People here seem smarter than the average population - is that the problem?

[AveMori]

When I am on here, I read so many thoughtful and well articulated thoughts, it seems to me that the community is more intelligent or at least better at critical thinking than the average person.
I wonder, if that is the reason for the people here being suicidal, maybe we understand the absurdity of life, while others live in blissful ignorance?

 

[LaVieEnRose]

I wonder, if that is the reason for the people here being suicidal, maybe we understand the absurdity of life, while others live in blissful ignorance?

Certainly that's a common way of thinking here.

Which isn't great support your hypothesis.

 

[AveMori]

Certainly that's a common way of thinking here.

Which isn't great support your hypothesis.

What I see as a strong argument against it is that publicly known incredibly intelligent people seem to still be overwhelmingly pro life. However, maybe those are successful enough to actually habe a decent existence, while a slightly more aware person just has the worst of both worlds. Considering the higher level of depression in people with higher IQ makes me still pretty convinced about a correlation.

 

[Lady Laudanum]

A lot of y'all are super articulate and I feel like I have shit for brains in comparison lmao

On a more serious note, higher levels of intelligence is correlated with higher rates of mental illness, but correlation definitely doesn't equal causation.

 

[AveMori]

A lot of y'all are super articulate and I feel like I have shit for brains in comparison lmao

On a more serious note, higher levels of intelligence is correlated with higher rates of mental illness, but correlation definitely doesn't equal causation.

Same for me, I can't imagine writing those thought out essays of others here and I would never have found all that information given to me here by myself. My only strength is that I was always good at thinking outside of the norm, which might be more madness than intelligence.

 

[set0553]

When I am on here, I read so many thoughtful and well articulated thoughts, it seems to me that the community is more intelligent or at least better at critical thinking than the average person.
I wonder, if that is the reason for the people here being suicidal, maybe we understand the absurdity

When I am on here, I read so many thoughtful and well articulated thoughts, it seems to me that the community is more intelligent or at least better at critical thinking than the average person.
I wonder, if that is the reason for the people here being suicidal, maybe we understand the absurdity of life, while others live in blissful ignorance?

Its really frustrating dealing with the public. Most people seem to lack any common sense at all, and stumbling around aimlessly without much thought process, and seems to be getting worse.. people here do typically seem to have above average intelligence from what I've seen and a great place to come to when I want to get away from idiots.

 

[lostinwoe]

I think I've always have had more common sense than the normal person at least compared to my family but that might just be because I'm me

 

[Mi Mi]

When I am on here, I read so many thoughtful and well articulated thoughts, it seems to me that the community is more intelligent or at least better at critical thinking than the average person.
I wonder, if that is the reason for the people here being suicidal, maybe we understand the absurdity of life, while others live in blissful ignorance?

I was just listening to the song crazy
I don't think I ever really listened till today
When he said it's not cause I didn't know enough
I knew too much
The tears that poured out of me
I often call myself dumb
And I suppose when it comes to math and those subjects...yes
But who I am as a person
My empathy
My ability to feel and read energy
Being able to communicate authentically
I wonder whose really mentally ill

 

[Hotsackage]

We're mostly introverted who have a lot of health problems, and are more compassionate then the average person

 

[Vicolo cieco]

It's probably a matter of critical thinking. Most people are too caught up in pursuing what they consider the "finer things in life" to question what allows them to get those pleasurable experiences (life itself).

 

[Kalista]

When I am on here, I read so many thoughtful and well articulated thoughts, it seems to me that the community is more intelligent or at least better at critical thinking than the average person.
I wonder, if that is the reason for the people here being suicidal, maybe we understand the absurdity of life, while others live in blissful ignorance?

not that simple unfortunately.

awareness is one of the biggest factor. you're never really taught by your parents or teachers how shit society can be to an individual (this is an understatement). you're never taught that suicide is a real option in life. you're mainly taught to suck it up, be hopeful, optimistic, strong, resilient, to keep moving forward and all those 'good' words that will keep you going even when you're absolutely fucking exhausted.

many in the US are also highly ignorant even after going through years of education. can be worse when they lack the education or at least exposure to critical thinking-related courses such as philosophy. and having an education or degree doesn't mean the courses or their experiences will lead them to a direction of some form of enlightenment. but it's not like schools teach you about suicide-related topics anyway.

i remember someone once telling a guy -- "you're pretty stupid for someone with a degree."
he was criticizing gay people about how he would never have his future children anywhere close to them due to fear they'll catch what makes gay people gay. his guy friends defended him, while shaming her.

there are still many factors that contribute heavily as to why we are choosing suicide -- or maybe not.

 

[LaughingGoat]

I don't think so. There are some articulate things written here in regards to thoughts on suicide, which is to be expected seeing how much we all think about the subject. For a parallel example: I'm big into horror and am in that community. You'll read some incredibly deep analysis about a horror movie or book, but I don't think horror fiction is particularly known for drawing more intelligent people than any other community. I would say this community has more critical thinking around openness of suicide, but I would even say there is a lot of tunnel vision in the general topic of life as it is such an emotional topic to many and therefore clouds critical thinking.

 

[BorderlineInvane]

When I am on here, I read so many thoughtful and well articulated thoughts, it seems to me that the community is more intelligent or at least better at critical thinking than the average person.
I wonder, if that is the reason for the people here being suicidal, maybe we understand the absurdity of life, while others live in blissful ignorance?

Don't fall for it, we're as "dumb" as the next person, we're just mature enough to make mistakes and learn from them. No need to be smart, just curious and logical (as most people here are - compared to the average person).

 

[EvisceratedJester]

When I am on here, I read so many thoughtful and well articulated thoughts, it seems to me that the community is more intelligent or at least better at critical thinking than the average person.

Well yeah, probably because of your own biases. Unless if we decide to measure and compare the average IQ of people on this site to those from more pro-life areas of the internet, there isn't really any evidence that the people on here are anymore smarter on average. At the end of day, this is a pro-choice forum. If you become a member on here then it's likely that you already share similar view to everyone else here, making you bias in our favour. It's kind of like how people who hang out in spaces that consist mostly of people with similar political views as them tend to think of those spaces as having more intelligent and rational people on average. In reality, it's not that the people in those spaces are smart than average, it's just that the people in those spaces agree with them more.

It also doesn't help that a lot of people tend to also shove this idea of "the mentally ill cynical genius", which is only going to further skew your biases in our favour.

 

[BardBarrie]

I don't think we're "above average" and I think that kind of thinking can sometimes lead to an "us versus them" mentality where people gloat/sneer at "the dumb normies" — which to me comes across as unhelpful.

Well yeah, probably because of your own biases. Unless if we decide to measure and compare the average IQ of people on this site to those from more pro-life areas of the internet, there isn't really any evidence that the people on here are anymore smarter on average. At the end of day, this is a pro-choice forum. If you become a member on here then it's likely that you already share similar view to everyone else here, making you bias in our favour. It's kind of like how people who hang out in spaces that consist mostly of people with similar political views as them tend to think of those spaces as having more intelligent and rational people on average. In reality, it's not that the people in those spaces are smart than average, it's just that the people in those spaces agree with them more.

It also doesn't help that a lot of people tend to also shove this idea of "the mentally ill cynical genius", which is only going to further skew your biases in our favour.

Agreed: I can't stand all that "mentally ill genius/dumb normies" stuff.

 

[MatrixPrisoner]

I have long theorized that suicidal people are of above average intelligence. We recogize that the only way to get ahead in this life is too lie, steal and cheat. Or be burdens to other people. And don't wish to partake in that.

 

[Jorms_McGander]

"the dumb normies"

I bitch about normies all the time, but it's not to do with intelligence. It's to do with the difference between normative and divergent experience and the perspective that arises from a lifetime of inherent validation when confronted by the existence of people who do not receive that same validation. It takes a lot of work to understand other peoples' perspectives and if a person isn't forced to, chances are they won't.

And here there is more divergence, so I am more comfortable saying things like that without explaining the full nuance. Anyway I'll consider choosing my words more carefully but frankly I'm just relieved to have a place where I can exist as myself and a minority of people will either misunderstand or complain about misunderstanding. It's been a long 37 years of biting my tongue.

 

[Little_Suzy]

Not me! In my high school yearbook, I got the Ding Dong award! Hahaha

 

[BardBarrie]

I bitch about normies all the time, but it's not to do with intelligence. It's to do with the difference between normative and divergent experience and the perspective that arises from a lifetime of inherent validation when confronted by the existence of people who do not receive that same validation. It takes a lot of work to understand other peoples' perspectives and if a person isn't forced to, chances are they won't.

And here there is more divergence, so I am more comfortable saying things like that without explaining the full nuance. Anyway I'll consider choosing my words more carefully but frankly I'm just relieved to have a place where I can exist as myself and a minority of people will either misunderstand or complain about misunderstanding. It's been a long 37 years of biting my tongue.

All I know is that I don't like cliquey "sick of those unenlightened/stupid [outgroup]" stuff, not that I'm accusing you of doing such, mind.

We're all suffering here.

 

[Jorms_McGander]

All I know is that I don't like cliquey "sick of those unenlightened/stupid [outgroup]" stuff, not that I'm accusing you of doing such, mind.

We're all suffering here.

Hell no to cliques lol.

I am more interested in conversations than individuals so y'know that doesn't get me a lot of friends but it helps me try to take each person as they come without getting sucked into associations.

It can happen to me too, though. And it has in the past. So mindfulness is important, but even more important is the ability to take criticism.

 

[Havnis]

Does it matter? Is that self validation? Because most people see us as disfunctional irrational losers.

 

[Alex Fermentopathy]

higher levels of intelligence is correlated with higher rates of mental illness

Arguably.
There is a study from 2022: High intelligence is not associated with a greater propensity for mental health disorders

But your statement is true on a population level (as opposed to individual level), at least if judging by the population of Ashkenazi Jews.

 

[Havnis]

A lot of y'all are super articulate and I feel like I have shit for brains in comparison lmao

On a more serious note, higher levels of intelligence is correlated with higher rates of mental illness, but correlation definitely doesn't equal causation.

Arguably.
There is a study from 2022: High intelligence is not associated with a greater propensity for mental health disorders

But your statement is true on a population level (as opposed to individual level), at least if judging by the population of Ashkenazi Jews.

That's antisemitic.

 

[Alex Fermentopathy]

That's antisemitic.

I don't think so.

 

[cowboypants]

When I am on here, I read so many thoughtful and well articulated thoughts, it seems to me that the community is more intelligent or at least better at critical thinking than the average person.
I wonder, if that is the reason for the people here being suicidal, maybe we understand the absurdity of life, while others live in blissful ignorance?

If any, I have been below average in my studies. It's not useful to simplify it into a box

 

[Ambivalent1]

We are betterer than others

 

[enough of this]

I understand many geniuses and other people with high intelligence take their own lives. I think they see the world for what it really is, and choose to not have any part of it.

 

[Beyond_Repair]

When I am on here, I read so many thoughtful and well articulated thoughts, it seems to me that the community is more intelligent or at least better at critical thinking than the average person.
I wonder, if that is the reason for the people here being suicidal, maybe we understand the absurdity of life, while others live in blissful ignorance?

I don't think you can necessarily equate depression and suicidality with intelligence. I personally think it's more related to trauma and the way a person's brain works

That's not to say there aren't plenty of very intelligent depressed people though

 

[SuicidalBoredom]

I think it takes higher levels of awareness and intelligence to be irreligious and see the world for what it is: a purposeless torture device.

 

[AveMori]

Does it matter? Is that self validation? Because most people see us as disfunctional irrational losers.

Nah, not really self validation, bc I don't count myself in on the higher intelligence, just on the part where I see problems more which stems from other reasons. However, the answers I get here are are incredibly thought out compared to other public forums.