11 Things Extremely Smart People Love That Seem Boring To Everyone Else
Intelligent people have different taste, and there's nothing wrong with that.
Leszek Glasner | Shutterstock There are times when you meet someone and you can just tell right away that they're very intelligent. Maybe it's the way they talk, or the way they truly take time to consider what you've said and thoughtfully respond. Whatever the signal is, you can tell that you've just met somebody special.
While being extremely smart might sound enviable, it has its drawbacks. Licensed professional counselor Samuel Kohlenberg described being gifted as a sometimes "painful and isolating experience" in which it is difficult, if not impossible, to be fully understood by most peers. There are many things extremely smart people love that seem boring to everyone else, with one contributing factor to this being intellectuals spending their time a bit differently than the average person.
Here are 11 things extremely smart people love that seem boring to everyone else
1. Reading, especially complex texts or studies
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It's true that anyone can enjoy reading, no high intelligence quotient required. However, extremely smart people really love to read, and they certainly don't limit themselves to novels or the occasional self-help book.
Instead, you can find them reading everything from dense research articles to instruction manuals. For them, it's all about better understanding the world around them.
Author Peter Economy, known as The Leadership Guy, offered his own thoughts on why reading is so essential to intelligence. "Reading boosts our ability to understand new concepts — such as when one encounters a scenario, setting or people they haven't yet had exposure to — and our capacity to incorporate these new ideas in our existing everyday lives," he stated.
The fact that reading boosts intelligence is not a secret, but extremely smart people seem to have taken this concept to the next level. Instead of sticking with things someone might read for enjoyment, they truly read to learn and have a good time doing so. For them, reading for pleasure is reading complex texts that broaden their knowledge.
2. Learning how complicated systems work
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Another of the things extremely smart people love that seem boring to everyone else is learning how things work — the more complicated, the better. Whether this means taking something apart so they can see how to put it back together or doing intense research, the highly intelligent love to understand how things work. Even simple things can capture their attention, as evidenced by Kohlenberg's analogy of a lamppost.
"For many gifted people, looking at a lamppost is a different experience than it is for the rest of the world," he said. "They do not just see a lamppost. They see an imagined history of how the materials that comprise the post were sourced, manufactured and installed. They see the way that the lamp is connected to a power grid like a cell in a greater organism of a city and how they fit into that system."
While the average person may never consider the actual machinations of something, it's a regular occurrence for someone who is extremely intelligent to want to know how something works. It all feeds into their love of learning and understanding the world around them. While it may seem inconvenient to others, it's the kind of thing their brains latch onto.
3. Going to school
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Like reading, some average thinkers did enjoy school. However, no one really loved it quite like the extremely smart. They live to learn and expand their minds, which is what school is all about. The thought of going to one place almost daily where they can be instructed in a variety of subjects is basically a dream come true.
However, there is a flip side to this coin. Some extremely smart students actually struggle in school or find themselves feeling bored with the curriculum because they are so far ahead of the curve. They're just not at the same level as their classmates and can learn at a much faster pace. There's also the possibility that they don't do as well on tests or other graded assignments despite being geniuses.
This is typically where gifted programs come in. According to the National Association for Gifted Children, "High-ability students need gifted education programs that will challenge them in regular classroom settings, along with accelerated and enrichment programs to make continuous progress in school." Gifted programs make it possible for extremely smart students to still be challenged in school, giving them an outlet to enjoy attending.
4. Solving math problems
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Most people would probably admit that solving math problems is not exactly their idea of a good time, especially once they are out of school and don't have to do so anymore to complete their assignments. On the other hand, for extremely intelligent people, solving math problems is just plain fun — the more difficult, the better, really.
There is a satisfaction that comes with solving a complex math problem that extremely smart people just love. Education resource provider 98th Percentile explained that math is not just about solving problems, but also involves creativity. By looking beyond the numbers for real-world examples and even using games or puzzles, math transforms from something that can be frustrating into something that is enjoyable.
Extremely smart people know this all too well. Math isn't a burden for them or just something to check off their to-do list. Instead, it is a fun and engaging activity. They might even be less likely to pull out a calculator because they know they can solve the problem themselves and even have a bit of fun doing so.
5. Learning a new language
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Lots of people try to learn a new language, but extremely smart people stick with it and truly enjoy it. They don't just want to learn the basics to get through a class. Instead, they want to immerse themselves in the words and culture and become fluent. They see learning a new language as a window to truly understanding a different group of people better and seeing life through their eyes.
Language learning service Babbel surveyed 5,000 of their users to see what their motivations for learning a new language were. The top response was that participants wanted to be able to use their new skills when traveling, which is a worthy cause. However, rounding out the top three results were genuine interest in the language and a desire to remain mentally sharp.
Based on these results, many people who learn a new language do it just because they have an interest in doing so. This could certainly be true for extremely smart people, who want to broaden their horizons and sharpen their minds. Some people just want to learn a language for the fun of it.
6. Playing difficult games or solving hard puzzles
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Sure, anyone can enjoy putting a puzzle together or playing a rousing game of Monopoly. But what about a chess tournament, or a puzzle that has thousands of pieces? Those aren't usually associated with a laidback game night. Extremely smart people love doing these kinds of things, though. It gives them a chance to exercise their brains and think deeply about something.
A study from Michigan State University found that a propensity for chess is actually linked to intelligence. Instead of chess skills coming from plenty of time spent carefully practicing, it turns out that people who are good at the game might just be smarter. Lead study author Alexander Burgoyne said it all comes down to cognitive ability.
Chess is, of course, only one game, but it is one traditionally associated with intelligence. The intensity and strategic aspects of games like chess, as well as puzzles that are difficult to solve, excite extremely smart people instead of intimidating them. They know engaging in these activities is a chance to strengthen their intelligence even more, something they never pass up.
7. Debating
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Most people either avoid debating others at all costs, or they debate far too frequently. Extremely smart people know the value of debating well. For them, it's not about winning an argument or proving a point. Instead, they truly are interested in hearing opposing viewpoints and learning from them. The world doesn't have to revolve around their own opinion.
The Stanford National Forensic Institute shared that debating is not just good for students, but for people in any stage of life. "Debaters flex their analytical muscles, learning to find the weak points in opponents' arguments," they said. "They learn to explain their own ideas and assess different viewpoints, whether in a debate round, a political discussion, a classroom or a written essay."
Holding a spirited debate, whether it was planned or spontaneous, gives someone the chance to defend their own argument while also learning from those of others. This is something that extremely smart people cherish. They know that they'll never expand their knowledge if they just stick with their own views, and debating enriches their lives.
8. Learning about history
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Being a history buff isn't necessarily reserved for the intelligent, but they are more likely to find random facts and tidbits interesting and to seek them out in the first place. It's one of the many things extremely smart people love that seem boring to everyone else. They also have the ability to more closely pick up on what others might tend to overlook, giving them a leg up when it comes to picking up on details.
Learning about history is about much more than collecting interesting factoids one can mention at dinner parties, though. As historian Gill Bennett pointed out, history is something that we can learn from, not just about. Seeing how someone else lived in a different era and understanding the choices they made can help us make better informed decisions now and avoid repeating past mistakes.
Extremely smart people know the value of this. They see the past as a treasured resource to study and learn from. They don't want to repeat past mistakes, and they understand that learning about history is one of the easiest ways to do so.
9. Writing computer code
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Coding can be a pretty polarizing topic. Some will think it's immensely interesting while others will be bored to tears. The people in the former category have a tendency to be extremely smart. These people have a desire to learn about technology and be an active part of its advancements. They recognize how invaluable technology is and they want to be on the cutting edge.
Developer and coder Jason Swett said there isn't necessarily some kind of minimum intelligence you must possess to be able to code or program. However, being smart is helpful, as is having persistence and being willing to learn all of the many details it takes to accomplish such a thing. As we've established, these are qualities that extremely smart people usually possess.
Unless you have a special interest in technology, it's unlikely that you'll be riveted by coding. Instead, you'll find it boring. On the other hand, extremely smart people may take a look at the challenge and all that can be learned and get excited. Their reaction is very different because it lines up with their priorities.
10. Understanding and keeping up with the stock market
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Many would shudder at the very mention of the stock market. There's so many numbers, abbreviations and symbols that don't make a lot of sense to the average person. This is why financial advisors exist — so people who don't want to deal with that don't have to. But the thing is, extremely smart people do want to deal with that.
There are so many things to know if you want to get involved with the stock market. For example, according to the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions, there are two main types of stocks, but there are also four additional types to keep track of. There are also multiple paths one can take to actually purchase stocks.
While this may sound overwhelming to some, and they would think it's easier to just forgo it entirely, extremely smart people see the stock market as a chance to learn more about the economy and increase their financial literacy. They enjoy having the opportunity to be a part of something so big and complex.
11. Trivia
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Whether it's a game of Trivial Pursuit, competing in a trivia league or even just shouting answers at the TV while "Jeopardy!" is on, extremely smart people love to participate in any situation that involves trivia. This is, quite honestly, a chance for them to flex their impressive amount of knowledge. But, even more than that, it's just genuinely fun for them to draw on everything they know to play a game that's fun for them.
There is some debate over whether being good at trivia really does mean one is conventionally smart. As GQ writer Jaya Saxena said, "We all know something about something. We all have one area where we feel we know too much, and when that question comes, we finally get our moment to prove ourselves. For a moment, we're useful."
It's certainly true that anyone can be good at different aspects of trivia, but having a well-rounded knowledge of, well... everything makes it more likely that a person is extremely smart. Intelligent people love trivia because it gives them a chance to use their obscure knowledge and, really, feel important.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
