the most obvious handicaps of high intelligence come from being in a social environment of lower general intelligence, optimized for lower intelligence.
Hmm, good point how being smarter than others in the social environment can decrease happiness. But could that be outweighed by a related increase happiness?
For example, think back to school days. Some kids struggle with homework, but others finish it quickly and easily, freeing up time to pursue fun. Same thing with adult life. Some people struggle just to get by day-to-day. Intelligent people can think about how to get by expending less time and effort, freeing up more physical and mental to pursue what they're passionate about.
That's been my personal experience anyway, but most of the things I enjoy are physical activities like games and sports that don't always require high-intellect friends. And I did spend a lot more time with my family than my friends, and I realized it wasn't purely because I loved my family members more; I also enjoyed their company more since they were smarter.
“Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.” ― Ernest Hemingway, The Garden of Eden see here
Did you know The surprising downsides of being clever? Is Happiness And Intelligence: Rare Combination? There are longitudinal studies which seem to imply this: Being Labeled as Gifted, Self-appraisal, and Psychological Well-being: A Life Span Developmental Perspective
I found these via slashdot.
As LessWrong is harbor to unusually high-IQ people (see section B in here). I wonder how happiness compares to the mean. What are your thoughts.