High IQ and Narcissism: Fact or Fiction?

Come on, people—let's hear it! Speak up!

That’s just not true, where on earth are you even getting that conclusion from???!!!

I think there’s a bit of truth to that, especially if they actually know what they're doing.

It seems quite certain, wouldn't you agree? I mean, there would be no reason for them to go through the trouble of forming their own independent organizations—what are they called again... Meals on Wheels or something similar.

A common misconception...

Whether someone ends up being a narcissist or not really comes down to their level of emotional intelligence...

Well, look, I suppose more intelligent people tend to have entirely different intellectual priorities than those who aren't—not that anyone is truly "dumb," per se—but because of those differing focuses, less intelligent folks might misinterpret high intelligence as narcissism. And honestly? That’s a massive distinction. You can't just throw the label "narcissist" around like candy; that kind of diagnosis should really only be handled by a qualified professional—like a licensed psychologist in the States—after running a whole battery of clinical tests. Arrogance is one thing, but narcissism is a completely different beast altogether. 😉

brighteagle39 said:It seems quite certain, wouldn't you agree? I mean, there would be no reason for them to go through the trouble of forming their own independent organizations—what are they called again... Meals on Wheels or something similar.

Don't worry, you aren't going to suddenly "slide" into narcissism...

So, the logic is that if a specific group organizes itself into an association, they must all be geniuses?
Take a motorcycle club, for example—that’s just an organization where bikers join together. Does that automatically mean every single biker out there is a high-IQ intellectual?

That is just pure nonsense...

Taylor Phillips4 said:Don't worry, you aren't going to suddenly "slide" into narcissism...

So, the logic is that if a specific group organizes itself into an association, they must all be geniuses?
Take a motorcycle club, for example—that’s just an organization where bikers join together. Does that automatically mean every single biker out there is a high-IQ intellectual?

That is just pure nonsense...

No, I wasn't referring to broad social groups; I was specifically discussing those with exceptionally high IQs. They often feel this drive to form exclusive circles... perhaps to exchange ideas or specialized knowledge... or simply to distance themselves from the average population. Why? Well, quite likely because they find a certain satisfaction in acknowledging their own intellect.
While there might be practical reasons for people to band together, I won't let anyone convince me that this doesn't involve a "lean" toward narcissism.
My dear Munjel, while I can certainly overlook your little comment regarding my intelligence, that comparison involving bikers is entirely nonsensical and unnecessary. You know deep down why that is.

There is a massive difference between being proud of your own intellect and being a narcissist.

Joseph Bailey41 said:There is a massive difference between being proud of your own intellect and being a narcissist.

I'll second that. 👍 👍 👍

That’s just not true. My IQ is 84, which is well below average, yet somehow I’m still being accused of narcissism.

That's just a misconception.

I don't think narcissism has anything to do with how smart someone is. It’s more about their own twisted psyche and how they see themselves...

Taylor Phillips4 said:Don't worry, you aren't going to suddenly "slide" into narcissism...

So, the logic is that if a specific group organizes itself into an association, they must all be geniuses?
Take a motorcycle club, for example—that’s just an organization where bikers join together. Does that automatically mean every single biker out there is a high-IQ intellectual?

That is just pure nonsense...

Munjel, it's pretty obvious you wouldn't fit in at Mensa, otherwise you wouldn't be jumping to such nonsensical conclusions. Bikers have their own "clubs" simply because they share a passion for riding.

David Nelson74 said:That’s just not true. My IQ is 84, which is well below average, yet somehow I’m still being accused of narcissism.

Well, you’re basically the exception that proves the rule.
😁

nah, look,
if someone’s actually got a brain in their head and they realize it, they might come off a little full of themselves because of that,
but that isn't narcissism.
when you're dealing with a true narcissist, they act that way because they're pathologically obsessed with themselves,
which is a legit psychological disorder.
it honestly has nothing to do with how smart you are,
you can't just claim—like, intelligent people have all these different conditions, schizophrenia, whatever...
they might be cocky because they're brilliant, but that doesn't make them a narcissist!!!

How sure are you about that? I’m pretty sure Freud is actually saying something else entirely.

We all possess a certain degree of narcissism. If we didn't, we probably wouldn't achieve much in this life.
These traits exist on a spectrum. The real question is simply where we fall on that scale—how narcissistic or antisocial we actually are. It’s a matter of whether we remain within the bounds of what’s healthy and functional, or if we’ve crossed the line into actual pathology.

brighteagle39 said:It seems quite certain, wouldn't you agree? I mean, there would be no reason for them to go through the trouble of forming their own independent organizations—what are they called again... Meals on Wheels or something similar.

If you head over to blogspot.com, you can see exactly why grouping up like this actually makes sense.