11 Things A Person With A High IQ Hates That Other People Think Are Fun
The idea of 'fun' is subjective, but to highly intelligent people, these things are just plain annoying.
Alexander Shunevich | Shutterstock In some ways, intelligence is subjective, characterized by habits and behaviors — from regulating one's emotions to being socially charismatic and even “book smart.” Research indicates that intelligence is associated with curiosity and creativity, which explains why individuals with higher IQs often pursue more concrete forms of intelligence and dedicate time to creative hobbies and artistic endeavors.
However, a person’s intelligence can be defined by the people, habits, and behaviors they don’t like, just as much as the ones they do. A person with a high IQ often dislikes activities that others enjoy, such as mindless scrolling, social networking, or their TV choices, as these reflect differing values in their daily lives.
Here are 11 things a person with a high IQ hates that other people think are fun:
1. Small talk or chit-chatting to fill silence
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Intelligent people prefer deep, meaningful conversations and connections over superficial ones in their daily lives, so they’re generally averse to small talk. They don’t enjoy chit-chat or blindly filling awkward silences — they’d rather skip the surface-level stuff and dive into real conversations with meaning. Whether at a work networking event or socializing at a bar, they dislike small talk and superficial conversations that lack real significance in their lives.
According to a British Journal of Psychology study, people with high IQs tend to thrive with fewer social relationships and connections because they prefer quality over quantity.
2. Spreading gossip or drama
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What some people find juicy or entertaining, people with high IQ find pointless and ethically off-putting. While research shows that gossip can occasionally bond people and boost relationship communication skills in small doses, highly intelligent people prefer to focus on themselves, vulnerability, and deep connection rather than making fun or spreading rumors about someone else.
They build quality relationships, rather than trying to make a million friends or impress a bunch of peers, so they’re not looking for a chance to seek external validation by bringing someone else down. They may speak about someone’s misbehavior or share their feelings about it, but never to the extent that they’re unnecessarily dragging someone down.
3. Binge-watching brainless shows or doomscrolling
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Whether they’re watching reality TV or doomscrolling on their phones, people with high IQs don’t appreciate mindless entertainment. They’d prefer to spend their time indulging in hobbies, conversations, and habits that add value to their lives — something that stimulates their brain or brings them joy. Of course, this doesn’t always have to mean it’s something “productive,” like working on a side hustle or even answering emails; it can just be something that makes them feel healthier, happier, or more fulfilled.
According to a study from the British Journal of Psychology, this preference is part of the reason people with high IQs tend to spend more time alone. They not only feel happier spending time alone compared to a person with average intelligence who boosts their mood by socializing, but they also tend to invest in their solitude with healthy habits, hobbies, and passions that add value.
4. Over-the-top positivity that feels fake
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Toxic positivity grates on people with high IQs. They’re too aware of reality to pretend everything’s great all the time. According to career coach Marty Nemko, people with high IQs tend to be more pessimistic in their everyday lives because they’re highly aware of the complexities of their experiences and conversations.
From news headlines to unhealthy relationships and conflicts at work, they’re more likely to consider and worry about things the average person is blissfully unaware of.
When someone is optimistic or overly positive, seeming fake and ignorant in a social situation, it can feel offensive and misguided to a highly intelligent person. They yearn for deep and meaningful interactions, and with a fake person who doesn’t understand or care to learn about the complexities of life, it can feel hard to break through the superficiality.
5. Playing it safe and never taking risks
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People with high IQs find it frustrating when people romanticize staying in their comfort zone instead of pushing themselves to grow. As psychologist Leon F. Seltzer explains, many intelligent people set lofty goals and expectations for themselves, so it’s not surprising that they tend to cultivate relationships and connections with people who share a similar mindset regarding growth.
Stagnancy in people who never get out of their comfort zone is one of the things a person with a high IQ hates that other people think is fun. While “fun” is relatively subjective, these people appreciate and find solace in the comfort of staying the same, seeing the same people every day, and focusing on the things they know and are good at.
6. Jokes that rely on stereotypes or cheap shots
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Lowbrow humor, especially when it's offensive or lazy, just doesn't hit — they’d rather laugh at something smart or unexpected. Whether it’s a joke that pokes fun at someone’s identity or a lowbrow comedy routine, people with high IQs prefer cleverness and wit over easy, cheap shots.
While there are certainly elements of societal stigma and even classism rooted in the ways we define “high- and low-brow comedy,” the thing that high IQ people truly hate is ignorance. They won’t have fun listening to a problematic or hurtful joke. In their relationships, they’re not going to subscribe to this kind of humor, especially without any explanation, accountability, or education on the problematic roots it pulls from.
7. Chasing trends to fit in
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Mindless consumerism is one of the things a person with a high IQ hates that other people think is fun, mostly because intelligent people see the complexities behind it. They’re more knowledgeable about financial literacy, understanding their emotional spending impulses, and saving money, but they can also see through the advertising schemes and consumerist pressures in society.
They don’t care about what’s "in." Hopping on trends for the sake of it feels shallow and unoriginal to them. They don’t feel pressure to fit in, seek external validation by following trends, or buy the "next best thing." Instead, they have other habits, hobbies, and connections that fulfill them and ensure their financial health.
8. Loud parties and packed crowds
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What’s fun for extroverts — clubs, bars, chaotic gatherings — is usually overwhelming and draining for people with high IQs. Considering intelligent people tend to yearn for and seek out intimate, deep, and meaningful connections, it’s unsurprising that they’re adverse to crowded places. They find small talk draining and endlessly superficial, but it also characterizes loud and overstimulating parties and social events, so they tend to steer clear.
Introvert expert Jenn Granneman argues that the higher your IQ, the more sensitive you are, probably not just emotionally and internally, but also socially, in overstimulating settings and conversations.
Loud parties and crowded clubs may be fun for the average person as a way to socialize and distract themselves from the chaos of everyday life, but people with high IQs would prefer to hang out with their friends, have deep conversations, and invest in their solitude.
9. Making jokes about mental illness
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While there’s certainly a time and place for people to make jokes about their mental health struggles, people who ignorantly dismiss and invalidate these internal struggles in other people are one of the things a person with a high IQ hates that other people may find occasionally funny.
They don't find humor in making light of anxiety or depression, especially since many high-IQ people struggle with it themselves. According to research from the Frontiers in Evolutionary Neuroscience journal, there’s evidence of a link between higher intelligence and heightened worry rates. Another study published in the Intelligence journal adds to that, suggesting people with high IQs are more likely to develop and experience mental health concerns than the average person, characterized by their overexcitability, self-awareness, and deep emotional intelligence.
If they continually reflect on their mental health experiences or manage them in the present, the last thing a highly intelligent person wants to hear is someone making jokes about anxiety or dismissing another person’s struggles.
10. Games that rely on dumb luck
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People with high IQs hate games that come down to chance. If there’s no strategy involved, what’s the point? According to a 2019 study on board games, intelligent people prefer strategy-based games over sheer luck because they promote connectedness, critical thinking skills, and problem-solving strategies.
While the average person may enjoy the entertainment of a luck-based game, like a slot machine, people with a high IQ are much more interested in investing in entertainment that promotes experiences that add value to their lives.
11. Obsessing over celebrities
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While the average person finds it fun to obsess over celebrities, keep up with A-list trends, and even craft parasocial relationships with famous people, following celebrity drama or idolizing influencers doesn’t interest people with high IQs—they see through the illusion and don’t buy into the hype.
Even if they love a celebrity or keep up with a famous person’s work, they don’t idolize them — they appreciate their work, criticize them when necessary, and speak about them from an outsider perspective, rather than pretending to be their best friend.
They understand that, like many other elements of our entertainment culture, such as scrolling on social media, celebrity culture can negatively impact self-esteem, so they set boundaries around what they consume, who they choose to support, and to what extent they do so.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
