Of Incredible Intelligence, As Shared By People Online They can adapt their communication style — vocabulary, tone, content, etc — to fit the situation and people they’re talking to, and it seems completely natural.

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1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That might be more a social skill/antenna thing than intelligence.

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#13

30 Subtle Signs Of Incredible Intelligence, As Shared By People Online They're very good at problem solving. Even if it's something they have no experience with they always approach the problem from the right angle.

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1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What if it's from an obtuse angle? (yes, yes... showing myself out)

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#14

30 Subtle Signs Of Incredible Intelligence, As Shared By People Online Dry humor. Pulling it off requires an observant, quick wit with a nonchalant delivery that almost downplays its own cleverness.

Like it means their immediate passing thoughts are often profound enough to be very funny without any real effort.

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1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sometimes people are not sure if I'm joking or if I'm serious. This is hilarious.

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It seems that people say that actions speak louder than words for a reason, and this list is great proof of that. But the same seems to be true of people who, contrary to the ones described here, don’t possess the qualities characteristic of bright minds. For proof of that, move on to browse the times people at work showed just how stupid some individuals can be or check out the dumbest things these netizens have posted online next.
#15

30 Subtle Signs Of Incredible Intelligence, As Shared By People Online Understanding/appreciating nuance.

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#16

30 Subtle Signs Of Incredible Intelligence, As Shared By People Online When someone can admit a mistake and they know they don’t know everything.

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#17

Curiosity.

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1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

YES! I would much rather read a science magazine than "People" mazagine or other nonsense having to do with celebrities. But I also read Bored Panda, so there's that.

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#18

30 Subtle Signs Of Incredible Intelligence, As Shared By People Online They’re very observant, sometimes reserved.

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1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

People watching. I love doing that. My husband thinks it's creepy; it is not.

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#19

30 Subtle Signs Of Incredible Intelligence, As Shared By People Online They are ok with being perceived as "stupid" by asking questions - if we hold back in fear, we'll never truly learn. Plus it's a good way to show others it's ok to question things if you don't understand - better off if we're on the same page instead of hoping things work out without being informed.

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1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Most "problems" that arise are due to someone intimidated into not asking questions/methods and doing it incorrectly.

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#20

30 Subtle Signs Of Incredible Intelligence, As Shared By People Online They feel challenged rather than threatened by new things, problems, ideas...

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1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Generally yes. I see a new chance to learn, I get excited!

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#21

30 Subtle Signs Of Incredible Intelligence, As Shared By People Online They explain complex topics by using metaphors and analogies.

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1 month ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's helpful to people. If someone knows a certain topic and you want to explain something you know well, use an analogy in their area of expertise. I've met people who did this and helped me a great deal. I know a professor in physics in the Netherlands that puts drawings of bunnies etc in equations. Absolutely brilliant for people who claim that it's impossible for them to learn maths

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#22

30 Subtle Signs Of Incredible Intelligence, As Shared By People Online If someone is actually intelligent, they don’t put down the intelligence of others or make others’ accomplishments seem small. I’ve never met a genuinely intelligent person who feels the need to directly (or even indirectly) hint that someone else is “not so smart.”.

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#23

VERY quick wit.



Not at all interested in proving how smart they are.

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#24

30 Subtle Signs Of Incredible Intelligence, As Shared By People Online They talk only when they have something to say.

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#25

30 Subtle Signs Of Incredible Intelligence, As Shared By People Online Honestly, after reading their work, debates, talks, podcasts, discussions, arguing, etc, I noticed they often use conditions in their sentences that's not absolute. There's also this saying "only a fool talks in absolute".

Tgey use: I think, many times, often times, usually, it's possible, it could be IF ...

So it appears they talk as if "I can be wrong" or "based on what we know".

If you compare sentences so known unintelligent people they lack these conditions and voices absolutes only.

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1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Might also be a level of education thing. When I was at uni they taught us that we shouldn't use absolutes because new scientific facts might always be found that contradicts what we think we know.

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#26

One thing I’ve noticed is that really intelligent people tend to be empathetic. They’ve quietly analyzed many situations and have thought critically about them.

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#27

They pause to think about a novel question instead of instantly blurting out an answer. Sometimes people think it means they've been "stumped" and claim victory. No, they're thinking, analyzing, and formulating a reply.

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1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sigh... yes... the claiming of victory: "Oh, you have nothing to say? That means I WON! I'm SUPERIOR!" - Not necessarily ... it could really mean... the other person has realized you refuse to entertain/comprehend any other POV/narrative than the one you've already crafted, so they've given up on you. They're just tired, and find you exhausting."

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#28

30 Subtle Signs Of Incredible Intelligence, As Shared By People Online Really funny and depressed.

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#29

30 Subtle Signs Of Incredible Intelligence, As Shared By People Online When they take the time to filter through any possible misunderstandings in an argument by asking questions to help them better understand the idea that’s being presented, instead of immediately assuming their first interpretation of the argument is the correct one.

Something that’s always bugged me is when my argument gets misunderstood, and then attacked from angles where supposed “errors” exist, when those errors rose out of the listeners own misinterpretation.

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1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"You're not mad about what I said, you're mad about what you *think* I said."

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#30

30 Subtle Signs Of Incredible Intelligence, As Shared By People Online They're storytellers. They craft narratives for themselves and for others that are compelling, that make the world make sense, that invigorate and install a goal, a mission.

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1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Mmm, storytelling... Every night I tell myself a new tale to go to sleep to. I've done that for so long, and I never really thought that was strange growing up.

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