why is there a thin line between a high IQ and madness?

Answer 1

Great question. It gets me thinkin' ...

I think they're both part of the 'human condition', at least as i define it.

I read an interesting article once, espousing a core idea that consciousness itself is an evolutionary survival advantage run amok. Basically the concept is that it was advantageous for our ancestors to be able to remember events and to use those memories to anticipate what might happen next. Once the mental 'hardware' was in place to handle those truly useful tasks, it kept mutating, eventually giving us self-awareness and enhanced intelligence.

However, the jury is still out on whether those are or aren't useful for survival, because that 'evolutionary trick' carries associated risks that work against individual survival too, namely a wide variety of very counter-productive psychoses.

So from my perspective, both smarts and craziness are inexorably intertwined artifacts of what makes humans human. So if you're you are more 'evolved' in one, you will necessarily be more prone to the other too..

... at least that's what the really smart sounding voices in my head told me.

Answer 2

Well, hypothetically there is a thin line here because just like any compulsive behavior, knowledge can become addictive, and if you pace yourself you may actually have a high IQ and enjoy being smart, but on the other side, if it becomes an addiction, and while you're pretty much very lonely, (not a lot of people suffer from that addiction) you're caught between wanting to bring everyone to your level, and finding your efforts totally useless. The masses don't go for your solution which is the best there is, because it's over their head, but at the same time they have free will, and you can't bend that rule. Besides, some have their own agenda in keeping low levels of IQ stocks because they think they can controll them better...
I think high IQ should be environmentally controlled, and managed so that those people actually have a place for their abilities... and everyone wins...
But you know, there's always the ole saying "knowledge is power" and normal folk don't want to give up power to some gibberish speaking folk, - so in the end it's a power game. ... while some are afraid of becoming controlled, some go mad cuz they remain misunderstood.... And the world goes on....

Answer 3

There isn't, at least, not any more of a thin line between people with high IQs and madness and regular or dumb people and madness. Smart people are no more likely to be mad than stupid people. I am not sure where you heard this, but it is a myth.

Answer 4

It makes for good entertainment, but I don't think the correlation is there. It's hard to measure both sanity and IQ (as well as most things in the field of psychology) making the link between the two hard to demonstrate.

Answer 5

I think, possibly, that a high IQ is fairly rare. I can imagine that this rarity requires a different thought process and capability which could lead to eccentric behavior. People could possibly categorize this as madness.

Answer 6

high IQ runs your brain non-stop. drives you crazy. with less awareness of the world around you (lower IQ) typically les worries. With a high IQ it is hard not to think about everything to the point of it making you eccentric. you see things in a different light than the rest of the world.

Answer 7

Beacuse those of high IQ are prone to dementia.

Omnipotence is a heavy cross to bear, and some geniuses crack under the strain.

Answer 8

The brain may not be able to fully cope with having hyper-sensitized capabilities. This combined with the genetic predisposition that some have for mental illness could give the appearance that geniuses become mad.

Answer 9

I'd listen to Fatty and Nurse. Then, think about this question. Lets say that being extremely intelligent is comparable to being able to see when everyone else is blind (born blind). How can you possibly describe your experience of sight to them? Can you describe a color to them? Not just a simple wave frequency, but how it looks. Nope, you can't. They are unable to understand.

Being in this situation can certainly be discomforting and would most likely be seen as madness by those who are unable to understand. Although technically you are sane, you just can't prove it because they simply can't comprehend it.

Answer 10

That is simply a myth. Anyone can go crazy, average or genius. It is also a myth that scientists are mad, wear white coats and want to get even with the world for overlooking their genius.