Why is intellectualism a threat to the general pop?

why is this? why do people feel threatened by smart people? I am so sick of this! I observe this kind of treatment towards me all of the time, but I am one of the nicest people you'd meet!

A common theme between people I befriend is that they feel reserved about talking about things in front of me for fear of what I'll say or think about it. They think I am always going to correct them or that I have a, per se, more accurate opinion. Even when I tell them to not think such silliness?!

Another thing I observed, and this will probably leave me vulnerable here, is that at times, when I leave the room of conversation, the general ambience gets more lively and talkative. Like when I go to the bathroom, I can hear shouting and emotional chatting going on, but once I step outside, all of that craziness goes down a bit. And I almost always seem to lose friends with this as a possible result.

Any time I try to carry on a conversation, a lot of people can't follow me or don't even try. I'm not bloody autistic... I CAN speak my language, so there's no trouble of literary understanding. What the hell?! So you know what happens? I rarely get talked to!

Those mudda#as!!!!

what do they want? for me to act like a bozo? like a total moron? Ive tried!!!! and I can't do it! :cry:

Can't say that I have experienced this so I have no point of reference.

Take this into account though: What level of intelligence are you refering to? Intelligence or wisdom? I know that I am probably more intelligent then a rock, but probably less intelligent then Einstein.

Jonna, I hate sounding arrogant, but I would say that I am talking about wisdom. I do lack experience as I am a young person, but I can be quite the old wise man at times. In the past, lots of people have consulted me for advice ranging between a great deal of topics. This happens usually when I have read up on it or have a good deal of subconsciously-procured information on certain topics.

this reminds me of an old saying: the wise man lives up on a far-away hill not because he wants to stay away from the people, but because the people want to stay away from him. This is what I am talking about. WHY?!

It's not so much that they fear your intellectualism (I know first hand about this one too), but rather that most people tend to ignore the little ugly truths about life.

For most people, their parents told them the world is basically good, and school failed to impress upon them the severe nature of the human complex and social ills.

When someone smart comes into play, what is said sometimes interfers with what I like to call their "Personal Security Bubble".

I equate their normal operating programs with a bubble (or lense) that filters for them the information that comes to them and sections off offensive ones (threatening ones) to their fuzzy view of the world that allows them to remain detached majoritively.

This (most people) is for those who do not WANT to see the reality of the world.

You threaten them, and threats are offensive, so you are kept at armslength.

It happens to me constantly, like I am puniched for not wanting to have nonsensical conversations and am normally chastised for trying to talk about something meaningful.

Most people try to avoid confrontation of exposure. Even in conversation.

I understand perfectly AlnilamOmega as this same thing has happened to me many times.

People have told me many times that when they first meet me they feel intimidated for some reason. And many have told me its due to the fact that I have strong opinions and Im not afraid to express them, and that can intimidate some people.

Yup, I get the same thing. I think its the media, the "flow". Sometimes its the geekyness (I know more then you tone). Try getting friends from a library who are not doing something for school OR mention football or hockey and what team is the "best" and nothing more at all and watch thier faces!

I too know the sting of ostracism due to my towering intellect.

They laughed me out of the academy when I told them that my "migraine projektor" can induce pain (and pleasure!) by acting through a distance. But they'll soon see the light! They'll soon learn who really controls earth's destiny.

And I'll be standing there, mocking the fools---who's laughing now! WHO'S LAUGHING NOW! MWA HAHHHAHHHHAHHHAAAA

No offense to anyone, this isnt directed at any of you, but I hate when people are smart, and they know it. Like theres this girl I know, and she sits alone on my bus and reads all the time. Shes really smart. Im kind of a hyper, bubbly person, so I try to say hi to everyone. Whenever I say hi to her, though, she just gives me this look of disdain and keeps reading. She does this to everyone Alot of people hate her now, because shes so rude even if you try to be nice. She pretty much ostracized herself. She thinks everyones below her and she needs to get over herself.

Alot of people dont really like my real dad either, because he forces his opinions VERY strongly. You cant force your opinions on everyone! I love talking to him about politics or religion, because he gets so wound up. I love pushing his buttons haha.

I am an intellectual and I did'nt have that much of a problem with people. I was able to be the intellectual and the playboy. I read alot and listen to 80s metal. I don't flaunt my intelligence at those who are not as smart as me, I don;t make them feel stupid. I know people who do that and alot of people hate them for that.

But what I do hate is people who are ignorant. People who like acting dumb. Like pot heads or wiggers, they are all ignorant, not a living brain cell in their heads.

I do shout out my opinions very strongly on all matters., Sometimes I'm hated for it, sometimes I'm not. I am not the kind of guy who sits back, I go into the battle.

There is a difference between an intellectual conversation with someone, and bludgening them with your opinions that you regard as facts. No accusing you, but I have a friend that is like that. I touched upon him in my article titled "Not ignorance, not ignorance, not ignorance." I talk about my friend, whom has alot of opinions that are different than the general majority. Naturally, he thinks he's smarter than everybody because his opinions are different, and not often heard of. Seriously, I can't hang out with this guy more than once because he is so strident, and I often get head aches from him. It's not that his opinions are different, I'm open minded and all (and I mean REALLY open minded, not just believing things that are "out-there" and refusing things that are believed by the general majority). It really does feel like getting pelted with something, or bludgened with a gigantic dull object. He leans so close and just projects his stupid opinions in my face like they are true, and if I try to disagree and tell them maybe it's not that bad, he calls me ignorant and or close minded. One of his arguments is that our hospitals are the worst and most expensive in the entire world. He gets this out of his a$$, or some book that he chooses to believe over all the evidence and facts. He started telling me that nursing is just a job that lazy people take because they want to make a few extra bucks, 9 dollars an hour. This really offended me because my mom is a nurse. Not only did she spend over 4 years getting straight A's in medical school, but also gets payed well over 20 dollars an hour..I think 24 or around there. Of course, I presented this to him. To which he said "Oh yeah...well I bet your mom is some kind of...special nurse!!! Yeah, I'm talking about regular nurses, nurses that just work at regular hospitals. What kind of nurse is your mom?" I said, "An RN" (Which is the standard nurse (registered nurse). he then said that's the reason she makes more, she's a special nurse, and continued his bull $hit point. Anyway, not accusing you of it. I'm just saying that there is a difference between being smart and forcing things upon other people. I don't know if it's the case for you, but if you present your opinions as such, and allow them time to talk as well as considering their opinions then maybe they will open up to you a little more. i don't care about sports and stuff. I work out and excercise for health, but I'm not a big jock and I get by pretty well, friends wise. Sorry for the long post, hit a nerve

Im not the smartest guy on the planet, nor the thickest. But i have noticed a distinct drop in IQ's and attitudes that go with it. Common sence seems to be on the way out too.

Ive also noticed that the general cattle-sorry populace of my country intellectual topics and debate have fallen out of favour. people all talk about Big Brother, Pop Idol, Football and place people like David Beckham as a role model and hes a walking proof of thick boy who got lucky.

i have trouble holding a good coversation with people, you talk even an ounce above the intellengence level of an episode of Eastenders people will just look at you as if you are a freak. Simple things like talking properly and clearly (not posh or anything but using the language as it should) is frowned upon by the masses.)

To quote the Hitch Hickers Guide to the Galaxy: the only word they know is 'grunt' and they can't spell it.

Im sure my fellow countrymen are regressing. Most of them need a good slap to put some common sence back into them, sadly violence is all they know, they dont have the brain cells for anything else.

Sorry to be contrary, but I think people are getting more edjucated. Think about the sixties, civil rights. Think about the 70's and the 80's. People have always been stupid, still are. But they're getting smarter, more open. Think about, like I said, what was accepted in the sixties!! Things are not as bad as they seem. I mean look at T.V, radio. Diversity like we didn't have in the 60's, 70's etc etc... Women get better roles, same as in society. It's even gotten to the point where it's unfair for men now! Things are changing, some for the better, some for the worse but we are definately getting more open minded.

Ashly, I don't know that girl or exactly what she did, but she ignores for a reason. She was probably picked on and knows she different and doesn't want to stand out enough to get picked on again. She doesn't have enough social smarts to know that she seems rude or arrogent, she lives in a bubble and refuses to let any one in. She doesn't trust any one.

If thats not the case now, it was before and your seeing the result.

The medias coverage of big political events have made ppl open there minds a bit, but its also made ppl think reallty needs to be as azz backwards as it is on TV. How else will people believe the "other" stuff (Bushs WMD) on tv if they aren't showen "real" shows?

Originally posted by Herman
Sorry to be contrary, but I think people are getting more edjucated.

This is probably more true than not, depending on where you go in the world.

But they're getting smarter, more open.

This is total crap. Education and exposure do not make intellegence. Intellegence a is born in trait.

Women get better roles, same as in society.

Better roles? What's better about it exactly?

Well, Jethro, just look at any T.V. show or commercial. The woman is right 99% of the time. We've got multitudes of sit-com's such as "Everybody Loves Raymond" (I like that show, but it's flagrant sexism) where the woman is shown as the strongest one, always having to clean up and do everything. While the man is a little ankle biter who does nothing but "Waltz off to work" every morning, then come home and plant his ass on the sofa. No no, don't show WHAT he does at work, or how HARD he may work. Just show him leave the poooooor wife alllonnnee to look after the house. If there is a man and a woman arm wrestling, or fighting, the woman will win. In society. Just think about this: A man comes up to a woman and says "Hey baby" and pinches her butt. What's going to happen? She could sue and win a whole bunch of money. A woman does that to a man, nothing happens. Now please, I don't want to start a sexist argument here, but face it; we've given more opportunities to minorities and women that any other time in our history. That, you can't deny. Movies like "Charlies Angels". Ugh, don't get me started on that movie.. People get scholarships for being minorities. At my work, they're hiring more minorities so that they can be diverse. I don't think it's fair to decide anything on race, wheater it benefits minorities, or the majority. We ARE more open. And intelligence is how much knowlege you have, I think you're thinking of I.Q. Yeah, other parts of the world are still just as stupid and close minded as ever, but alot of the world is getting better.

I don't think intelligence has anything to do with it. It is how you promote your intellect. Are you trying to put forth that you are smarter than the people you talk to? People HATE that. When I met my wife she had a Grade 9 education, I'm college educated. She would be frustrated that I would talk to her and she was only getting the gist of what I was saying. The fact that I wasn't doing this on purpose is probably why we're still together. BTW, she's taking college courses right now.

I had the same problem:

(In my case at least it was like this)You might come across as a "know it all" or a wise guy. I think it probably a miss communication kind of thing. I had the same problem, until I started changing the way I relate what I know(without making people feel stupid). Now people are nicer than ever.


[Edited on 6-6-2004 by OpusDei]

Well, just because someone has no clue what you're talking about, it doesn't mean that you're smarter than they are, or making them feel stupid. For example, You say, "I'm against the war in Iraq". I say, "Yeah, the way smith jumped on that trolley and took out those swandering bloshokals!!! Didn't you know? Yeah, bush instituted this new defense system led by a man named sturgis. Oh, but nobody knows about it, just me. " They may be confused, it doesn't mean you're smarter.

Mom (a.k.a. Hippie) and I were talking about this the other day. It seems there's not so much a "dumbing down" in society, but that the General Shared Storehouse of Knowledge (as we call it) is not generally shared anymore. I hate saying something and the people around me don't get it. Not some high-flying intellectual joke or reference, but something that "everybody should know". At least it seems everybody used to know. The Hippie had a Moment at work for example... made the comment about something being so much like 1984, ref'g the book by Orwell. Blank looks. So she said "Orwell's book. 1984." and the young college grad said "I thought Orson Wells was an actor or something." The 30-something single woman and the 40-something mother of 3 had no idea what she was talking about, never heard of the book, the concept, nothing.

It's not that the Hippie felt smarter than them, she just felt weird that suddenly there's this hole in the general database among people she really thought would understand what she meant. I've come across it too and found that even though it's not an intelligence issue, people feel dumb (or worse, feel like I -think- they're dumb) if they don't get it. Even though "dumb" and "smart" have nothing to do with it.

Why is intellectualism a threat to the general pop?

A better question might be:

Why the hell are nerds so wierd?

Lol, jk guys. I've had my share of obstacles due to my surprisingly massive intellect. *sob sob*