Why do people resent those who are more intelligent than themselves?

Question

I see that people here resent those who give the most intelligent answers, and when they ask questions they normally don't choose the most educated answers as the Best Answers.
I will choose the most intelligent answer.

Somethingfishy: I completely disagree with your denial that there is such thing as truth. It is true that some opinions are true. Other are false. For example, yours. You jump to conclusions too easily. There could be many reasons for why I asked this question. Yet, you make the fallacy of causal oversimplification. Just because I asked this question, you question my Ego. Why are you so defensive? Are you among the resentful ones I talk about here. Can you only come up with a fallacius ad hominem response? Even worse, how can you deny that there is such thing as truth? Tell me, on what basis? Didn't you go to school? That is where everyone is supposed to learn to value the truth.

I have seen from experience that it is the most ignorant people who tend to question the value of the truth of anything because they do not have enough knowledge to recognize what is the truth.

Zingis: You give the examples of Einstein and Stephen Hawking. These are famous scientists, and thus they do not provide adequate counterexamples for my claim that people tend to resent those who are more intelligent than themselves. This is only a tendency, and it applies the least for the highly intelligent who have more social power or prestige, and the most for oridinary persons who do not have the benefit of social power. As soon as the highly intelligent become famous, persons are less likely to resent them, because they perceive their fame as a sign of their merit, and they feel that the famous scientists have earned their respect.

My question referred to resentment that people feel for others who are ordinary, intelligent people.

Canx_mp058: Yours is an interesting response because it considers how persons can also resent those who are less intelligent than themselves when they believe that they are getting more than they merit. However, your answer seems to be one-sided, and it does not directly answer this question. You could have discussed how Lewis' thought can also be applied to explain why persons resent those who are more intelligent than themselves.

I agree that people tend to overestimate their own intelligence. As well, they like to follow the opinions that confirm their beliefs (this is called confirmation bias).

Realistic: I absolutely agree with your claim that persons should be proud of having overcome inner struggles much more than proud of abilities that come very easily to them.

Answer 1

I'm not sure why they resent me...it's because they are stupid. If you are intelligent, get use to being unable to communicate with the Paris Hilton obsessed, go-to-war, Jesus is coming soon folks. Being more intelligent is just another damn disability and a fine source of pain.

Answer 2

I don't think people necessarily do. Einstein was by and far beloved by normal folks. Same thing with Stephen Hawking.

Rubbing shoulders with many well educated academics in university, I've noted that some are extremely intelligent, but self-effacing; they have been bartenders, cabbies and have interests outside of academia which better balance them and their demeanour with others.

There are some very intelligent persons though, who wear their 'smarts' on their sleeve. They come off arrogant and condescending or at best humourless and dour. Often, they don't even realize they project that image.

Having said that, the situation you describe is highly complex, and there are indeed some who hate looking beyond their own small world. But I think that particular group is pretty small, overall.

Good luck and I hope you don't overlook some very wise answers while searching for the most intelligent. They are not necessarily one in the same

Peace

Answer 3

Everyone has an innate ego desire to be number one. Some people can't get beyond it by admitting that they are not number one. It's a blow to ego. How can an ego admit that it's wrong or less, and still be an ego?

Resentment is a self deceptive way of feeling superior to an inferior situation. It's all about the superior feeling an ego gets through hating and condemnation.

Answer 4

When someone is subject to the vice of pride, someone else being better than them at *anything* gives rise to resentment in them (called a hatred of the good for being the good, according to Ayn Rand).

This is because the proud man (and I am talking about evil pride and not the good type here which is the result of legitamate accomplishment), wishes to see himself as superior to everyone else (but of course, he never lets on that this is his motive, for it would be repulsive to others).

C.S. Lewis said that pride (as taken in the evil sense) is not content with being intelligent, good-looking, wealthy, witty, etc,. but in being *more so* than the next person - as the principle of *comparison* is the essence of such pride.

Such a proud man will steal another man's woman, not because he truly desires her, but simply to prove that he is the better man.

Lewis also remarks that the more pride that a person has himself, the more he resents it when he sees that vice in another, because pride by its nature is essentially competitive.

It is precisely those people who have no mercy on other's little expressions of human vanity (and other small errors and sins), that are themselves stinking with pride, and who do tremendous injustices against others when they believe that they won't be found out.



.

Answer 5

I don't believe that human nature allows for someone to easily be intellectually intimidated. We all want to think that we're as intelligent as the next person. My suspicion is that they view the more intellectual answers as "high brow" or "grand standing" or "showing off" all of which have negative connotations and they, in turn, give negative responses either in addressing the user's comments directly or the good old thumbs down.

Answer 6

I think most people admire intelligence ,I've seen few who resent it.A very intelligent person knows that there is a great deal of variation in the abilities and worth of all people,he understands this and does'nt make a god of his own abilities for others to worship.

Answer 7

obviously you felt the need to pacify your ego by even asking this question. This is only an answer and question site, it's not the throne of knowledge. Some of these answers are only opinion's and the people judging them are giving you their opinion. Opinion's are not right or wrong.They are just what someone thinks. I am assuming you feel you are intelligent yet you have taken it upon yourself to be the judge, jury and spokesperson for the entire site. How can you prove your theory?

Answer 8

I do as you do .
I agree people hate intelligence In other people because it makes them inferior ,not just feel inferior .

The stupids will always gang up on the intelligent you can see this when any group of people get together , School , social or work..Just try to avoid stupid people , (not Easy)

Answer 9

intelligence is a given... respect is earned. remember that this site is not a battle of wits but rather a matter of opinion. the one who satisfies the asker's query wins his/her nod... but it doesn't necessarily mean one has given a most intelligent answer. it only shows that the best reply earned the respect of the asker.

whomever amongst us assumed that this site is dedicated only to intelligent ones, be rest assure that intelligence runs second to respect... for if we all are indeed intelligent, why bother about the pride? congratulate the fellow who earns the nod... his glory has come and someday you will be awarded too...


ciao.

Answer 10

Myself, i don't resent people of higher intelligence, its just that i know of people who are really smart (born that way) who make very little effort to do anything significant with their life, and on the other hand i know of people who are average or even a little below average who do great things for others.
Simply put, don't brag about something you were born with, Brag about something that you struggled with and then overcame.