People With High Intelligence Have The Antisocial Habit That Sets Them Apart From The Average Person
We live in a world where fitting in is often prioritized over standing out. Despite the American societal ideals of individuality, going against the grain isn’t always easy, especially when you’re highly intelligent.
Having the courage of one’s convictions takes mental and emotional strength that not everyone has. What might appear to the rest of society as antisocial behavior might actually be where you thrive, but adhering to it requires a commitment to being yourself, regardless of what other people say.
Highly intelligent people often have the antisocial habit of keeping to themselves.
Julian de Medeiros, who has a TikTok presence based on explaining complex philosophical concepts in an accessible way, referenced an idea that he credited to inventor and electrical engineer Nikola Tesla. He claimed that “Antisocial behavior is a key characteristic of intelligence in the conformist world.”
According to de Medeiros’ interpretation, “A lot of people who are highly intelligent also tend to keep to themselves.” He noted that “they might even struggle to relate to other people. They tend to be loners; they need time to think and to work, and this means that they’re often misunderstood.”
“They see the world differently from other people,” de Medeiros explained, touching on an idea from the composer Schopenhauer, who wrote that key thinkers have “a sensitivity to distractions,” and one of the most intense distractions is other people.
“The more intelligent you are, the more difficult it becomes to spend time with other people,” as you “become someone who values your time and appreciates having space to focus.”
The original Tesla quote is recorded slightly differently from the way de Medeiros reported it; Tesla is quoted as saying, “Anti-social behavior is a trait of intelligence in a world full of conformists.” Small differences in phrasing aside, the meaning behind the statement remains the same.
Many deep thinkers are perceived as antisocial, if only because they prioritize their time alone to get their work done.
Miljan Zivkovic | Shutterstock
Tesla expounded on his idea that antisocial behavior is connected to high intelligence with a different quotable statement, saying, “Be alone, that is the secret of invention; be alone, that is when ideas are born.” Yet not all ideas are born in a vacuum; in fact, hardly any notable achievements are made without building upon someone else’s framework.
Even Tesla himself noted the dangers of keeping oneself too far apart from society. He was quoted as saying, “The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite insane.”
However, Tesla was onto something important in declaring the power of being antisocial in a largely conformist world. In order to make a difference, we have to define ourselves and advocate for our beliefs, even if they’re deemed uncomfortable or unpopular.
After all, as that other famous saying goes, well-behaved women rarely make history. So, standing apart from the crowd goes a long way if we’re looking to create lasting change.
Alexandra Blogier, MFA, is a writer who covers psychology, social issues, relationships, self-help topics, and human interest stories.
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