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Why aren't smart people happier?

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Re: Why aren't smart people happier?

#461

Post by wvh »

Ardon wrote: post #53

Might be useful to ask a different question: What makes people happy? It's things like relationships, satisfying work, accomplishment. (and many, many more) Then the real question emerges: How many of those happiness 'sources' are made better by intelligence? What percentage? Relationships? Seems like no. Work? Also seems like no, lots of work doesn't make use of a high IQ that people enjoy nonetheless. Accomplishmen…

I think there is some value in being able to live in the moment, like say a cat: one moment you have a death scare, the next you're kind of hungry or sleepy. I feel that smart people see a lot more in the past, present and future, all the things themselves, and the things behind the things, and it's a whole lot harder to live in the moment and not ruminate and dwell on things.

Alternatively, maybe it's just that overthinking that is driving some aspect of what we call intelligence; the ability to plan and see things in complex layers.

Good amounts of happiness surely require some selective blindness.

Re: Why aren't smart people happier?

#462

Post by boesboes »

Ardon wrote: post #53

Might be useful to ask a different question: What makes people happy? It's things like relationships, satisfying work, accomplishment. (and many, many more) Then the real question emerges: How many of those happiness 'sources' are made better by intelligence? What percentage? Relationships? Seems like no. Work? Also seems like no, lots of work doesn't make use of a high IQ that people enjoy nonetheless. Accomplishmen…

Smarts can impact all thos heavily. Relationships get complicated after years of exclusion and jealousy, work might not be as satifying if you see all the problems and solutions and things that are accopmplishments might not feel like they are.

These are very common and well documented issues among gifted people.

Re: Why aren't smart people happier?

#463

Post by gwd »

immibis wrote: post #273
mattgreenrocks wrote: post #226

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is a HealthygamerGG video where he talks about gifted kids as special needs kids bc of this factor. I found it really enlightening. I definitely had to confront it in my own life. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QUjYy4Ksy1E

There is also one where he talks about how about half of his suicidal patients are not delusional and don't have some mood disorder, but are correctly recognising that their lives objectively aren't worth living. (Which is something he tries to fix.)

I take it's the one about Congruent Depression?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDhqTf5eJH4

Re: Why aren't smart people happier?

#464

Post by GuB-42 »

CraigJPerry wrote: post #446

I don't know but given that you can't define happiness for someone else, it's a very personal thing, surely it's more insightful to flip the question on its head and figure out how to minimise suffering instead? Don't ask "what stops you being happy?", instead ask if they're suffering - hopefully most of them are not, but if they are, what can be done about it? I just have an aversion to someone trying to inflict the…

Often, measures of happiness really means content. It doesn't mean a lack of suffering, but how well you accept it.

Nordic countries for instance are often ranked as the "happiest" even though their winters are terrible, no one is smiling in the streets and they have severe issues with alcoholism resulting in some of the strictest regulations regarding alcohol sales. But because they are accepting of their situation and support each other, they are considered happy.

Re: Why aren't smart people happier?

#465

Post by pixel_popping »

The author is overthinking this because smart people aren't "happier" because happiness isn't a problem to be solved per say, it's mostly genetics + whether your basic needs are met or not.

This phrase "ignorance is bliss" is a cliche for a reason. When you understand how broken our systems and society is but lack the power to fix it, that knowledge is just burden.

I'd rather be able to turn off the part of my brain that notices when people are making obviously preventable mistakes, I can't personally and I would argue that anyone that has traveled to developing countries has probably noticed this, people with less formal education often seem GENUINELY happier despite having fewer material resources. They're not burdened by awareness of all the ways things could theoretically be better. Our happiness can degrade instantly just by checking the news.

Re: Why aren't smart people happier?

#466

Post by duskdozer »

simonswords82 wrote: post #24

I love this line from a 2024 TV show called "The Gentlemen" and I think about it a lot: "It’s a lucky man who is happy with his place in life" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gentlemen_(2024_TV_series)

>“… all wear green,” said a soft but very distinct voice, beginning in the middle of a sentence, “and Delta Children wear khaki. Oh no, I don’t want to play with Delta children. And Epsilons are still worse. They’re too stupid to be able to read or write. Besides they wear black, which is such a beastly colour. I’m so glad I’m a Beta.”

>There was a pause; then the voice began again.

>“Alpha children wear grey. They work much harder than we do, because they’re so frightfully clever. I’m really awfuly glad I’m a Beta, because I don’t work so hard. And then we are much better than the Gammas and Deltas. Gammas are stupid. They all wear green, and Delta children wear khaki. Oh no, I don’t want to play with Delta children. And Epsilons are still worse. They’re too stupid to be able …”

Re: Why aren't smart people happier?

#467

Post by samscully »

dvsfish wrote: post #270
rawgabbit wrote: post #238

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Might be useful to ask a different question: What makes people happy? This is the age old question. For me at least, the quest for meaning lead me to reason. Reason and logic, then led me to two choices. First is there is no meaning, no purpose, and life is what you make or not make of it; this is more commonly known as nihilism. The second choice is a literal leap of faith; this argues that humans are incapable of…

Reason and logic lead you to only two choices, where one choice immediately begs you to abandon reason and logic and just believe what feels right? I think reason and logic can take you further than that. We can explore a spectrum of ideas without committing immediately.

The point is that you actually cannot explore a spectrum of ideas without committing immediately because you are forced to live and living forces you to commit and make moral decisions every day.

Re: Why aren't smart people happier?

#468

Post by Tade0 »

Foobar8568 wrote: post #426
SoftTalker wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree. I know a guy who is just brilliantly smart but he can get caught up in ruminating or "thought spirals" as you say and is constantly imagining all the ways things can go wrong and is therefore afraid to take any risks or start anything new.

That's the case of my 10yo. That though of spirals is really a scary thing.

That's a specific problem that can be addressed. Here's a https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRvbh8xCi4w

Re: Why aren't smart people happier?

#469

Post by chbbbbbbbbj »

2muchcoffeeman wrote: post #341
immibis wrote: post #273

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is also one where he talks about how about half of his suicidal patients are not delusional and don't have some mood disorder, but are correctly recognising that their lives objectively aren't worth living. (Which is something he tries to fix.)

How?

euthanasia, I assume

Re: Why aren't smart people happier?

#470

Post by figassis »

pixel_popping wrote: post #465

The author is overthinking this because smart people aren't "happier" because happiness isn't a problem to be solved per say, it's mostly genetics + whether your basic needs are met or not. This phrase "ignorance is bliss" is a cliche for a reason. When you understand how broken our systems and society is but lack the power to fix it, that knowledge is just burden. I'd rather be able to turn off the part of my brain…

They are aware, they have learned to not waste their limited lifespan fighting a losing battle, often, they've already given enough, lost enough loved ones that they'd rather enjoy what little life gives them. They're not less intelligent.
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