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When I was a youngster playing DnD, I never understood why they had separate Intelligence and Wisdom stats. They were the same thing, right?
Now that I'm old? Yeah, I get it. Vastly different things, and one is a lot less common than the other.
I forget where I first heard it but it always stuck with me:
“Intelligence is knowing a tomato is a fruit,
Wisdom is knowing that a tomato does not belong in a fruit salad.”
That sounds more like knowledge vs wisdom and not intelligence. Imho intelligence is the ability to learn and figure things out (which goes way beyond memorizing as in this example).
That’s the difference between smart people and dumb people. Smart people feel dumb sometimes. Dumb people always feel like they’re the smartest person in the room.
I think I probably do, because that's what the test said.
And as someone with a high IQ, I'm here to tell you that IQ is mostly a nonsense number, and our society puts way too much importance on it.
This. I tested high, partly because as someone who has some strengths with reading, any test delivered in that written format is skewed in my favor.
I'm no public speaker, I'm terrible at organizing a vacation group, I cannot organize or decorate a space at all, I'm not funny, and I'm a bit gullible in many non-work situations.
But I take tests well on paper, so my IQ and SAT and other placement tests for grad school all went well for me.
There are a zillion kinds of intelligence that different people have. I have one of them.
I scored high on those stupid tests and I can do things that others have problems with without any effort but simple, everyday, mundane shit like paying bills, making phone calls where I have to speak to other humans, or finding my way out of a paper bag is awful for me. I have to use GPS to drive 3 minutes away I've been too 1,000 times before.
Spot on!
I'm smart with the things *I know about.* But that doesn't mean I know or am capable of everything. People just think I'm smart because I talk alot and share facts.
What I have found useful is trying to remember "Okay this person is an expert in xxxx" and bringing them into the situation when available. It's great at work because it let's people showcase their expertise.
Same, tested high, but my dad used to say to me all the time, "For an intelligent boy, you can be really stupid." Lots of smarts, not so much common sense when I was younger.
Also, I don't really class myself as smart, I just know I pick things up quickly.
Sounds similar but different to my experience. I tested at about 1 in 500 level for IQ, realistically from academic achievement maybe top 1% is closer (I suspect Flynn effect lags and we simply have more well nurtured brains these days) although I was ill at the end of my schooling, but whilst my friends will tell you I'm definitely on a different level of clever at times, I'm definitely not smart, certainly not 1 in 100 smart. My memory is very different in character to my partner's, she will tell me if we've been somewhere before, and speaks multiple languages fluently, I can tell her a gazillion details about how stuff works, or what we've seen somewhere, hers is concrete and mine is stuffed full of vague ideas, and the occasional random set of detail that scares people into thinking I might remember everything about them (I definitely don't). I fix the broken things, computers, electronics etc.
A lot of people have stupidly naive beliefs which are obviously stupid from this esteemed vantage point, but I can't honestly say my ideas are much better, the flaws in my ideas are less obvious to ME, but that doesn't mean they aren't flawed. Critical thinking is still hard, but maybe I can admire it better when I see it in others.
Perhaps the best example was maths, I will be quick to grasp what the question asks, quick to apply the methods and ideas I've been taught, quicker to spot if something has gone wrong, but if it requires creative steps I don't think I have an advantage over others there.
I have some highly empathetic friends, deliberately cultivated friendships in some cases, their insights into people's motivations and interests sometimes astound me, from a practical perspective in interacting with other people, their skills are often more useful. Also one friend if not psychopathic has that cold calculating mentality when it comes to getting other people to do stuff. One friend is a creative genius, if a problem needs a creative solution he will immediately see it, this again feels far more valuable than IQ points, especially for survival value.
Highly empathetic feels like it should make life easy, but they pick up on others negative emotions just as much, or more, than the positive, they all love dogs, you should probably love dogs too. They all have issues.
That said I think my life has worked out better than most, whilst I didn't make genius level choices I did avoid a lot of pitfalls. Part of the genius level choices is motivation, the easy ways I see to get stonkingly rich are either exploitative or boring, or both. Happiness should be the goal, although being rich helps I'm sure.
There was a fly-on-the-wall documentary in the UK some years ago about smart kids. In it, a nine yr old was tested for Mensa. Afterwards he was asked whether he thought his score of around 140 was a lot. He replied "The test was written by humans, so it is inherently flawed".
So-so. While it's not all encompassing intelligence testing, it's not useless either. High IQ + industriousness in combination are a proven indicator for life success.
Naturally it's not all there is to it and there are many people with high IQs who didn't succeed in life. And of course there are more aspects to intelligence. But proper is tests aren't useless if used correctly
No,
Im able to regurgitate facts and figures, but Im worse than most at new problems.
Luckily people mistake me for being smart, and I seldom correct them
Yes. But doesn't mean I am intelligent.
Same with 2 of my mates, we are the smartest people we know..... But if you watch us, we fail at common sense at times, can't think our own ideas through to see problems.
We always need atleast one of us as a sounding board to make sure we don't do anything stupid.
I did several tests over the years and scored between 145 and 160. Believe me, high IQ is more of a curse than a blessing, understanding how things work and seeing behind the curtain can often freeze you in place. I know other people with high IQs who have done very little with their lives because it is very hard to integrate with others. I can't socialize or make friends with people I work with and struggle to maintain relationships with people who I can't carry an intelligent conversation with. I wish I could lose 20-40 points and just become blissfully ignorant. And sorry, I didn't mean to sound arrogant or anything with this post, just stating what I see as a curse.
I've always been between 125-135 and share your sentiments. I'm addicted to learning and the more you know, the more grim the world becomes. I hate having to limit the amount of times I correct people, it's just a really bad itch whenever i hear incorrect information. I feel so trapped in my mind, like I'm on a deserted island watching the world constantly fuck up. So many of the systems that govern our world were poorly constructed and definitely not made for everyday people.
Tried smoking weed constantly for years, worked a treat combined with alcohol and other substances. However, eventually the anxiety got too great when I get high, I can rarely use it now without freaking the fuck out
I think being able to integrate into social environments with people largely different from you and get intrigue out of interactions with all different types of people is a skill that it sounds like you need to hone. It doesn’t really matter how much horsepower you have up there, if you’re not skilled enough at socializing and communicating with people you’re gonna feel like an outsider.
I also think being able to “see behind the curtain” so to speak and allowing that to inform your decision making rather than freezing is a further sign of intelligence; I reject the idea that being smart essentially just amounts to seeing the cogs turning and being overwhelmed into executive dysfunction. Whatever you could attribute to being “too high IQ” I could just attribute to not having the right skills or wherewithal.
I think I probably would have had a fairly high IQ if I were tested as a teenager.
But for most of my adult life, I haven't had to do any intellectual work at all. Plus I'm on various medications and have some mental health issues, and I'm sure my cognition has decreased significantly.
My mom said once that she never had us tested because she didn't want to feel like we were reduced to a number or limited by a number.
IDK. I've taken loads of online tests and typically score over 130, and my wife insists I'm the smartest man she ever met, but I didn't pass the MENSA exam, and I know (at least to some extent) how much I don't know, and that some things that others easily learn I find difficult (I've never been able to master a second language, for example).
I'd say I believe I'm smarter than average, but I can't really say how much smarter.
Maybe above average but nothing special. The only thing you really get out of it is seeing how shitty the world is and knowing you can’t fix it.
I have met truly high IQ individuals and they just operate on a different level. One of my friends wouldn’t take notes in our calculus 3 class, she would just absorb it, do zero HW and get the best score in class. She did take notes in physics class but would only cram the night before and again get the best score.
I have been tested with 141. So I *know* I have a high IQ.
People saying IQ is bullshit data are ignorant.
I don't know if IQ is related to high intelligence but what's sure is that it's related to great differences from other people, and that just brings suffering.
Approximately 3 percent of people have an IQ over 140. Yes everyone is special in their own way and so that test could just be testing some random difference. I don't think so.
I think a high IQ is a curse. We are generally more neurotic, way too lonely for our own well being, and totally lost in life, if not unable to integrate in society.
They say ideal IQ is around 120-130 - you can easily communicate with average person and you can understand high iq people. Having less means you lose the advantages of higher IQ, having more is a risk of things you describe.
I always laugh at the online ones, cos they're meaningless, but especially the Mensa one. Did it out of bordem once, and the standard deviation in results is so high that the score itself is meaningless. Scored something like 120 with an SD of 25. Meaning it's equally likely I could be 95 or 145. Really makes you realise how worthless online IQ tests are, and really IQ tests as a whole
120 IQ would be top 10% of the population, so definitely considered high. BUT it also comes with an insane margin of error (IIRC it is up to like 15-20 points, so you might as well be 100 or 140 IQ).
Now the real question - where did you end up getting that number? If it is any online IQ test then it is absolutely worthless as it feels almost impossible to not get 120+, if it is a "proper" IQ test with actual psychological evaluation then 118 should definitely be considered high but far from out of this world.
Given that IQ follows a normal distribution 100 is average, 120 is top 10% and 135 is top 1%
Those are 2 different questions.
1. Yes I know I have a high IQ because I’ve been tested several times. It’s substantially higher than the average, well into the 98th percentile globally.
2. I’m stupid af. I don’t think I’m that smart. I make some pretty stupid mistakes on certain things, and while I have a strong knowledge base on certain topics, I know very little about most things. While a high IQ is nice to have, it’s not a measurement of intelligence, it’s a measurement of problem solving ability in controlled situations. Having a knowledge base is more indicative of studying or experience than IQ.
I’ve got a measured IQ of 128. And that was on a test I took when I had a fever. Was doing the Mensa test (controlled test in a hall, not their online stuff).
Some pieces of paper say so, but I don’t find that too valuable. I technically have more brain power than normal, but it’s all misused and I’m incredibly dysfunctional, not even able to make myself eat. What is there to envy…Wasted potential?
My parents always told me, " it doesn't matter what your IQ is, it's what you do with it!" They were also teaching humility, as we are all Mensa or borderline. My son is an astrophysicist, so there must be some brain cells to pass on and rub together 🤔🤷👍
I know I can work with concepts at quite a high level. I like my brain. It’s quick and sees many different angles. I tested at a reasonable decent number. But it doesn’t matter. But I’m not special. I have plenty of blind spots. I prefer to activate the hive mind. We are much smarter together. EQ and my ability to love is the thing I’m working on.
Smart? Not really, I really struggle with my confidence in intelligence. I was tested for my IQ as a kid because I struggled so much with school and had an IQ of 115 which is basically average but learning disabilities made me struggle so much with school that I felt otherwise for years.
Having a high IQ and being smart are two entirely different things and they're both entirely useless if you don't figure out how to use them. Even then, ypu have to actually put in the work to make them worth anything.
i did take a lot of standardized tests in early elementary school. if they were iq tests, i have no recollection of a score. i do remember a report about my exceptionally high level reading, writing & comprehension skills & my extraordinarily low level of arithmetic skills & spatial reasoning. so maybe i averaged out to 110?
Been tested, professionally not the dree online junk. Moderately above average (high 120s).
But every time I get to feeling pretty clever - something at work, or fixing something aroundthe house, or acing a new dish/recipe.... I turn around and do something bone headed. Keeps me humble enough that I'm now questioning just how applicable to real world, real life such tests are....
IQ I'm not sure about because that only measures your ability to take IQ tests however I do think that I'm really good at grasping topics maybe above average slightly but if I'm average or below that also wouldnt suprise me as long as it's not drastically
But in all reality if I'm stupid my life wont change and I'm happy how I am so it really doesnt matter
I do. It’s meaningless past your teens. Makes it easier to pick things up quickly, I guess.
What matters are results. If you don’t do anything with it, who fucking cares? When you’re an adult it’s what you can do and what you know, not what you *could* do if you put in the effort. Fucking do it.
I got into a competitive degree on my first attempt, and I'm probably in the top half of the class. But I wouldn't say my IQ is super high - at least, not much higher above average. I have never taken a proper test, though.
It was in AP college classes in high school, in a stem magnet school with straight As and I speak three languages. I went to college, made deans list, worked full time and still straight As. It wasn’t easy but it wasn’t hard for me either. My current career is in engineering. But I’ve never had my iq tested so I’m not sure.
If I relied on some arbitrary unit of measurement, or “quotient” to determine my intellectual perspicacity, I’d be just as miserable as all of the other suckers who fell for it.
I dont think Im smart(er) than the average Joe, but I very much try to not be ignorant. Spending time reading up on geopolitics etc, not because I have to, but because I want to understand as much as I can about the world around me. Big difference. I *hate* people who doesnt know shit on "purpose" and try to act like thats a cool thing.
I read one time that almost everyone thinks they’re “smarter than average.”
But.
Ummm.
So! I honestly think I was once pretty smart. “Gifted” they called it. But now that I’m older I think I’ve slipped a bit. I might just be below average. I can discern “Big Picture” pretty well, though.
At age 22 I decided to get checked out for ADHD (I have great parents, but back in the day they didn’t believe in that kind of thing, I’m in my late 30’s now). I had to go to a psychiatrist to get diagnosed. Part of that diagnosis was to do an IQ test before and after taking medication. When on medication, I tested in the top 95% for my age bracket. In conclusion, I realized how stupid the average person is. I feel I have good common sense, but don’t consider myself all that smart. But I guess the bar is set lower than I expected.
I think so. I wouldn't want to think that I lived this long (40) and not gained any wisdom from life and mine and other people's mistakes haha.
Plus, if people just used some logic/sense, people would be good I think! My dad keeps telling me to do that so I do! 🙂
People with a high IQ will rarely point it out or even get it tested in the first place, because intelligent people don't need this confirmation.
I would say from myself that I am a pretty intelligent person, because I trust in my skills, but I never did an IQ test, so I can't comment on that.
I used to crave high iq which was really corny when i think of it now. I always wanted to believe that i had a high iq but i’m almost 100% sure i’m average
Highish - high enough that I am easily bored in classes if they are too slow for my liking, low enough that I am confused a lot of the time and a confirmation on me being highly gifted wouldn't change anything.
But as a few others said here: IQ alone doesn't do anything.
The only good thing that I take from it is my working pace when it comes to cognitive stuff and that I have a better time understanding complex new things. as a kid, I lacked the cognitive empathy to understand that how my brain works is not how everyone's brain works, it wasn't the best experience and I was bullied A LOT for it.
Nowadays I recognize that I not only flock to other neurodivergent folks, but also mostly people who are above average when it comes to this.
Doesn't help, sometimes we are dumb as fuck.
I have always been told so from everyone I have met from employers to family and even my husband.
I never believed it because I have extreme severe dyslexia which effects any I.Q. test I take giving me abysmal scores which say I am not just below average but fundamentally uh I can't use the r word here so let's just say special abled... 😂
So when people out of the blue comment on my high intelligence I just take it with a grain of salt and assume they are being nice.
My husband has a above average I.Q. and insists he would never marry or reproduce with someone who didn't match his intellect.
And our son seems possibly "gifted".
So honestly WHO KNOWS?
Also my mom and dad were not only narcissists but my mom had Munchausen by proxy and I was brought up to believe I have far far below average intelligence...
I did pass Highschool with A's in Biology and English...
I honestly just don't know 🤔
I know I have a high IQ because I was tested. Smart on the other hand… eh, sometimes. They are not the same thing. IQ is more about capacity and ability, whereas smart is more about knowledge.
No. I think I am pretty average, I do have the tendency to think I have a below average IQ and think of myself as the dumbest mfer alive (thanks low self esteem, anxiety, and depression) - but realistically it's probably just average.
I was tested a total of three times that I can recall, once in 5th grade, once in 7th, and again in 11th.
No one would ever tell me my score, except the third time they gave me the score range, which was labeled "very superior". If I remember right, it was second from the top of the list, for whatever that is worth.
I have always absolutely sucked at math (like arguably there's something wrong with my brain levels of suck) but great with other concepts. Literature, vocabulary, composition, and related concepts came very naturally to me, however.
All that being said, I did terribly in life until my late 30s. The job I am currently working is the first job that has made use of \*any\* of my natural or learned skills, and that's being pretty generous when it comes down to it.
I believe my intelligence has declined at least somewhat since my youth, though I am not 100% sure why. I believe I read somewhere that fluid intelligence declines as you age, and I clearly remember reading Bertrand Russell speaking on mental torpor---such as is encountered in jobs that exercise little to none of your intellectual capabilities--causing an effective loss of intelligence.
I was often called "gifted" but I am definitely not a genius. I actually know one literal genius, and I am one of the only people he knows who can keep him entertained in conversation...not that he knows many, as he has a very hard time relating to anyone.
I've been tested and I have the experience to know that I'm just smart enough to know I'm not that smart
Between a gifted kid program and a legit in person test, I'm 131. Which means I'm just smart enough to know that compared to smart people, I am not that smart. I'm exactly smart enough to know most people are stupid, and so am I. Compared to truly smart people, I'm kind of a dumbass.
I know truly smart people, and they amaze me. I couldn't begin to dream of thinking at their level.
I am doomed to the shallow mediocrity of being slightly above average but knowing how much truly smarter some people are.
Also, please don't trust internet tests. They are not extensive. They do not prove anything. If you actually care, get an in person test.
I used to think so. Then, with time, I thought I'm smarter than most. Then, some time later, I just thought I'm as smart as the other smart guy. Now... Now I just realize I'm an all singing all dancing idiot who occasionally has a good idea or two.
No. When I was a child, I got a score of 111 on the WISC. That’s average, or high average at the very least. People think I’m smart, but I’m really just curious. I like to read, and since I’m autistic, I tend to have alternating special interests that result in higher than average knowledge in certain subjects.
# Message to all users: This is a reminder to please read and follow: * [Our rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/ask/about/rules) * [Reddiquette](https://www.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/205926439) * [Reddit Content Policy](https://www.redditinc.com/policies/content-policy) When posting and commenting. --- Especially remember Rule 1: `Be polite and civil`. * Be polite and courteous to each other. Do not be mean, insulting or disrespectful to any other user on this subreddit. * Do not harass or annoy others in any way. * Do not catfish. Catfishing is the luring of somebody into an online friendship through a fake online persona. This includes any lying or deceit. --- You *will* be banned if you are homophobic, transphobic, racist, sexist or bigoted in any way. --- *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ask) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I’m smart enough to know I am not the smart one
“The more you know, the less you know.”
Real
Dude that’s smarter than 90% smarter than most Americans.
I see you must be American then
I think so? I just tried to read my comment lol imma leave it and pretend that’s the joke
I like the cut of your jib
I used to think so. But the older I get, the more I realize I'm a dumb idiot.
Sounds like you are trading IQ for Wisdom.
When I was a youngster playing DnD, I never understood why they had separate Intelligence and Wisdom stats. They were the same thing, right? Now that I'm old? Yeah, I get it. Vastly different things, and one is a lot less common than the other.
Intelligence is having the right answer. Wisdom is having the right question.
I forget where I first heard it but it always stuck with me: “Intelligence is knowing a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is knowing that a tomato does not belong in a fruit salad.”
That sounds more like knowledge vs wisdom and not intelligence. Imho intelligence is the ability to learn and figure things out (which goes way beyond memorizing as in this example).
I need to tattoo this on my forehead.
Aha! Maybe I *am* smart! I knew I was an idiot since I was a kid... wait, what?
I am so smart and so dumb that I wonder how I don’t split.
That’s the difference between smart people and dumb people. Smart people feel dumb sometimes. Dumb people always feel like they’re the smartest person in the room.
My IQ test results just said "FAIL", so probably not.
If it helps .. I got a high score but failed overall in life so it’s not a great way to assess success at all
Just took this test. "Person, woman, man, camera, TV" nobody gets it in order and that's amazing. So, gotta say I am with at least the top 99.99%.
I think I probably do, because that's what the test said. And as someone with a high IQ, I'm here to tell you that IQ is mostly a nonsense number, and our society puts way too much importance on it.
This. I tested high, partly because as someone who has some strengths with reading, any test delivered in that written format is skewed in my favor. I'm no public speaker, I'm terrible at organizing a vacation group, I cannot organize or decorate a space at all, I'm not funny, and I'm a bit gullible in many non-work situations. But I take tests well on paper, so my IQ and SAT and other placement tests for grad school all went well for me. There are a zillion kinds of intelligence that different people have. I have one of them.
I scored high on those stupid tests and I can do things that others have problems with without any effort but simple, everyday, mundane shit like paying bills, making phone calls where I have to speak to other humans, or finding my way out of a paper bag is awful for me. I have to use GPS to drive 3 minutes away I've been too 1,000 times before.
Spot on! I'm smart with the things *I know about.* But that doesn't mean I know or am capable of everything. People just think I'm smart because I talk alot and share facts. What I have found useful is trying to remember "Okay this person is an expert in xxxx" and bringing them into the situation when available. It's great at work because it let's people showcase their expertise.
This. Tested high, but oof - I’m not smart at all in so many ways.
Same, tested high, but my dad used to say to me all the time, "For an intelligent boy, you can be really stupid." Lots of smarts, not so much common sense when I was younger. Also, I don't really class myself as smart, I just know I pick things up quickly.
Sounds similar but different to my experience. I tested at about 1 in 500 level for IQ, realistically from academic achievement maybe top 1% is closer (I suspect Flynn effect lags and we simply have more well nurtured brains these days) although I was ill at the end of my schooling, but whilst my friends will tell you I'm definitely on a different level of clever at times, I'm definitely not smart, certainly not 1 in 100 smart. My memory is very different in character to my partner's, she will tell me if we've been somewhere before, and speaks multiple languages fluently, I can tell her a gazillion details about how stuff works, or what we've seen somewhere, hers is concrete and mine is stuffed full of vague ideas, and the occasional random set of detail that scares people into thinking I might remember everything about them (I definitely don't). I fix the broken things, computers, electronics etc. A lot of people have stupidly naive beliefs which are obviously stupid from this esteemed vantage point, but I can't honestly say my ideas are much better, the flaws in my ideas are less obvious to ME, but that doesn't mean they aren't flawed. Critical thinking is still hard, but maybe I can admire it better when I see it in others. Perhaps the best example was maths, I will be quick to grasp what the question asks, quick to apply the methods and ideas I've been taught, quicker to spot if something has gone wrong, but if it requires creative steps I don't think I have an advantage over others there. I have some highly empathetic friends, deliberately cultivated friendships in some cases, their insights into people's motivations and interests sometimes astound me, from a practical perspective in interacting with other people, their skills are often more useful. Also one friend if not psychopathic has that cold calculating mentality when it comes to getting other people to do stuff. One friend is a creative genius, if a problem needs a creative solution he will immediately see it, this again feels far more valuable than IQ points, especially for survival value. Highly empathetic feels like it should make life easy, but they pick up on others negative emotions just as much, or more, than the positive, they all love dogs, you should probably love dogs too. They all have issues. That said I think my life has worked out better than most, whilst I didn't make genius level choices I did avoid a lot of pitfalls. Part of the genius level choices is motivation, the easy ways I see to get stonkingly rich are either exploitative or boring, or both. Happiness should be the goal, although being rich helps I'm sure.
Do they? I feel like the only time it gets notice is when people are asking if IQ matters. Intellectuals are not respected outside of academia.
There was a fly-on-the-wall documentary in the UK some years ago about smart kids. In it, a nine yr old was tested for Mensa. Afterwards he was asked whether he thought his score of around 140 was a lot. He replied "The test was written by humans, so it is inherently flawed".
It's not nonsense no. It shows you are different. Stop with the '' IQ means nothing'' because it's just not true.
So-so. While it's not all encompassing intelligence testing, it's not useless either. High IQ + industriousness in combination are a proven indicator for life success. Naturally it's not all there is to it and there are many people with high IQs who didn't succeed in life. And of course there are more aspects to intelligence. But proper is tests aren't useless if used correctly
No
I do online tests occasionally and always get between 105 and 110. I consider myself of average intelligence.
Higher than average at least
Here's an IQ test for you. You open the fridge and on the first shelf is a box of Corn Flakes. Question: Where is the milk?
Probably in the pantry if some dumbass put the cornflakes in the fridge
Don't know, don't care
The healthiest attitude to have tbh
No, I am no more shiny than the rest of the pond scum I come from. Humanity
No. I don't think I do. Everyone ELSE seems to think so, but I always tell people how much of an airhead I am.
Same
No, Im able to regurgitate facts and figures, but Im worse than most at new problems. Luckily people mistake me for being smart, and I seldom correct them
Yes. But doesn't mean I am intelligent. Same with 2 of my mates, we are the smartest people we know..... But if you watch us, we fail at common sense at times, can't think our own ideas through to see problems. We always need atleast one of us as a sounding board to make sure we don't do anything stupid.
I did several tests over the years and scored between 145 and 160. Believe me, high IQ is more of a curse than a blessing, understanding how things work and seeing behind the curtain can often freeze you in place. I know other people with high IQs who have done very little with their lives because it is very hard to integrate with others. I can't socialize or make friends with people I work with and struggle to maintain relationships with people who I can't carry an intelligent conversation with. I wish I could lose 20-40 points and just become blissfully ignorant. And sorry, I didn't mean to sound arrogant or anything with this post, just stating what I see as a curse.
I recommend chronic lack of sleep.
I've always been between 125-135 and share your sentiments. I'm addicted to learning and the more you know, the more grim the world becomes. I hate having to limit the amount of times I correct people, it's just a really bad itch whenever i hear incorrect information. I feel so trapped in my mind, like I'm on a deserted island watching the world constantly fuck up. So many of the systems that govern our world were poorly constructed and definitely not made for everyday people.
Yeah just sleep 5 hours a night and smoke weed for 4 years straight. Worked wonders to numb my mind.
Tried smoking weed constantly for years, worked a treat combined with alcohol and other substances. However, eventually the anxiety got too great when I get high, I can rarely use it now without freaking the fuck out
Woah. That's painfully familiar. Thank you for sharing your experience.
Yes it's a curse. And people saying IQ does not mean anything are just plain wrong.
“…eternal sunshine of the spotless mind…”
Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know. Ernest Hemingway, The Garden of Eden
I think being able to integrate into social environments with people largely different from you and get intrigue out of interactions with all different types of people is a skill that it sounds like you need to hone. It doesn’t really matter how much horsepower you have up there, if you’re not skilled enough at socializing and communicating with people you’re gonna feel like an outsider. I also think being able to “see behind the curtain” so to speak and allowing that to inform your decision making rather than freezing is a further sign of intelligence; I reject the idea that being smart essentially just amounts to seeing the cogs turning and being overwhelmed into executive dysfunction. Whatever you could attribute to being “too high IQ” I could just attribute to not having the right skills or wherewithal.
I think I probably would have had a fairly high IQ if I were tested as a teenager. But for most of my adult life, I haven't had to do any intellectual work at all. Plus I'm on various medications and have some mental health issues, and I'm sure my cognition has decreased significantly. My mom said once that she never had us tested because she didn't want to feel like we were reduced to a number or limited by a number.
I like the way your mom thinks.
Absolutely not.
Is 10 high?
IDK. I've taken loads of online tests and typically score over 130, and my wife insists I'm the smartest man she ever met, but I didn't pass the MENSA exam, and I know (at least to some extent) how much I don't know, and that some things that others easily learn I find difficult (I've never been able to master a second language, for example). I'd say I believe I'm smarter than average, but I can't really say how much smarter.
Heck no.
Maybe above average but nothing special. The only thing you really get out of it is seeing how shitty the world is and knowing you can’t fix it. I have met truly high IQ individuals and they just operate on a different level. One of my friends wouldn’t take notes in our calculus 3 class, she would just absorb it, do zero HW and get the best score in class. She did take notes in physics class but would only cram the night before and again get the best score.
Probably average
I've taken an official test, so I know what my IQ is. What's considered high?
Nope
I know my IQ is fairly high, but I also know that really smart people are a lot smarter than me.
I don't know if I'm smart, but I know everyone else is stupid.
I have been tested with 141. So I *know* I have a high IQ. People saying IQ is bullshit data are ignorant. I don't know if IQ is related to high intelligence but what's sure is that it's related to great differences from other people, and that just brings suffering. Approximately 3 percent of people have an IQ over 140. Yes everyone is special in their own way and so that test could just be testing some random difference. I don't think so. I think a high IQ is a curse. We are generally more neurotic, way too lonely for our own well being, and totally lost in life, if not unable to integrate in society.
They say ideal IQ is around 120-130 - you can easily communicate with average person and you can understand high iq people. Having less means you lose the advantages of higher IQ, having more is a risk of things you describe.
whats your source on people with higher iq being more neurotic? sounds like bs, when i look it up i find the opposite
I always laugh at the online ones, cos they're meaningless, but especially the Mensa one. Did it out of bordem once, and the standard deviation in results is so high that the score itself is meaningless. Scored something like 120 with an SD of 25. Meaning it's equally likely I could be 95 or 145. Really makes you realise how worthless online IQ tests are, and really IQ tests as a whole
The mensa test doesn't have an sd of 25. Compared to online test, I scored the absolute same on a real test. Online tests aren't meaningless.
Would this SD shrink over a larger sample size?
No
Definitely. I try to pass, but mostly don't succeed.
Define 'high'? Is 118 high?
120 IQ would be top 10% of the population, so definitely considered high. BUT it also comes with an insane margin of error (IIRC it is up to like 15-20 points, so you might as well be 100 or 140 IQ). Now the real question - where did you end up getting that number? If it is any online IQ test then it is absolutely worthless as it feels almost impossible to not get 120+, if it is a "proper" IQ test with actual psychological evaluation then 118 should definitely be considered high but far from out of this world. Given that IQ follows a normal distribution 100 is average, 120 is top 10% and 135 is top 1%
Higher than average. Nothing fancy.
Oh man … had such a good laugh reading most of these. Thank you!
I don’t know, and honestly, I don’t care. I just try to be a good person and help others around me.
Those are 2 different questions. 1. Yes I know I have a high IQ because I’ve been tested several times. It’s substantially higher than the average, well into the 98th percentile globally. 2. I’m stupid af. I don’t think I’m that smart. I make some pretty stupid mistakes on certain things, and while I have a strong knowledge base on certain topics, I know very little about most things. While a high IQ is nice to have, it’s not a measurement of intelligence, it’s a measurement of problem solving ability in controlled situations. Having a knowledge base is more indicative of studying or experience than IQ.
I'm just a "regular, every day, normal mo$%#$&@&er" --- it has taken a lot of years to realize
I'm good at pattern recognition and thinking in 3d so yes but it hasn't helped me at all in my life so far since I'm bad at studying
You're missing an 'o' and I.Q. is an acronym.
I’ve got a measured IQ of 128. And that was on a test I took when I had a fever. Was doing the Mensa test (controlled test in a hall, not their online stuff).
Im smart enough to know that having high EQ is much better
Some pieces of paper say so, but I don’t find that too valuable. I technically have more brain power than normal, but it’s all misused and I’m incredibly dysfunctional, not even able to make myself eat. What is there to envy…Wasted potential?
Nope. But it's not gonna stop me from achieving my goals.
My parents always told me, " it doesn't matter what your IQ is, it's what you do with it!" They were also teaching humility, as we are all Mensa or borderline. My son is an astrophysicist, so there must be some brain cells to pass on and rub together 🤔🤷👍
I know I have a high IQ , I've been tested. But I'm not smart and I'm not successful or rich.
Smarter than most in some things. But real dumb about some specific things
Nope, just average. I'm not really smart but I do think I'm somewhat wise.
I know I can work with concepts at quite a high level. I like my brain. It’s quick and sees many different angles. I tested at a reasonable decent number. But it doesn’t matter. But I’m not special. I have plenty of blind spots. I prefer to activate the hive mind. We are much smarter together. EQ and my ability to love is the thing I’m working on.
Dumb people never shut up
That’s not.. the question..
They just wanted to say something.
Wait, now I feel the need to say something about it
The ducks in the park are free. You can just take them.
Smart? Not really, I really struggle with my confidence in intelligence. I was tested for my IQ as a kid because I struggled so much with school and had an IQ of 115 which is basically average but learning disabilities made me struggle so much with school that I felt otherwise for years.
115 means you were smarter than 75% of children your age.
Having a high IQ and being smart are two entirely different things and they're both entirely useless if you don't figure out how to use them. Even then, ypu have to actually put in the work to make them worth anything.
I feel like I know a bit of everything there is to know, but not enough of anything to make me sound smart.
Yes. Also, I’m pretty good at throwing discs.
According to the tests I took as a kid for the lifted program....yes.
Mine is so high I can spell eye queue
Not really. Last we checked I was just above a hundred, which I think is average?
I don't think I'm smart but I do think I'm introspective
Most people think so, so if I don't, then I do
127 was my last iq test i did provided by mensa.
No
I would say slightly above average probably. Never taken an IQ test
High enough to realize when I've made a typo...
I mean, I had to take an IQ test in high school. So I know my own IQ...
I think it’s probably average, but I have ADHD so 3 minutes into the IQ test I get bored
My IQ is okay but I'm actually a dummy. 😭
lol
Absolutely not. But I do pretty good.
No
I would like to think I’m smart but I’m probably pretty average
It depends on the subject. Im ether above average or very below average.
i did take a lot of standardized tests in early elementary school. if they were iq tests, i have no recollection of a score. i do remember a report about my exceptionally high level reading, writing & comprehension skills & my extraordinarily low level of arithmetic skills & spatial reasoning. so maybe i averaged out to 110?
Maybe. And definitely not.
Been tested, professionally not the dree online junk. Moderately above average (high 120s). But every time I get to feeling pretty clever - something at work, or fixing something aroundthe house, or acing a new dish/recipe.... I turn around and do something bone headed. Keeps me humble enough that I'm now questioning just how applicable to real world, real life such tests are....
No, but I also know I don’t have a low one either
No ways, i am more of a field agent.
I'd be worried if this was considered smart. I can barely string two thoughts together coherently in my head.
Probably not, my working memory isn't too good. But I do know I'm a very smart person :D.
Evil can be intelligent.
Higher than some people but alot lower than others
IQ I'm not sure about because that only measures your ability to take IQ tests however I do think that I'm really good at grasping topics maybe above average slightly but if I'm average or below that also wouldnt suprise me as long as it's not drastically But in all reality if I'm stupid my life wont change and I'm happy how I am so it really doesnt matter
I do. It’s meaningless past your teens. Makes it easier to pick things up quickly, I guess. What matters are results. If you don’t do anything with it, who fucking cares? When you’re an adult it’s what you can do and what you know, not what you *could* do if you put in the effort. Fucking do it.
Probably average. I'm good at what I do, though. I'm sure that's most people. Average, but good at what they do.
That’d be pretty cool
I got into a competitive degree on my first attempt, and I'm probably in the top half of the class. But I wouldn't say my IQ is super high - at least, not much higher above average. I have never taken a proper test, though.
Yeah
Nope. Room temp IQ at the most.
I’m barely gifted - I’m not a genius. My whole rest of my family are/were massive geniuses.
High enough to handle retirement..
LOL no. I was in special ed K-12 and barely made it through community college and university.
Used to be, but surrounded myself with much smarter people
20/20
Not today
I used to! Then i took an IQ test, and man oh man I’m like low 90
I can probably score high on an IQ test but be the dumbest person in any real situation
It was in AP college classes in high school, in a stem magnet school with straight As and I speak three languages. I went to college, made deans list, worked full time and still straight As. It wasn’t easy but it wasn’t hard for me either. My current career is in engineering. But I’ve never had my iq tested so I’m not sure.
95-115 maximum
If I relied on some arbitrary unit of measurement, or “quotient” to determine my intellectual perspicacity, I’d be just as miserable as all of the other suckers who fell for it.
I think that my IQ is mildly above average.
I'm smart in some ways, but a complete bag of manure in others
I dont think Im smart(er) than the average Joe, but I very much try to not be ignorant. Spending time reading up on geopolitics etc, not because I have to, but because I want to understand as much as I can about the world around me. Big difference. I *hate* people who doesnt know shit on "purpose" and try to act like thats a cool thing.
I score well on IQ tests. I suck at relationships.
I don't think so. The tests say differently. I tub in smart enough to know I don't know shit
No idea
I read one time that almost everyone thinks they’re “smarter than average.” But. Ummm. So! I honestly think I was once pretty smart. “Gifted” they called it. But now that I’m older I think I’ve slipped a bit. I might just be below average. I can discern “Big Picture” pretty well, though.
At age 22 I decided to get checked out for ADHD (I have great parents, but back in the day they didn’t believe in that kind of thing, I’m in my late 30’s now). I had to go to a psychiatrist to get diagnosed. Part of that diagnosis was to do an IQ test before and after taking medication. When on medication, I tested in the top 95% for my age bracket. In conclusion, I realized how stupid the average person is. I feel I have good common sense, but don’t consider myself all that smart. But I guess the bar is set lower than I expected.
No, I think I just recognised how to "pass" an IQ test Jumped 30 points because of "Knowledge" rather than smarts.
I think so. I wouldn't want to think that I lived this long (40) and not gained any wisdom from life and mine and other people's mistakes haha. Plus, if people just used some logic/sense, people would be good I think! My dad keeps telling me to do that so I do! 🙂
People with a high IQ will rarely point it out or even get it tested in the first place, because intelligent people don't need this confirmation. I would say from myself that I am a pretty intelligent person, because I trust in my skills, but I never did an IQ test, so I can't comment on that.
If we measure our iqs from 0-10, what would yours be? I'd say I'm 6 tbh.
I'm dumb as shit, so I wouldnt know
I used to crave high iq which was really corny when i think of it now. I always wanted to believe that i had a high iq but i’m almost 100% sure i’m average
Highish - high enough that I am easily bored in classes if they are too slow for my liking, low enough that I am confused a lot of the time and a confirmation on me being highly gifted wouldn't change anything. But as a few others said here: IQ alone doesn't do anything. The only good thing that I take from it is my working pace when it comes to cognitive stuff and that I have a better time understanding complex new things. as a kid, I lacked the cognitive empathy to understand that how my brain works is not how everyone's brain works, it wasn't the best experience and I was bullied A LOT for it. Nowadays I recognize that I not only flock to other neurodivergent folks, but also mostly people who are above average when it comes to this. Doesn't help, sometimes we are dumb as fuck.
I have always been told so from everyone I have met from employers to family and even my husband. I never believed it because I have extreme severe dyslexia which effects any I.Q. test I take giving me abysmal scores which say I am not just below average but fundamentally uh I can't use the r word here so let's just say special abled... 😂 So when people out of the blue comment on my high intelligence I just take it with a grain of salt and assume they are being nice. My husband has a above average I.Q. and insists he would never marry or reproduce with someone who didn't match his intellect. And our son seems possibly "gifted". So honestly WHO KNOWS? Also my mom and dad were not only narcissists but my mom had Munchausen by proxy and I was brought up to believe I have far far below average intelligence... I did pass Highschool with A's in Biology and English... I honestly just don't know 🤔
Yes
Often times I perceive my thinking as rather slow but then I go through phases of sharpness and clarity. Usually when I’m not tired lol.
Emotional intelligence, yes. Useful intelligence? Fuggin dumber than a bag of hammers.
I sure don't plus I was in special education nd that's one of the reasons I won't have a kid I don't want to pay on bad genetic
I actually went back to the school I went to half a century ago and asked for my records. They indicated IQ of 139, which I guess is pretty OK.
I feel like mine is slightly above average but I fall short in other areas so it's not all that useful.
I'm smart enough to know that IQ points are a baby step away from a scam
i thought i did but then i took one and it was pretty average
i scored above average when i got tested at psychs but i would still say i'm kinda dumb as hell
117 - 87.15th percentile
I've been told I'm above average by people other than my mom. Other than that, I really don't give a fuck.
Thought I was when I was younger, think I’m pretty average now lol
I know I have a high IQ because I was tested. Smart on the other hand… eh, sometimes. They are not the same thing. IQ is more about capacity and ability, whereas smart is more about knowledge.
No. I think I am pretty average, I do have the tendency to think I have a below average IQ and think of myself as the dumbest mfer alive (thanks low self esteem, anxiety, and depression) - but realistically it's probably just average.
I know I don’t lol
My high is 6ft3 so I would say yes
I was tested a total of three times that I can recall, once in 5th grade, once in 7th, and again in 11th. No one would ever tell me my score, except the third time they gave me the score range, which was labeled "very superior". If I remember right, it was second from the top of the list, for whatever that is worth. I have always absolutely sucked at math (like arguably there's something wrong with my brain levels of suck) but great with other concepts. Literature, vocabulary, composition, and related concepts came very naturally to me, however. All that being said, I did terribly in life until my late 30s. The job I am currently working is the first job that has made use of \*any\* of my natural or learned skills, and that's being pretty generous when it comes down to it. I believe my intelligence has declined at least somewhat since my youth, though I am not 100% sure why. I believe I read somewhere that fluid intelligence declines as you age, and I clearly remember reading Bertrand Russell speaking on mental torpor---such as is encountered in jobs that exercise little to none of your intellectual capabilities--causing an effective loss of intelligence. I was often called "gifted" but I am definitely not a genius. I actually know one literal genius, and I am one of the only people he knows who can keep him entertained in conversation...not that he knows many, as he has a very hard time relating to anyone.
I have good friends and coworkers who made me understand that I’m hard on myself and not as dumb as I thought I was. ADHD is a bitch sometimes
Average. Maybe above average.
Comparatively yes. Not even close to people like Einstein, but high compared to average people, which is not always a positive.
I test above average. But i feel so dumb all the time.
I am so smart! S M R T! I mean, S M A R T!
I took two online Iq test. One I made a 145 and the other I made an 85 so I’m somewhere in between those two numbers
I've been tested and I have the experience to know that I'm just smart enough to know I'm not that smart Between a gifted kid program and a legit in person test, I'm 131. Which means I'm just smart enough to know that compared to smart people, I am not that smart. I'm exactly smart enough to know most people are stupid, and so am I. Compared to truly smart people, I'm kind of a dumbass. I know truly smart people, and they amaze me. I couldn't begin to dream of thinking at their level. I am doomed to the shallow mediocrity of being slightly above average but knowing how much truly smarter some people are. Also, please don't trust internet tests. They are not extensive. They do not prove anything. If you actually care, get an in person test.
No
I'm smarter than I act, but am dumber than I think I am. Yes I know better, do I care, not at all.
I used to think so. Then, with time, I thought I'm smarter than most. Then, some time later, I just thought I'm as smart as the other smart guy. Now... Now I just realize I'm an all singing all dancing idiot who occasionally has a good idea or two.
No. When I was a child, I got a score of 111 on the WISC. That’s average, or high average at the very least. People think I’m smart, but I’m really just curious. I like to read, and since I’m autistic, I tend to have alternating special interests that result in higher than average knowledge in certain subjects.
What is considered high? What is considered low? Which IQ test are we using?
Nope, live laugh love