I am reading a fascinating book by Aaron Clarey called The Curse of the High IQ. At first glance, I was a little taken aback thinking, “Is a high IQ really a curse?” But after reading the book, it got me thinking in a whole new way about the dangers of being smart in a dumb world. From the description:
Society, by statistical necessity, needs to focus on the majority. It needs to be built and designed for “the average.” Society, by moral necessity, also needs to focus on the disadvantaged and disabled, helping those who cannot help themselves. But while the majority of society’s resources, attention, and infrastructure is dedicated to average or below-average intelligent people, little-to-none of it is paid to the abnormally intelligent. And while having a high IQ is an overall net benefit in life, being an statistical intellectual freak is not without its drawbacks. Welcome to the “Curse of the High IQ.” Whether you fall asleep during class, constantly ram heads with your boss, can’t understand why people watch the Oscars, are an alcoholic, or are accused of having “ADD,” having a high IQ can be a maddening experience. What you see as the obvious solution is what the “normies” will fight against tooth and nail. Those D-‘s you keep getting in English? Your superior mind being held hostage by the boring and inferior mind of your teacher. And you’d like to start a family? Good luck finding an intellectual-equal for a spouse. And so while the world obsesses with their own problems or (rightly so) the problems of the disadvantaged, no one is paying attention to the problems of the abnormally intelligent. However, that all changes now with “Curse of the High IQ.” “Curse of the High IQ” is the first book specifically written for abnormally intelligent people. It identifies and addresses a litany of problems intelligent people face, as well as analyzes them and provides solutions. But more importantly it aims to bring sanity to those who struggle with abnormal intelligence, especially those who are unaware they have it. So if you’re constantly at odds with society, are suffering from depression or ennui, can’t find any reason or agency in life, or just plain can’t find any friends, consider purchasing “Curse of the High IQ.” It’s guaranteed to make your life a little easier.
The book makes the point that high IQ people have a harder time in the world since much of society is set up for the average. Those with a high IQ end up wasting a lot of time because the average person wants to buy lottery tickets with a check or doesn’t seem to mind standing in line or wasting time. Because of this, a high IQ person’s time is wasted since they spend much of it waiting or being annoyed by those who are average. Friends are hard to make because high IQ people have fewer people statistically to choose from. And marriage or partnership? Clarey says it is difficult. For example, abnormally intelligent men face two unique problems when it comes to dating:
1. Very few equally-intelligent women to choose from
2. Not caring because their hormones are rendering their massive IQs completely useless.
These men end up choosing a “hot, crazy matrix” until they are 30 and more experienced.
But this ends with a lot of pain and difficulty. Had the man been average, he might have had more choices and partners to choose from–and not suffered from as much angst and difficulty.
Smart women have their own problems too, according to the book. But you will have to check it out to find out more. It is a good and fun read.
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