Why aren't smart people happier? • Hacker News Board

Re: Why aren't smart people happier?

#281

Post by aleph_minus_one » Thu, Nov 06, 2025, 12:07 AM UTC

noir_lord wrote: post #85

> Brain: "What you fail to understand, Pinky, is that intelligence is a most potent tool - though, I must admit, it has fewer applications than one might think." From Pinky and the Brain watched it as a teenager and it has always stuck with me for some reason. Also appropriate as The Brain is smart but Pinky is happy.

Are you that not Pinky is the genius and The Brain is the insane one?

This is a very common fan theory on the internet; see for example

> https://www.reddit.com/r/FanTheories/comments/11r512/pink_an...

Re: Why aren't smart people happier?

#282

Post by 65 » Thu, Nov 06, 2025, 12:08 AM UTC

Aaargh20318 wrote: post #187

65 wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can be smart and think the world is a beautiful place and life is a gift.

You can think that but you’d be wrong.

Perhaps you're depressed?

Re: Why aren't smart people happier?

#283

Post by lotsofpulp » Thu, Nov 06, 2025, 12:09 AM UTC

lr4444lr wrote: post #209

koakuma-chan wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Happiness is just chemicals, it has nothing to do with that.

Are you not aware that many psych drugs that modify brain chemistry fail to work for people? Even when they are tested to have adequate or high levels?

Has anyone ever not responded to fentanyl?

Re: Why aren't smart people happier?

#284

Post by alphabettsy » Thu, Nov 06, 2025, 12:11 AM UTC

rhubarbtree wrote: post #248

kderbyma wrote: post #231

It’s because everyone else is dumber than them…. So they constantly see avoidable mistakes and misunderstandings that could have been avoided…. Yet they cannot make the other people understand….because they think differently about it, and the people who don’t have that intelligence will not necessarily even be able to reorient their brains for the new information to be absorbed correctly. I constantly get demoralized…

I recently encountered someone who spoke like this and I researched what might be the issue. I came across narcissism. The idea that you’re smarter than everyone else. Comes from a grandiose sense of self importance. But the truth is most people are smarter than you in some ways and less smart in others, but you’re unable to see it because you’re in this black and white mode where preserving your ego relies on you be…

Are you sure you’re not conflating knowledge with intelligence?

Re: Why aren't smart people happier?

#285

Post by djaouen » Thu, Nov 06, 2025, 12:12 AM UTC

Because most people are dumber than them lol..

Re: Why aren't smart people happier?

#286

Post by lotsofpulp » Thu, Nov 06, 2025, 12:16 AM UTC

mfer wrote: post #111

MangoToupe wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Doesn't everyone want to be happy with what they have? Why would you not want that. Like, ideally we'd all be happy with nothing, right?

In the 1920's of the US the idea of making people not content to stimulate buying gained popularity. This is still used today. The culture is directed at making people not satisfied. It's hard to go against the grain of society.

That wasn’t a new idea. It’s not even restricted to humans.

Competing for mates is one of the basic mechanisms in evolution, seen in many animals. Instead of fighting the tribal leader or whomever to display fitness, humans came up with a less violent solution, which manifests itself in the ability to buy things.

Re: Why aren't smart people happier?

#287

Post by xorvoid » Thu, Nov 06, 2025, 12:17 AM UTC

Because they struggle with how many problems they see. In order words, the opposite of "ignorance is bliss"

Re: Why aren't smart people happier?

#288

Post by danielmarkbruce » Thu, Nov 06, 2025, 12:18 AM UTC

Because evolution doesn't select for happiness, but does select for intellect.

Re: Why aren't smart people happier?

#289

Post by spawarotti » Thu, Nov 06, 2025, 12:19 AM UTC

Smartness and happiness are like test coverage.

If you are not smart or have no tests, you will not be happy.

If you are smart or have high test coverage, you may or may not be happy.

Re: Why aren't smart people happier?

#290

Post by hansvm » Thu, Nov 06, 2025, 12:19 AM UTC

chermi wrote: post #118

zdragnar wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As I heard someone say, happiness is your reality minus your expectations. Smart people see more variables that could be changed, more components that could be modified, and are less likely to accept things as they are. This creates a false sense of ease by which reality could be modified, and thus higher expectations for the world around them. I suspect this misplaces happiness and contentment, but the two are also…

I think smart people are told much more often as kids how bright of a future they have. So they build up expectations of "succeeding" in some sense (becoming a doctor, getting rich, etc.). These are the sort of expectations you mention in your quote. Not only is there often pressure put on you if you're smart, you adopt those expectations yourself. Or at least hold yourself to that standard. Of course, being smart do…

I wouldn't have believed this at all till I met people who fell into that trap, after which I'm genuinely curious how common it is.

It's interesting how different personalities (innate or learned -- probably doesn't matter here) interact with the same stimuli. It's easy for some people to wholeheartedly believe authority figures telling them that being smart and hard-working is all it takes to succeed, and it's easy for others to recognize that those qualities are neither sufficient nor necessary. The externalized thinking our elders do for us no doubt shapes our lives, but the impact of that shaping is more personalized than I ever used to give it credit for.