From when we’re little, we’re told that it is important to be smart. And while our society seemingly values the typical academic knowledge the most, actually, there are many more ways someone can be intelligent, sometimes in a non-obvious way.
Yet, there are signs that give away their smarts. That’s what we’re going to focus on today — ways to tell someone is way smarter than they let on. All of the examples you’re going to see were suggested by folks under a viral Reddit thread, so it comes from human experience, not only our imagination.
More info: Reddit
#1
Rather than getting frustrated when they don’t know something, they get excited. I had a chemistry professor in college that was INSANELY smart, and when somebody asked a question she couldn’t answer, her eyes lit up as she said “I don’t know. Let’s find out!” To her, not knowing something was just an opportunity to learn something new.
Image source: echoes122, Product School
#2
Dunning-Kruger demonstrates that the smarter you are, the more likely you are to express doubts about your own beliefs, your own knowledge, and your own intelligence; you are also more likely to overestimate the intelligence of other people.
They also show that the dumber you are, the more likely you are to show confidence in your own beliefs, knowledge, and intelligence; you are also more likely to underestimate the intelligence of other people.
In other words, the person saying: “You’re all stupid. I’m the smart one here,” is more likely to be less intelligent than the one saying, “We’re all intelligent people here. I might be wrong. What do you think?”
In general, over-confidence is valued more than intelligence. That suggests that, in general, people prefer dumbshits.
But, you know, I could be wrong. ;).
Image source: SidMorisy, Anna Shvets
#3
Admitting they’re wrong. Reconsidering positions based on new evidence. Curiosity.
Image source: Puzzleheaded_Gene909, Andrea Piacquadio
#4
Good comedy. There are so many great comedians who play dumb and make jokes about how stupid they are, but I think you have to be quite above average intelligence in order to be a really great comedian. .
Image source: CassTeaElle, zaid mohamme
#5
They tend to be interested in many different topics. They are naturally curious about many different things.
Image source: Labradawgz90, Elif Gökçe
#6
Very quick wit. You have to be smart to process and deliver.
Image source: Sarahclaire54, Daniel Xavier
#7
Someone who can explain a very complex topic to a room full of lay-people is usually pretty good at what they do.
Image source: lucidzfl, Antoni Shkraba
#8
I agree with most of the replies here, but I’ll add my two cents.
I think people who meet you on your wavelength are smarter than most. They can talk about pretty much anything, with anyone. They’ll shoot the s**t with some people, discuss politics with others, listen as well as talk, ask questions, but also will take time to explain things if they’re asked.
Image source: SassySugarCookie, katemangostar
#9
Endless curiosity…
Image source: popejohnsmith, freepik
#10
Actually taking a moment to contemplate an argument they disagree with rather than just reflectively dismissing it. Smart people are willing to have their assumptions challenged and reevaluate them.
Image source: Flurb4, Andrea Piacquadio
#11
Tina Fey said that you could tell which people in a crowd were smart by what they laughed at. I’ve found that to be true.
Image source: GreenElementsNW, Rodolfo Quirós
#12
The fact that they’re not letting on how smart they are.
“It’s better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.”.
Image source: 901Soccer, lookstudio
#13
People who ask perceptive questions, which show a deep and considered comprehension of what’s being said and meant, and how this interacts with the wider picture.
Image source: Difficult_Falcon1022, fauxels
#14
I feel like a lot of people confuse charisma with intelligence.
Image source: Omnealice, RDNE Stock project
#15
“The fool considers himself to be wise, while the wise man considers himself to be a fool.” – Shakespeare
Somebody who knows and understands that.
Image source: AlaskanSnowWorm, pressfoto
#16
If they begin their answer to most questions with something like: “I don’t really know…. I don’t have all the details…. I’m sure someone more knowledgeable can enlighten you on this….
Image source: joyful_fountain, Andrea Piacquadio
#17
One little thing I’ve noticed is intelligent people tend to laugh at jokes faster than the average person, because they got it right away rather than having to process it and figure out why it’s funny, or laughing just because everyone else laughed
Edit: people are trying *so hard* to discredit me here when I didn’t say people who don’t laugh quickly are stupid, so why are you offended?
Image source: mothwhimsy, Bryllupsfotograf Forevigt
#18
Taciturnity. Many quite smart people that I know are 90% taciturn. They don’t want to share their thoughts in front of many people, but when you talk to them one-on-one, they share facts, knowledge and thoughts and you instantly think, wow, guy , I didn’t expect from you that . Yes, in many ways they are just introverts.
Image source: AdditionalMail3406, cottonbro studio
#19
I used to know a guy that was very smart, and whenever he said “ I could be wrong, but…” You know he was 100% positive and 100% correct.
Image source: AngelicTinkerbell, Andrea Piacquadio
#20
For me, it is your ability to ask insightful questions.
During my PhD – I noticed that the really smart people could listen to a lecture on a topic that was tangential to their research and ask really insightful questions. I strove to be able to ask really good questions when presented with a topic that I was not an expert on that really pushed the lecturerer on their knowledge/ideas.
Image source: Juls7243
#21
They are the one person in the room that hasn’t opened their mouth yet.
Image source: sincerelychrissyy, PICHA Stock
#22
They say what you wanted to say but much simpler and direct, without really using complicated words.
Image source: Brief-Resident-Dewon, Dani Hart
#23
They can explain a new concept to you in a way that is easy to understand yet not condescending.
Image source: Sekshual_Tyranosauce, ThisIsEngineering
#24
They actually listen and ask questions.
Image source: gc23, Christina Morillo
#25
Humility + good listener.
Image source: beepbooplootsnoot
#26
They’re kinder.
Kindness is just smart. .
Image source: DogAlienInvisibleMan, Valeria Boltneva
#27
They talk to themselves a lot but not in a mentally ill way . More like they’re processing stuff they learnt to remember and later on apply it.
Image source: Shack24_
#28
They don’t feel the need to contradict everyone’s comments and prove themselves.
Image source: Pickledili, Athena Sandrini
#29
They don’t take the bait when someone tries to engage in gossip with them.
Image source: Cinna41
#30
After I complimented a very smart and successful farmer on his operation, he replied, “All it takes to be a farmer is a strong back and a weak mind”.
Image source: Ruin_Nice, cottonbro studio
#31
Anyone that can sit down and listen and doesn’t try to constantly lead the conversation, smart people are always looking to learn and understand not to teach and be understood.
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#32
They listen more than they talk.
Image source: ripcityblazers00, Alex P
#33
Good memory and a great learning capacity.
Image source: Feisty-Afternoon3320, Christina Morillo
#34
It’s actually interesting to see how many different views on ‘intelligent’ people seem to have.
If we talk about ‘logic’-smart then a subtle sign is worrying about obscure edge cases too much.
Emotional-smart: bringing up stuff that reassures other people before they bring it up.
Image source: CompactOwl
#35
Persistence is a great sign of intelligence. Curiosity is another great sign. Intelligence comes in many forms, so I would ignore all the comments suggesting that intelligent people keep their mouths shut, etc.
Image source: OnirrapDivad, Mikhail Nilov
#36
Honestly one of the most immediate signs of intelligence is controlling emotions, if you’re looking for a more scientific answer.
It’s not to say emotionally unstable people can’t be smart, there are lots of reasons people can be overly emotional (hormones’ are a great example), but statistically if someone is unable to control their anger, or fear, more often means their pre-frontal cortex is less well developed, which is also often the case for younger people just because it doesn’t develop as quickly as the part of your brain that actually houses emotion.
So someone who can keep their emotions in check, and be less reactionary in their responses, meaning they can pause, let the emotion fade, and then respond, often has a more developed logic process in their brain.
Image source: ljlee256
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