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Being generous, thoughtful, and kind is a sign of high intelligence

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Re: Being generous, thoughtful, and kind is a sign of high intelligence

#11

Post by stonethrowaway »

mjfl wrote: post #9
stonethrowaway wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think in the coming years we’ll agree that the notion of a psychopath as described/defined by pop science was completely off base and made up mostly to discredit opponents in one way or another. First, however, we have to find a valid substitution so we can swing to the next branch before the plebs catch on that we were making shit up. Like most of pop psych.

Some of it is probably real, like repeat offenders of predatory crime. If you've done multiple violent robberies there's probably something in your brain off that allows you to do all that. There's a predatory ecological niche in every society. Very common in nature too. Altruism is less common than predation in nature, it seems. Though in the workspace, you may be onto something.

Used to be fashionable to accuse people of lacking empathy, or better yet, to describe yourself as an “empath” - because clearly everyone else isn’t.

Hopefully that bullshit virtue signalling went away.

Re: Being generous, thoughtful, and kind is a sign of high intelligence

#12

Post by astura »

My mother is both mean and dumb.

After a lot of conversation with her I've noticed one of the reasons why she's so mean is she doesn't seem to have the cognitive ability to think about the consequences of what she says or does before she says it or does it. She operates entirely on instinct and thinking through words/actions beforehand is a totally foreign concept to her.

Re: Being generous, thoughtful, and kind is a sign of high intelligence

#13

Post by farts_mckensy »

stonethrowaway wrote: post #5
smiley1437 wrote: post #4

What about highly intelligent psychopaths? https://www.spring.org.uk/2022/12/high-functioning-psychopat... Maybe some of those highly intelligent people are good at pretending to be generous, thoughtful, and kind because it helps achieve their goals.

I think in the coming years we’ll agree that the notion of a psychopath as described/defined by pop science was completely off base and made up mostly to discredit opponents in one way or another. First, however, we have to find a valid substitution so we can swing to the next branch before the plebs catch on that we were making shit up. Like most of pop psych.

If you've ever met a psychopath and seen their true colors, you will undoubtedly be convinced it's a real phenomenon. I have had the unfortunate experience of dealing with one myself. He showed all the hallmark signs. He urinated the bed frequently. He harmed animals when he was young. Specifically, he swung his pet gerbil around by the tail until the tail was severed. He threw a baby rabbit against a stop sign and killed it while his poor younger brother watched. He has grown up to be incredibly sadistic to the point where everyone I know has completely cut him off. I hope you never run into one. When you are talking to someone you believe to be decent, and you eventually realize what they are, what you're dealing with, it is a truly chilling experience.

Re: Being generous, thoughtful, and kind is a sign of high intelligence

#14

Post by Teever »

mjfl wrote: post #9
stonethrowaway wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think in the coming years we’ll agree that the notion of a psychopath as described/defined by pop science was completely off base and made up mostly to discredit opponents in one way or another. First, however, we have to find a valid substitution so we can swing to the next branch before the plebs catch on that we were making shit up. Like most of pop psych.

Some of it is probably real, like repeat offenders of predatory crime. If you've done multiple violent robberies there's probably something in your brain off that allows you to do all that. There's a predatory ecological niche in every society. Very common in nature too. Altruism is less common than predation in nature, it seems. Though in the workspace, you may be onto something.

Why wouldn't there be psychopaths in the workplace?

The way I see it there's a selection bias at play here. The kind of psychopaths who are repeat offenders are the ones who get caught, so of course we notice them.

We don't notice the ones who don't get caught.

That doesn't mean that they're any less ruthless and destructive to society -- they're just lucky / more functional.

In my mind I view white collar crime to be the greatest evil in society because it is the thing that enables all of the petty/violent crime that we abhor. Part of the reason that it's so evil to me is for that very reason, and that the perpetrators of it are able to pass themselves off as functional individuals who participate in society like you and I do, and are able to use the system against itself to perpetuate their crimes.

Re: Being generous, thoughtful, and kind is a sign of high intelligence

#15

Post by andrewflnr »

astura wrote: post #12

My mother is both mean and dumb. After a lot of conversation with her I've noticed one of the reasons why she's so mean is she doesn't seem to have the cognitive ability to think about the consequences of what she says or does before she says it or does it. She operates entirely on instinct and thinking through words/actions beforehand is a totally foreign concept to her.

I really think that's a training issue, though? Not that training is ever easy to separate from "intelligence", but "dumb" people can learn to think before they speak... Anyway, I'm so sorry, growing up with her must have been rough.

Re: Being generous, thoughtful, and kind is a sign of high intelligence

#17

Post by theGnuMe »

smiley1437 wrote: post #4

What about highly intelligent psychopaths? https://www.spring.org.uk/2022/12/high-functioning-psychopat... Maybe some of those highly intelligent people are good at pretending to be generous, thoughtful, and kind because it helps achieve their goals.

So if you are _not_ someone with an antisocial personality disorder and you go to therapy like couples therapy you basically learn that you need to be kind and thoughtful even if your partner is not and compliment them and it basically rubs off on them. It's also the way you make friends etc...

It's the basic psychological principle that you need to give to the world what you wish to receive. It is counterintuitive.

I'd guess that this would be the treatment program for APDs as well except that the APD may short circuit the reciprocal reward program.

Re: Being generous, thoughtful, and kind is a sign of high intelligence

#18

Post by theGnuMe »

stonethrowaway wrote: post #11
mjfl wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Some of it is probably real, like repeat offenders of predatory crime. If you've done multiple violent robberies there's probably something in your brain off that allows you to do all that. There's a predatory ecological niche in every society. Very common in nature too. Altruism is less common than predation in nature, it seems. Though in the workspace, you may be onto something.

Used to be fashionable to accuse people of lacking empathy, or better yet, to describe yourself as an “empath” - because clearly everyone else isn’t. Hopefully that bullshit virtue signalling went away.

"to accuse people of lacking empathy" is basic projection. If you actually had empathy you'd feel for someone lacking in empathy.

Re: Being generous, thoughtful, and kind is a sign of high intelligence

#19

Post by theGnuMe »

farts_mckensy wrote: post #13
stonethrowaway wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think in the coming years we’ll agree that the notion of a psychopath as described/defined by pop science was completely off base and made up mostly to discredit opponents in one way or another. First, however, we have to find a valid substitution so we can swing to the next branch before the plebs catch on that we were making shit up. Like most of pop psych.

If you've ever met a psychopath and seen their true colors, you will undoubtedly be convinced it's a real phenomenon. I have had the unfortunate experience of dealing with one myself. He showed all the hallmark signs. He urinated the bed frequently. He harmed animals when he was young. Specifically, he swung his pet gerbil around by the tail until the tail was severed. He threw a baby rabbit against a stop sign and k…

What does urinating the bed have to do with it?

Re: Being generous, thoughtful, and kind is a sign of high intelligence

#20

Post by systemstops »

I'm highly sceptical of this claim. Life is easier for smart people, and that is perhaps why they can be more generous. However, some of the kindest people I've met aren't very intelligent and some of the most devious people I've met have high IQs.

Much of the advantage of being smart might be wiped out when everyone has a high IQ personal assistant inside their phone, thanks to AI.

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