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If you don't like too much noise, you might be smarter than you think.
By Nicole Weaver — Last updated on Jun 04, 2023
When you're working are you not able to have any music playing? Or hear people talking? If not, you might just chalk it up to some strong ADHD, but you could be wrong.
A study says these could be signs that you're really smart.
So smart that you should probably start calling yourself a genius. Who knew your hatred for overcrowded and loud coffee shops could be the sign you were waiting for that you're actually a genius? Finally, your parents can be proud of you, and you can update your Tinder bio with this scientific-based fact.
A 2015 study from Northwestern University found evidence that the inability to block out multiple sensory information in those who are creatively talented.
Notorious geniuses like Charles Darwin, Anton Chekhov, and novelist Marcel Proust all wore ear-stoppers due to being sensitive to noise. They might have been geniuses, but even they fell under the spell of wearing some kind of headphones all day long.
Why would I want to hear all the noise of society when I can zone out and listen to my thoughts instead? There is great joy to be found in spending time alone.
The study included 100 participants and had them answer questions about their creative achievements in the visual arts, creative writing, scientific discovery, culinary arts, and more. They were also given questions to answer in a limited amount of time. Nothing makes testing more fun than being timed on it.
The results showed that people who gave the most creative answers and achievements also were very sensitive to background noise while working. Why wouldn't they be?
Have you ever felt the joy of sitting somewhere totally secluded and reading or working with no kind of high-shrill noise to be heard for miles?
Or how the worst paper you ever wrote in college happened when the only place that was open with wifi was the overcrowded restaurant filled with hipsters and every guy who ghosted you, and it was a Friday night. With football on the TV, and some kind of yelling match at the bar.
So the next time someone is distracting you by being loud just tell him or her to shut up because a genius is at work! If they were also geniuses, they would understand and if they don't, then that means they just weren't smart enough to be talking to you to begin with. They might not like you afterward, but it's true!
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Nicole Weaver is a senior writer for Showbiz Cheat Sheet whose work has been featured in New York Magazine, Teen Vogue, and more.