Coup D'etat

What about actors, comedians, writers...?

chronicfuture12

Smart people realize the inside workings of everything and do not find happiness in the trivial pleasures that please others. There is less gratification for us.

fizix2

being smart (if you use it to think about life) is like climbing a mountain

the view is beautiful, but if you're not careful you can fall off the cliff

CCC88'

"Smart people realize the inside workings of everything and do not find happiness in the trivial pleasures that please others. There is less gratification for us. "

That's quite a general statement. Many do feel the way you do. Some can find trivial pleasures pleasurable at times. We're all slaves to our neurochemistry. A shot of heroin may be a trivial pleasure, but I doubt even the most intelligent person would not feel some pleasure from it.(terrible analogy I know) The tactile pleasure of petting a soft puppy dog is also an example. We cannot forget food or drink either.

fizix2

i like puppy dogs!

Alone

Steve, no one said you can't be sad if you are not smart.

i have no idea.

i tend to be a lot more sad nowadays and that's because i've realized i am aweful at evrything because i am not good enough or not smart enough.does that answer anything?it reverses the world upside down i guess.and the question too,right?which makes a whole new question i am not sure what.
can happier people be smarter?

wxmann

Strongly believe so. Innocence is the origin of happiness; cluelessness is its mechanism.

The more you know, the more you have, the more you realize what you don't know, what you don't have, and what sucks. And human nature dictates that you will fixate more on what sucks, than what doesn't suck.

pharmakeus01

I'm unhappy because I'm always a step behind my dream and my ambitions.

preppybich

I'm unhappy too, life sucks right now, but that's mostly because I have finals and I don't want to study so I'm on this forum wasting time.

ThisCouldBeHeavn

Anyone here read Flowers for Algernon?

scansmom

Another good book along the same lines as "Flowers for Algernon" is "The Speed of Dark" by Elizabeth Moon, which is the story of a high functioning autistic man with gifted mathematical abilities who is facing the dilemma of whether or not to undergo experimental testing to cure him of his autism...

In response to the OP, I think very smart/gifted individuals are often perfectionists, and their perfectionism and desire to always do/be better interferes with their ability to enjoy or appreciate what they have accomplished - and this can make them appear unhappy. You can see this in gifted individuals in ALL fields (music, art, literature) and not just those fields where giftedness can be measured through tests (science, math etc). Also, gifted children often begin to perceive themselves as different from their peers beginning at an early age; like individuals with autism/Asperger's they often have very different interests and do not fit in socially with other children. Emotionally, this can effect their happiness and self-esteem while still children, and can effect their ability to be happy throughout their adult life.

yawn

Wise people are unhappy.

The statement, "Ignorance is bliss" is much truer than most people realize. Of course, most of the people who don't realize its validity are themselves ignorant.

[/not intended to come across as mean]

chocobok

I pretty much agree with what a lot of people have been saying...
yes, and this is a generalization, but i think that smart people are able to look beyond simple pleasures of every day existence (food, friends, sleep etc.)-not to say that they don't enjoy them, but they realize there is something more.
They start to search for that extra something, and begin to think more about the future and the way the world is. What they find when they think about the world is not always comforting. The world is a dissapointment (especially when you think about poverty, illness, etc.) What really is the point in life? and so on.
Plus, smart people realize where they want to go, and are discouraged by the fact that they want to get there but might be unable to (in other words ambition)
also, a lot of the time people who do really well in school are the most stressed/high-strung. That certainly would make u less happy.
Certainly, more pressure is put on smart people to succeed. And this can lead to unhappiness
I've also noticed that people who are not as smart are more content with what they have. It is only people who have drive and the smarts that strive for more and are really dissapointed when they can't achieve it.
umm...I don't think anything of this made sense lol.

Serafina

Chocobok: you made perfect sense. I'd be shocked if anyone would be unable to understand what you said, especially on a forum like CC.

I think generally the ones that are happiest are the ones who know themselves the most, and understand what truly makes them feel happy and comfortable. It doesn't mean that they shouldn't try to challenge themselves, but it usually means that they are able to recognize certain situations or people that would drive them to a less happy place. The "people reader" friend who refused to be a counselor is a very good example of this.

In the context of CC, this is why some people choose less "prestigious" schools for a better environment AKA fit. In the end, what makes some happy (prestige) wouldn't mean a thing for others who thrive on the school's qualities and what the school can offer them, and not necessarily the name.