Hey everyone, and welcome to TopThink. Today, we
will learn about 15 reasons why highly intelligent people prefer to be alone.
Now, let’s begin 1. The One Percent
For highly intelligent people, many social situations are surprisingly
isolating. They socialize and meet new people, just like anybody else, but they rarely encounter
others who share their extraordinary intellect. Let’s say one out of every 100 people is
considered highly intelligent. If you met any one of those 100 people, what are the odds you would
encounter the one person who thinks like you? This is a dilemma that highly intelligent people
face every time they socialize with anyone. It’s easy for the average person to meet someone
who shares their intellect, but it’s very uncommon for highly intelligent people to
meet their match. They rarely come across individuals who truly understand them, so it’s
no surprise that smart people prefer to be alone. 2. Erratic Routines
Some of the most brilliant people keep the most unpredictable schedules.
They work at all hours of the night and sleep late into the day. Their jobs are unusual,
their hobbies are out of the ordinary. As a result, many highly intelligent people
keep schedules that don’t align with the rest of the world. Some are night owls. Some are early
birds. In either case, most brilliant people live according to a schedule that only they understand.
3. The Pickiest Friends Smart people are very picky about whom they
spend their time with. This is especially true of introverted intellectuals. By default,
they may judge and criticize the people they meet. They look for problems in everyone, and
they usually find something to complain about. That’s the downside of being clever and
perceptive. A highly intelligent person can quickly and easily imagine a dozen
reasons why any person is not a good fit. Most of the time, their pickiness is a form
of self-defense. Intelligent people are accustomed to knowing everything, so they may
use their brainpower to avoid social risks and vulnerability. In other words, highly intelligent
people prefer to be alone because they know how painful a bad friendship or relationship can be.
4. Intellectual Stimulation Many brilliant people prefer to be alone because
they find it more fulfilling to converse with themselves. After all, who understands you better
than you? For many highly intelligent people, self-talk is not only therapeutic
but also intellectually stimulating. It may look and sound strange to the average
person, but this is surprisingly common among the world’s brightest people. They talk
to themselves almost every day. Why? Because they rarely encounter other people who
engage them on a similar intellectual level. 5. The Odd Man Out
Many people socialize because they’re afraid to be the odd man out. They don’t like missing things
that other people get to experience. They feel jealous when they see friends and even strangers
living more exciting or fulfilling lives. But highly intelligent individuals don’t mind
standing on the sidelines. They don’t envy friends or strangers or wish they were living
someone else’s life. In other words, a highly intelligent person will happily be the odd man
out because their interests often lie elsewhere. 6. Extra Weight
Around the world, people rely on teamwork and cooperation to solve problems. It may
require a group of like-minded people to tackle a single task, but highly intelligent people
don’t require the same level of social support. That doesn’t mean highly intelligent
people aren’t team players. In challenging high-level environments, intellectuals flourish by
cooperating with people of similar intelligence. But when it comes to low-level problems, the
most intelligent people would rather work alone. When a basic problem must be solved, the most
competent people find a quick and efficient solution without asking for help. In
group projects and team environments, many intelligent people feel like their team
members are slowing them down. In other words, most people don’t see problems as clearly as they
do, so it’s no surprise that most intelligent people prefer to work alone.
7. Frivolous Interactions Socializing has many advantages for many people.
For some, socializing is a form of entertainment, relaxation, or social connectivity. It can lead
to friendships, business connections, and romantic relationships. But most of the time… socializing
is not the most productive thing you do. Highly intellectual people try to be productive as
often as possible. They don’t like to waste their time, so they don’t leave much room in their
lives for frivolous social interactions. The smartest people prefer solitude because they’re
most productive when left to their own devices. 8. Patterns of Strangeness
It’s safe to say that only a tiny percentage of people in the world qualify
as highly intelligent people. Similarly, only a tiny percentage of people enjoy solitude
more than socializing. Both qualities are uncommon in the greater population, so it makes sense
that the two occur so frequently together. Intelligent people are more likely to have
uncommon social preferences when compared to someone of average intelligence. For example,
the smartest people may not crave or idealize social relationships as much as the average
person. It’s not because they’re antisocial or socially awkward. They don’t benefit from
social connections in the same way as most people. Everyone knows brilliant people are outliers
for their IQs, but the same is true of their sociability. You and I might think their
social habits are out of the ordinary, but why would the world’s most intelligent
people think or act any other way? 9. Small Social Circles
Intelligent people may seem shy or introverted, but their antisocial tendencies may stem from
a greater appreciation of their friendships and relationships. In many cases, the most intelligent
people don’t want to create more connections because their social needs are satisfied by the
few strong relationships they regularly maintain. Many intelligent people are skilled at
creating deep, personal connections. They would much rather bond closely with one person
than establish shallow relationships with many people. That’s why most intellectuals keep
very small groups of friends. They don’t bother expanding their social circles because the
friends they have are all the friends they need. 10. Unusual Expectations
The most intelligent people see the world in an unusual way. Whether they
are hyper-logical or profoundly artistic, their perspectives don’t always align with
normal social expectations. As a result, many people find highly intelligent individuals
to be strange or difficult to understand. But highly intelligent people feel the
same way about everybody else. In fact, many of the smartest people crave
solitude because other people’s habits and decisions tend to drive them crazy. 11. Everyday Misunderstandings
How would you feel if everyone you met had trouble understanding you? That’s how most
of the smartest people feel every day. They may have above-average IQs, but highly intelligent
people aren’t always the best communicators, especially when talking to people who
don’t share their intellectual interests. It’s common, for example, for intelligent people
to think quickly, often skipping a few steps ahead in the conversation. They assume that other
people can keep up with what they’re saying, but people are often confused and unsure what
to say. When you struggle to communicate with everyone you meet, spending time alone
does not sound like such a bad option. 12. Solitary Stimulation
Intelligent people spend most of their time alone because many of
their favorite activities don’t require more than one person. For example, intelligent
people see value in many private, intellectual, and creative activities like reading and
writing. They enjoy getting lost in a good story, learning about a new subject, and challenging
their minds to think and solve problems. These are all solitary activities, which
bring intelligent people a kind of stimulation that’s hard to find in many social settings.
Highly intelligent people like to be alone, but they don’t do it on purpose. They simply
can’t enjoy their favorite hobbies any other way. 13. Tedious Explanations
Working with others can be challenging, especially when people don’t see things the
way you do. Instead of solving new problems, highly intelligent people spend much of their
time explaining their decisions to their teammates and coworkers. By the time they’ve
adequately explained the problem, they’ve lost their momentum and wasted valuable time.
Working alone allows the most intelligent people to accelerate ahead of the competition.
They can make quick decisions and produce a better final product because they don’t
have to justify every move they make. 14. Real Social Value
Some people rely on the opinions of others to gain confidence or self-esteem, but intelligent people
gather more meaning from their accomplishments, passions, and intellectual pursuits. To
someone with above-average intelligence, achieving something remarkable is far more
meaningful than impressing a group of people. So, they keep to themselves. They don’t need to
get out and socialize because it doesn’t bring them the same confidence or satisfaction.
That doesn’t mean intelligent people don’t enjoy compliments, good conversations,
and emotional connections. But the most meaningful things in their lives have
little to do with their social value. 15. Pointless Conflicts
Highly intelligent people dislike pointless social conflicts. They don’t want to cause drama
in their lives, and they have little patience for the drama of others. Why? Because they see most
social conflicts as petty and unnecessary. They don’t see the merit in arguing for social
gain or squabbling over ranks and titles. Instead, the most brilliant people
take a hands-off approach to social conflict. They keep to themselves so that
drama never interferes with their real, meaningful goals. While others are stirring up
disputes and jostling for social status, highly intellectual individuals prefer to be alone.
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