1. When they take the time to filter through any possible misunderstandings in an argument by asking questions to help them better understand the idea that’s being presented, instead of immediately assuming their first interpretation of the argument is the correct one. Something that’s always bugged me is when my argument gets misunderstood and then attacked from angles where supposed “errors” exist, when those errors rose out of the listener’s own misinterpretation.
2. When someone can admit a mistake and they know they don’t know everything.
3. They are okay with being perceived as “stupid” by asking questions — if we hold back in fear, we’ll never truly learn. Plus it’s a good way to show others it’s okay to question things if you don’t understand — better off if we’re on the same page instead of hoping things work out without being informed.
4. I consider someone intelligent if they’re able to explain something incredibly complicated in simpler and more readily understood terms.
5. They can adapt their communication style — vocabulary, tone, content, etc — to fit the situation and people they’re talking to, and it seems completely natural.
6. After reading their work, debates, talks, podcasts, and discussions, I noticed they often use conditions in their sentences that aren’t absolute. There’s the saying “only a fool talks in absolutes.” They use phrases like: I think, many times, often times, usually, it’s possible, it could be if… They talk as if “I can be wrong” or “based on what we know.” Compare this to less intelligent people who lack these conditions and speak only in absolutes.
7. They ask really good questions and listen more than they talk.
8. Someone who can understand an opposing view without having to agree with it or get angry over it.
9. Highly intelligent people can think in complex hypotheticals while being nuanced. Wise people have enough patience and forethought to consider longer-term things and be considerate in ways that are hard to take into account.
10. The ability to ask questions. They know what they know and are aware of what they don’t. They’re not threatened by knowledge they don’t have but excited about learning something new.
11. They struggle with imposter syndrome. Dumb people always think they’re the tits.
12. The ability to break things down simply.
13. They’re very observant, sometimes reserved.
14. They have a nuanced perspective and are able to articulate it well. They understand that things tend not to be black-and-white, but shades of gray, and they listen intently to others during a conversation.
15. Being gracious when other people catch up to them. It means they’re very used to being in that situation and have realized that it’s not worth it to point out or make a big deal of being right in the first place.
16. Really intelligent people tend to be empathetic. They’ve quietly analyzed many situations and have thought critically about them.
17. They don’t continually need to tell people how intelligent they are.
18. They don’t argue with stupid people.
19. They pause to think about a novel question instead of instantly blurting out an answer. Sometimes people think it means they’ve been “stumped” and claim victory. No — they’re thinking, analyzing, and formulating a reply.
20. I worked with a lad who was very like this. He could make any conversation really intriguing and thought-provoking, often causing people to reconsider their perspective. He was an HR manager who could defuse any situation, help people mend bridges, and resolve issues because he could get both parties to compromise. He had IQ and EQ to go further than his role, but he was happy — maybe that’s another sign of intelligence.
21. They explain complex topics by using metaphors and analogies.
22. I usually find that creativity, humor, and verbal acuity are good signs of intelligence.
23. I generally see lack of empathy, low openness, and seeing the world in absolutes as signs of low intelligence. Also, many socially inept people tend to consider themselves intelligent simply because they’re socially inept or not good at sports. It’s as if their ego needs something to value themselves on, so they assume they must be smart. It’s entirely possible that the “other guy” who makes you insecure is taller, stronger, more charismatic, and smarter. Such is life.
24. People — especially tech people — often conflate technical or domain knowledge with intelligence, which is not always the case. Yes, there’s a minimum intelligence required to be an engineer, but being an awkward senior engineer doesn’t mean you’re just too smart for normies to understand. Lack of specific domain knowledge has nothing to do with intelligence.