As intelligence increases, does happiness decrease?

[niquefreak94]

the smarter you get, the more you see what's wrong...
the smarter you get, the more you realize there's nothing you can do about it.
the smarter you get, the less damb you give about things you cant fix
i dont agree w/ the statement.
according to niketalk... smart rich guys are sulking in all their possessions and yambs...
while broke dumb guys are happy...

yeah. plus there's no cookie cutter answer for this. i'm sure there are geniuses who are genuinely happy with their lives and idiots who are miserable. i get the overall idea, but nah.

 

[weekz]

I think you become more aware of the hardship on this planet. I don't think it should affect your happiness. I would say it affects those who let it affect them. There is a bunch of good among the bad, just look for it. I consider myself to be moderately intelligent and I don't let it get me down.

 

[mitchellicious]

Yes.
*cue Lisa Simpson graph.

strong truth.

I was gonna say someone's been watching too much Simpsons.

 

[miketysonthekiller]

No, it doesn't. Only if you take pleasure in son'ing people or teaching others.... so no, it doesn't not, it makes you too aware and depressed....

 

[firered18]

I agree with the general statement but at the same time I believe that intelligent people (like myself) embark on a journey so-to-speak to their true happiness. I know what it takes to get to my true happiness but I know its not coming instantly and I worry that something could happen to hinder me reaching my true happiness.

Dumb people just live in the suction cup of today's world and whatever is "hot" I feel like. This is the average person sadly

 

[tupac jordan]

The secret is to not compare yourself to others. Just do you.

 

[kix4kix]

Intellect and happiness are Both incredibly hard to quantify, I do think that people make happiness out to be far more complex than it really is. I find the things that make me most happy are animalistic in nature- sex, food, and exercising come to mind from the jump. Now if I'm getting all those things am I happy? I think the answer lies within the question. Itsabout attitude more than intellect IMO.

 

[currensy]

No, you just have to figure out more creative ways to entertain yourself. Up the ante in whatever you're doing and you'll be neither bored or unhappy.

 

[pig love]

Being ignorant to what's going on is living a lie. That's the problem this country is having
right now. Trust me, once you liberate your self by waking up and actually accepting the
fact that we are constantly being lied to about everything is liberating. Who cares if it's
"scary", at least you are aware. You want to see scary? Then stay ignorant and wait for
what happens.

 

[futuremd]

Being ignorant to what's going on is living a lie. That's the problem this country is having
right now. Trust me, once you liberate your self by waking up and actually accepting the
fact that we are constantly being lied to about everything is liberating. Who cares if it's
"scary", at least you are aware. You want to see scary? Then stay ignorant and wait for
what happens.

Being ignorant is different from acting ignorant.

If you KNOW you don't know something and continue to act without regard to that knowledge, then yeah you're being ignorant.

But if you don't know that you don't know something, can you truly be ignorant?

It seems that ignorance is defined only by the observer of the ignorant, not the agent of ignorance him/herself.  

 

[GQK44]

Ignorance is bliss.

As they say...

 

[sooperhooper]

Ignorance is bliss, so...

 

[teamjordan79]

Being ignorant to what's going on is living a lie. That's the problem this country is having

right now. Trust me, once you liberate your self by waking up and actually accepting the

fact that we are constantly being lied to about everything is liberating. Who cares if it's

"scary", at least you are aware. You want to see scary? Then stay ignorant and wait for

what happens.

Being ignorant is different from acting ignorant.

If you KNOW you don't know something and continue to act without regard to that knowledge, then yeah you're being ignorant.

But if you don't know that you don't know something, can you truly be ignorant?

It seems that ignorance is defined only by the observer of the ignorant, not the agent of ignorance him/herself.  

Isn't that the definition of ignorance? Being unaware that is.

 

[Master Zik]

Some would have you think that cuz when an what if topic like that is handled/tackled the person reaches an intelligence to the level they look down on everyone, see nothing but the ugliness in humanity and then want nothing to do with them and then become incredibly lonely because they shun ppl or alienate them.

My whole thing is happiness is different for everyone so you can't really say as intelligence increases your happiness will decrease. What you want changes, what makes you happy can and will change. Also depending on how much it increases you can definitely evolve from common human expectations.

I like to refer to The Sixth Finger episode of The Outer Limits

 

[noskey]

Nah, an increase in awareness is the cause of a decrease in happiness from what I've noticed.

Active ignorance by those around me is what's causing my happiness to decrease, though.

 

[Smorgasbordgie]

Yes.
*cue Lisa Simpson graph.

strong truth.

I think there's a correlation, but not a causation.

 

[jking0821]

I think there is a connection but i don't think i want to admit that it is true.

If you consider yourself intelligent....are you unhappy...if you consider yourself unhappy...does that mean you are intelligent? There is a level of awareness i would say that intelligent people have that may/may not decrease their happiness. But i think you can transcend to an extent. You can look at the world and say its a giant rat race, i work to make money to pay for things just so i can live and repeat until i can retire when i am old and sick and just die. But when you realize this and can look at the journey and say i am going to change lives, make people happy, find love, have kids, leave the world a better place then it was before me....i think that can allow you to be happy not depressed.

But i guess on a day to day basis it can get depressing

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Sorry for the random rant just thinking out loud that may or may not make any actual sense

 

[ryda421]

dumb minds are easily entertained

 

[futuremd]

Theres an understanding from behavioral researchers that humor is the result of a familiar premise but an unexpected conclusion. As such, if you "know more" it gets harder for things to actually be funny because you're expecting the set up, and subsequent punchline, of the joke to be unexpected...when its not.

Its like watching a stand-up comedian do a show for the second time. 

 

[leochild]

Can't become sooo smart where you actually forget how to actually find happiness in life.

Joy and happiness isn't found in a book or your mind.

It's lived out through your heart.

 

[azndood21]

Theres an understanding from behavioral researchers that humor is the result of a familiar premise but an unexpected conclusion. As such, if you "know more" it gets harder for things to actually be funny because you're expecting the set up, and subsequent punchline, of the joke to be unexpected...when its not.


Its like watching a stand-up comedian do a show for the second time. 

very interesting

 

[jewseejay]

Surprisingly interesting thread. Thx to all those who contributed.

 

[rafkin johnson]

I wish i was dumb and happy

rather then acknowledging all the evil their is in this world.

You dont need to be smart to know whats around you...

Just open up those eyes!

 

[sorkoram]

I would think so.

 

[runningfishy]

It depends, if your intelligence is to exploit another persons weakness, then of course I'd feel more happy. But if it's to self inflict pain, then of course I rather be ignorant.