shminux comments on Rationality, Transhumanism, and Mental Health - Less Wrong

8 Post author: ialdabaoth 14 October 2012 09:11AM

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Comment author: Epiphany 15 October 2012 06:01:27PM *  3 points [-]

Alternate explanation for "insanity": If your IQ is high enough, you're likely to have problems fitting in with others. Normally I wouldn't suggest high IQ as a reason for not fitting in since an IQ high enough to cause that problem occurs in less than 1% of the population. However, here you are posting on LessWrong, a place that is known for it's intelligent members. (See Yvain's surveys to discover that most claim a high enough IQ for the average to be in the 140's). Not only that, but if you were using Bayesian techniques as a child and experimenting with making AIs as a teen, I'd say you're very likely to be smarter than the average bear.

If you want to look into this further:

Try researching a concept called "socially optimal IQ range".

Check out this article by the Prometheus Society: The Outsiders

Consider reading this book: Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnosis of Gifted Children and Adults

Research the term: Existential depression (common to gifted adults, and your inability to hack utility table complaint is reminiscent of this).

If you or someone reading this needs a concierge into the subject of gifted adults, I can be one. If the prospect of being flamed for claiming giftedness / looking into giftedness is a concern, use PM.

Comment author: RichardKennaway 18 November 2012 10:16:09AM 0 points [-]

If your IQ is high enough, you're likely to have problems fitting in with others.

Shouldn't high intelligence also enable you to solve this problem? Winning is what rationalists do, and all that.

Comment author: satt 18 November 2012 04:33:51PM 0 points [-]

Higher IQ can allow you to figure out faster which things to learn to fit in with others, but you still have to put in the time & effort to learn those things, and then cultivate the corresponding social habits.

Comment author: RichardKennaway 18 November 2012 09:41:55PM *  1 point [-]

Higher IQ can allow you to figure out faster which things to learn to fit in with others

Faster than lower IQ people? Should be, but the scenario being discussed is the opposite: the highly intelligent doing far worse than the rest. For how the highly intelligent should perform at social skills, see, for example, Feynman. If someone of high intelligence is not outperforming those of lower intelligence, it does not make much sense to blame the intelligence.

Comment author: satt 20 November 2012 03:34:45AM 0 points [-]

Oh, I see what you mean now. Didn't originally realize your question was rhetorical so I didn't infer what you were getting at.