10 Things High IQ People Pretend Not To Understand, Even Though They Absolutely Do
Nicoleta Ionescu / ShutterstockSomeone with a high IQ doesn't always need to prove they are intelligent. They probably are smart enough to understand it internally.
Someone who works to be perceived as smart might not actually know what they are talking about. They may use big words or try to show off their knowledge to prove their intelligence without knowing the depth behind what they are saying. However, genuinely intelligent people will probably be able to see through someone who pretends to be smarter than they are.
High-IQ people don't always rub their intelligence in other people's faces. Sometimes, they can even pretend not to understand what is happening for a variety of reasons.
Here are 10 things high IQ people pretend not to understand, even though they absolutely do
1. Cliché advice
High-IQ people usually learn to understand the world critically. They make their own decisions based on information they have learned.This can sometimes help people with high IQs go through life in an individualistic way. They may use their knowledge to guide them rather than cliché advice.
An intelligent person knows this kind of advice doesn't work for everyone. They utilize the tips that help them and ignore generally accepted ideas. This might result in them pretending not to understand cliché advice when someone tries to force them to use it. Maybe they say they don't know how to implement that advice. This helps the person avoid offending others by telling them their advice is unhelpful.
By pretending not to understand, a highly intelligent person can seek advice while having a positive conversation with the person they are speaking with.
2. Witty commentary
Yan Krukau from Pexels via Canva
Oscar Wildeis noted as one of the wittiest English writersof the modern era. He used his wit to poke fun at his society through his writing, but he made his jokes complex enough that some people wouldn't understand that he was critiquing them.
Highly intelligent people sometimes still do this by making satirical commentary during conversations. If two highly intelligent people are in a conversation with others who might be less smart, one of those people might make a subtle jab through complex phrasing.
However, if this happens, the other intelligent person might pretend not to pick up on the other's witty commentary. Without a reaction to it, the joke can be easier to miss. Additionally, if others in the conversation didn't pick up on the joke because of its subtlety, the jab can go unnoticed.
3. Trending topics
Trending topics are sometimes critiqued by people who think of them as less relevant than something like classical studies or scientific research.
A high-IQ person might be one of those people. They might pretend not to understand trending topics that their friends are discussing. This could be because they want to distance themselves from things they see as superficial.
This could be a way for them to avoid criticizing their friends for their interest in these topics. Pretending not to understand trending topics might prevent them from being asked their opinion on the matter.
4. Emotional manipulation
Rhetorical manipulation refers to the ways people can utilize language to convince others of an idea. Commercials sometimes tug at our heartstrings to persuade us to buy a product.
People can do this too. Someone can use rhetoric to manipulate others emotionally. High-IQ people can sometimes spot emotional manipulation faster than others. This can be because they understand how people use rhetoric, sometimes unconsciously, to convince them of something that isn't entirely true.
Sometimes, a person with a high IQ will act like they don't pick up on this, even if they do. This might be because they are trying to test someone to see how manipulative they are. This can inform them whether they want to continue the relationship or not
5. Overly simplistic explanations
SolStock from Getty Images via Canva
Overly simplistic explanations of simple concepts are often unnecessary to people with a high IQ. They might already understand the concept themselves. Even if they haven't heard the information before, intelligent people have the knowledge to understand complex explanations. They probably don't need the information overly simplified for them to learn it if they are already intelligent thinkers.
They can be doing this for a variety of reasons. It could be because they don't want to make other people feel condescended to by saying they already know it. They also might listen to an overly simplistic explanation in order to keep the conversation going. If the other person believes they already know the information being discussed, they might not feel the need to continue expressing their ideas.
6. The words of a dreamer
You don't need to be smart to have a dream for yourself. However, smart people might go about accomplishing their dreams differently. Highly intelligent people sometimes achieve their dreams by turning them into goals. They might break down their goals into achievable steps to achieve over time. This can help them understand the direction they need to go in to fulfill their dream.
However, people with less intelligence might not realize they need to do this. They might have a big dream that they think about for a long time without doing anything about it. High-IQ people sometimes avoid pointing this out to others.
By telling your friend or partner how to accomplish their dreams, you might make them feel like you don't think they can achieve them personally. People with high IQs might understand this and avoid telling the other person what to do so they don't hurt someone else's feelings. Even if the dream doesn't seem plausible, intelligent people avoid discouraging others to prevent them from feeling criticized.
7. Body language
Trying not to hurt others' feelings by not inserting your opinion about how they could do things better can be one way to show emotional intelligence. If someone has a deep understanding of emotions, they usually understand how someone's body language reflects their mood. They might pick up on the mood someone is reflecting in their body language. Super smart people might inform themselves about the effects of body language to better understand others.
Intelligent people might avoid saying they know how the person is feeling, even if they can tell from their body language. This can give someone the space to feel comfortable expressing their emotions. However, sometimes a person doesn't want to talk about what is wrong. By pretending not to know what their body language is saying, intelligent people can give someone the time they need to be ready to discuss what they are feeling.
High-IQ people might pick up on someone's emotions by observing their body language, but by letting the other person decide how to express it, they allow the other person the emotional freedom to do what they want. This can sometimes allow their peers to feel more comfortable sharing their feelings later.
8. Superstitions
Dean Drobot via Canva
Superstitions are often viewed as irrational because they lack a factual basis. However, if someone is a strong believer in superstitions, a highly intelligent person doesn't always inform them of the irrationality of their belief.
Beliefs can be a way certain people guide themselves through life. Sometimes people can become deeply offended when those beliefs are questioned. High-IQ people show respect for these beliefs and remain open-minded about their ideas.
9. Expert advice
Highly intelligent people sometimes ask professionals for their ideas on a given subject. This can even be about a topic that the high-IQ person already understands.
They might be doing this to show respect to another intelligent person they look up to. They might want to make the other person feel respected enough to keep talking. By listening to experts, highly intelligent people can check the accuracy of the information they researched.
They might not acknowledge their own expertise in a given idea because they are interested in hearing new perspectives. By gathering different perspectives on a subject, a person can better understand its nuances and complexities. This helps inform someone on the multifaceted nature of an idea and can give someone a deeper understanding of it.
Intelligent people can pretend not to understand the information to keep an expert talking and to gain as much information from them as possible. This can be one way to make themselves even more intelligent.
10. The impact of appearance
Intelligent people sometimes take extra care with their appearance. However, this doesn't always mean they're vain. Smart people who take time to look a certain way may be doing so to create a particular perception of themselves in others' eyes. How you look can have a huge impact on people's initial impression of you. According to sociology professor Kjerstin Gruys, people who have a good appearance "are presumed by others to have a variety of positive personality traits, such as altruism, stability, and intelligence".
When meeting someone for the first time, highly intelligent people use their appearance to come across more positively to others. However, they might not acknowledge that they are doing this to avoid people changing their positive perception of them into a negative one.
Knowing that someone is using something like clothing to change their perception can sometimes seem manipulative. If someone sees you as manipulative, they might be less likely to trust you.
Lily Bell is a college student studying English and Publications who covers relationships, mental health, and personal narratives surrounding the human experience.
