People With Low Intelligence Almost Always Say These 11 Phrases With Way Too Much Confidence
VH-studio / Shutterstock Some people are quite good at speaking as though they know everything. There's no doubt or hesitation in their voice, just unwavering confidence. At first, you may believe every word they say because of how sure they sound, but when you actually start thinking about what it is they've said or do some more research into it, you realize that they actually have zero idea what they're talking about.
There are certain phrases that people with low intelligence tend to say with way too much confidence. According to a study published in Plos One, the psychological reason why some people think they're right when they're wrong boils down to believing you have all the information you need to form an opinion, even when you don’t. People often fail to contemplate whether they have all of the answers and information about a situation before declaring their stance. Sure, we've all had moments where we spoke too soon and acted a little too sure of ourselves. But for those with low intelligence, it says a lot when they repeatedly say things as if they're the truth when they're not.
People with low intelligence almost always say these 11 phrases with way too much confidence
1. 'I don't need to read the article, I already know what it says'
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People with low intelligence will often say this with the utmost certainty, even when they haven't actually engaged with the information. They might just read the headline of an article and assume they know exactly what the piece says. But, that's the same exact thing as judging a book by its cover or only watching the trailer for a movie and not even going to see it, but claiming you know what it's all about.
"Because while learning may not be that hard, being a learner — a beginner at something — can be very hard. Especially when we see ourselves, and want to be seen by others, as skilled and confident," said leadership coach Peter Bregman.
If a topic even begins to challenge something these individuals already believe, it's easier to assume the article is predictable than to actually sit and read it. Skipping it means they don't have to change their viewpoints. It's less about not having the time and more about not wanting to confront the discomfort they may feel by having to actually think on a deeper level.
2. 'Trust me, I know'
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Rather than being able to offer any evidence, those with low intelligence take their gut instinct for the truth. What they feel is fact rather than actually looking up real facts to back up their point. Sometimes it's often rooted in their ego rather than actual knowledge. It takes humility to hold your hands up and admit when you've gotten something wrong.
"People who repeatedly exhibit this kind of behavior are, by definition, psychologically fragile. However, that assessment is often difficult for people to accept, because to the outside world, they look as if they’re confidently standing their ground and not backing down, things we associate with strength. But psychological rigidity is not a sign of strength, it is an indication of weakness," explained licensed psychologist Guy Winch, Ph.D.
Rather than having people constantly question them, they'll just promise they know what they're talking about. They rely on trust rather than cultivating a space where people can ask questions and engage in healthy debate and discussion. They're also setting it up so that if you disagree, it means you don't trust them at all. They make having a different opinion something personal when it's not at all.
3. 'That's just common sense'
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By claiming something is just common sense, these individuals often shut down discussions before they can even begin. It's dismissive and sounds as if they're declaring themselves the final say on whatever topic is being discussed. But what feels obvious to one person won't be the same for the next. It ignores the fact that people reach conclusions from different points of view.
"Using common sense isn’t critical thinking, but it can be useful when critical thinking isn’t feasible or not worth the effort. However, for it to mean anything close to its colloquial use, it needs to be more than 'going with your gut.' There has to be adequate reflection to facilitate you in driving across a busy road," said senior researcher Christopher Dwyer, Ph.D.
Rather than this individual actually explaining their reasoning, they just toss out the claim that it's all "common sense," as if that's proof on its own. Then, of course, anyone who doesn't agree with it seems not to be getting the fundamentals. Going against that level of confidence can feel shaky, too. If someone is saying something with the utmost confidence, it can feel hard to point out that they're actually wrong.
4. 'Everyone knows that'
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This generalization is often meant to intimidate others into just agreeing rather than being open to hearing different perspectives. The tone makes it feel airtight, as if arguing back would go against the grain of what everyone else might feel. But people with low intelligence have no way of knowing that something is agreed upon by everyone.
"It is natural enough to fail to understand where another person is coming from, because we can never really know for sure, but it is another to assume that they are simply wrongheaded," pointed out psychology expert Mark Alicke, Ph.D.
They're just trying to pressure someone into being on their side rather than facing any opposition. Especially in group settings, that level of pressure can feel hard to fight against. It suddenly becomes more about fitting in rather than getting the facts straight. And once that happens, learning is not a forefront at all.
5. 'I could totally do that job'
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Those with low intelligence often overestimate their ability to do a job they haven't been trained for. They're usually ignoring what's happening behind the scenes. Most jobs may look simple from the outside looking in because we're only seeing the polished results of people's hard work.
What you don't see is the mistakes that were made and the long hours that went into getting something done. Instead of wondering what might have gone into it, they just assume it's common sense. That confidence ends up filling the gap where learning and knowledge should be instead. It's a lot easier to believe that something might be easy compared to admitting that you don't fully understand it at all.
6. 'That's not my problem'
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People with low intelligence may act as if the world owes them absolutely nothing. This phrase often shifts responsibility without requiring justification. The issue still exists, but they've drawn this "boundary" that absolves them from actually solving it.
They're choosing to harp on their confidence rather than real accountability. Admitting a problem is part of being vulnerable and open. But completely shutting it down means that the issue is being brushed under the rug. No one can reach any resolution, and the tension just lingers in the air.
7. 'I don't care what anyone thinks'
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The person saying it wants everyone around them to believe that they're completely immune to outside opinion. Their confidence in that moment is often loud. But most of the time, they're often projecting strength rather than actually being unaffected. Caring about what people think is such a human feeling. So when someone insists they don't care, it usually stems from insecurity.
The bold delivery is supposed to mask the fact that they do care, quite a lot probably. They just don't want to admit it. If they declare upfront that outside opinions don't matter, any pushback will be dismissed. They aren't looking to be challenged, and they're just trying to give the impression that they're independent and only care about their own opinions, not anyone else's.
8. 'Details don't matter'
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Those with low intelligence act as if skipping over semantics makes them clever. But the reality is, details are usually where the facts are. Ignoring them might feel fine in the moment, but it usually leads to big mistakes being made down the line. Most problems rely on getting those small pieces to fit together.
When someone is just waving off details, they're not saving the time they think they are. They're just skipping the parts that matter. They're attempting to control the conversation and push things forward on their own terms. Ignoring specifics doesn't make someone smarter. It just means they're overconfident.
9. 'That's just how I am'
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People with low intelligence often try and get out of looking within themselves and practicing self-improvement. So they chalk it up to who they are to avoid accountability. There's no reflection or effort to adapt.
Instead, they hide behind this false sense of confidence in their personality and habits rather than doing the work to change and grow. Sure, it can be daunting to realize there are things you can improve within yourself. But unless you're actually taking the time to look inward and fix the traits that are constantly being criticized, the same issues will keep cropping up.
10. 'I'm just being honest'
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The person saying it acts as if honesty automatically gives them a free pass to skip past actual nuance. You can speak the truth in the most kind and respectful way, but when someone leans on their honesty as a crutch, it can come off as a bit lazy. It's a way to say whatever comes to mind without taking responsibility for the impact.
"A common obstacle to apologizing is the conviction that we shouldn’t have to apologize because we didn’t do anything 'wrong.' In some cases, this might even be technically true from a fact-based perspective. But being invested in proving we're 'right,' even in one’s internal dialogue, only prolongs conflict and sows division," said clinical psychologist Lynn Margolies, Ph.D.
It gives the impression that anything they say is automatically valid. So, when someone actually disagrees with them, it can feel like some kind of personal attack when it's not. It stops conversations before they can even begin. So now others feel that questioning would be pointless because it would most likely start a whole other argument.
11. 'It's not that deep'
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By dismissing something as complex outright, thoughtful discussion is quickly shut down. It might not be as deep for that person, but they can't just assume it is for everyone else. The person saying it thinks everything can be reduced to such an easy conclusion. The tricky part is that it usually ignores the fact that most things have layers.
"Pathologizing without context has a natural tendency to 'otherize' and cast out those we do not personally know," admitted child and adolescent psychiatrist Richard Zhang, MD, MA.
When we're in a group setting talking about a particular topic, the best parts are often learning about other people's perspectives and getting to the bottom of something by exploring nuance. Depth isn't something to run from. It's part of understanding, and dismissing it completely can lead to more conflicts and misunderstandings.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
