![](https://cdn.thepoke.com/uploads/2023/08/05233439/intell0-800x420.png)
‘What is incorrectly perceived as a sign that someone is intelligent?’ – 27 most frequent misconceptions
15.
‘Using big words or complicated language when trying to explain something or talking about a difficult subject. The smartest people can actually make it sound simple.’
18puppies
16.
‘Glasses.’
Arkarian_0
17.
‘A college degree.’
samanthahasbadbangs
18.
‘Solving a Rubik’s cube.’
mindlessfrenchfry
19.
‘Strong opinions, held with confidence.’
Homely_Bonfire
20.
‘Scoring an A when I was 14.’
TelevisionCroissant
21.
‘I’m living in China right now and everyone keeps calling me intelligent as I’m bald and left handed.’
Halfmoonhero
22.
‘Being labeled “gifted” at a young age.’
Gullible-Lobster-590
23.
‘Knowing lots of digits of Pi. It just prove that you took the time to memorize something useless. No one will ever need to remember more than 3 or 4 digits.’
mickdrop
24.
‘knowledge =/= intelligence’
Durfael
25.
‘The ability to speak.’
Tripping_alien
26.
‘Being quiet.
‘Some people are quiet because they don’t know what to say.’
anima99
27.
‘As someone who’s been in academia and the field of medicine/research for many years, I promise you, despite what people who aren’t really in these spaces might think, it isn’t exactly crawling with geniuses.
‘Now there are a few gifted people to be sure but 99% it’s perfectly average people who just showed up and did the work. It’s more commitment than intelligence.
‘As long as you don’t have an actual severe learning disability and have access to the correct resources (this is a big one) and put in the effort, you can do it too.
‘Also, don’t ever assume that just because someone is incredibly knowledgeable at one thing that it will carry over broadly to other things.
‘Some of the most successful people have incredibly narrow, focused specialized knowledge. If an orthopaedic surgeon tries to talk to you about infectious disease, take it with a grain of salt. If an astronaut tries to talk to you about the economy, take it with a grain of salt.’
50YearSword
On the flip side, of course, there’s only one surefire way of telling if someone really does have a big brain. Their ability to compile a list.
Source Reddit u/Indianfattie