Actions that Scream “I am Not a Smart Man” – Here’s How to Tell Someone Isn’t That Intelligent

If the average IQ is 100, meaning 50% of all people have IQs of less than 100. Chances are, most people you encounter aren’t all that smart. 

Different Types of Intellegence

Man with his hands up about to grasp a holographic image of a brain floating in front of his chest.
Photo Credit: nepool via Shutterstock.com.

That’s not to say there’s anything wrong with them. People lacking intellectual prowess may excel at physical tasks with the ability to wire engines, build things, and fix things without a second thought. 

They may have enhanced emotional intelligence, capable of connecting with others in ways those with strong intellects could only hope. 

Signs Someone Lacks Intellectual Intellegence

Confused looking mad scratching his head.
Photo Credit: Cameron Whitman via Shutterstock.com.

With that disclaimer out of the way, here are some signs that a person doesn’t have a strong intellect. 

Same Idea, Different Contexts

Man tilting his head and making a confused face.
Photo Credit: Krakenimages.com via Shutterstock.com.

People with high intelligence can relate different situations to similar ideas. However, those lacking might need help understanding how two unrelated events may be similar. They struggle to understand how a concept in one context might relate to a completely different context. 

No Doubt

A smug woman points to herself.
Photo Credit: Khosro via Shutterstock.com.

The wiser you are, the more you understand how much you don’t know. Those without intelligence often think they know a lot and rarely doubt their responses, even when they’re demonstrably false. 

Lacking Curiosity

Pretty young woman shrugging like she doesn't know.
Photo Credit: Krakenimages.com via Shutterstock.com.

Small minds don’t want to know more. They accept things at face value and refuse to dig deep to find the bigger picture. They don’t want to know how the world works. 

Unable to Think Critically

A woman looks unsure with her hand on her chin and her eyes looking up as if she's thinking about something serious.
Photo Credit: Roman Samborskyi via Shutterstock.com.

Critical thinking is a skill that many lack. Although it’s sometimes a sign of low intelligence, it’s often a matter of whether a person was taught to think critically. 

Far too many people prohibit critical thinking because it forces them to analyze their deeply held beliefs, and they’re afraid of what they’d discover if they did so. 

Can’t Think Abstractly

A man with his hand on his chin looking off to the distance thinking.
Photo Credit: Asier Romero via Shutterstock.com.

Abstract thought allows us to think of everything that could be or could have been. It lets us imagine new worlds of possibility. Some folks cannot engage in abstract thought. They can only see what is; they can’t imagine what might be. 

Don’t Form Their Own Opinions

A Macaw parrot standing on a branch with a light green background.
Photo Credit: Quality Stock Arts via Shutterstock.com.

Some people simply parrot the opinions they hear from their parents of their favorite newscaster and make them their own. They refuse to think critically about what they’ve heard. 

Often, these people change their opinions when placed with a different group but will sway back and forth depending on who they’re with. 

Distinguishing Fact from Opinion

An unsure confused man wearing a white t-shirt scratching his head.
Photo Credit: ViDI Studio via Shutterstock.com.

Even intelligent people struggle to distinguish fact from opinion, but those lacking intellect find the task nearly impossible. 

No Nuance

A Venn diagram showing right and wrong plus a grey area in the middle.
Image Credit: iQoncept via Shutterstock.com.

People with low intelligence can’t examine the nuance in situations. Most things aren’t black and white, a concept that many can’t grasp. 

What’s a Source?

Man browsing a newspaper at the newspaper stand.
Photo Credit: pixfly via Shutterstock.com.

People who refuse to research something, instead relying on just one questionable source, may lack intelligence. These are the folks who see an outrageous headline on social media and get all worked up about it without even reading the story or seeing whether it’s true. 

Believing Lies

A woman has her hand on her chin and her eyes looking off to the left with a look of confusion on her face.
Photo Credit: Krakenimages.com via Shutterstock.com.

Even the smartest among us fall for these everyday lies

Are You Smart Enough To Spot The Propaganda?

Man with a tv head playing puppet master to a group of smaller people with tvs for heads.
Photo Credit: Marko Aliaksandr via Shutterstock.com.

Propaganda surrounds us. It attempts to sway our thinking in both mundane and critical ways. Here are some examples of propaganda we see every day.

We’re So Tired of Explaining these Basic Concepts To Others

Close up of an annoyed, frustrated woman holding her hands up in rage.
Photo Credit; Cast Of Thousands via Shutterstock.com.

Sometimes, people just can’t understand basic ideas. We explain these concepts to others until our faces turn blue, yet they still can’t grasp them. 

Thats Not a Flex – Weird Things People Are Proud of

Woman with glasses and one eye closed looks confused and unsure of herself.
Photo Credit: Cast Of Thousands via Shutterstock.com.

People boast about the weirdest things. Here are the top things people are inexplicably proud of

Conspiracy Theories That Might Just Be True

Pretty short haired woman with her hand on her chin and a smile on her face as if she's having a happy thought.
Photo Credit: Roman Samborskyi via Shutterstock.com.

Some conspiracy theories are far more believable than others. Here are some we can get on board with

Source: Reddit

+ posts

The Partners in Fire editorial and staff writing teams join forces to bring you the latest and greatest trending topics in snackable bites. 

The team covers entertainment, wellness, current affairs, social issues, and other topics in easily digestible pieces, allowing readers to sample juicy tidbits without deep diving into the nuance of each topic. 

Grab your popcorn and get ready to snack!