Because very intelligent people have less friends (and because it is completely normal)

Have you ever noticed that the smartest people around you are not exactly the worldly star of the evening? Maybe you have a friend who would prefer to spend on Friday evening with your head immersed in a book rather than with a glass in hand and the feet on the dance floor.

At first glance it seems strange that smart people Like this. Are networking, networking and filtered group photos not at the basis of modern happiness? But science affirms the opposite, and this is quite surprising.

More brain, less socialization?

Research shows that very intelligent people often try less satisfaction in socializing frequently and tend to have a closer circle of friends. And once the context is understood, everything becomes completely logical.

So, if you satisfy you of a few good friends (or only of yourself), it could be a sign of greater intelligence. If only we had known since elementary school, how many unpleasant departures from the “Figi Club” would have been able to avoid!

But let’s take turns. Why then more gray cells mean less chatter?

The primitive man in us is still looking for the tribe

To begin with, let’s go back a few thousand years, to an era in which the “social network” was actually a fire in the middle of the forest. Human beings are evidently designed to live in small communities connected to each other. This understanding is supported by the so -called “theory of the savannah of happiness”, according to which our brain is still adapted to live in a tribe of about 150 people.

For most people the rule is: more socialization = more dopamine. Friendly conversations, shared laughter and shared moments trigger a discharge of wellness hormones and a sense of belonging.

But what happens when someone is slightly above average from a cognitive point of view?

More company? No thank you.

A 2016 study published in British magazine of psychologyrevealed a rather contrasting picture: while most people love to socialize, very intelligent individuals with a frequent social life are often less satisfied.

For these people, more socialization no longer means more happiness, sometimes even the opposite. Instead of giving them energy, often the programs full of meetings dry up and distract them from the things that really give them joy.

Or to put it more vividly: while most people without social contacts feel quickly alone, very intelligent people often thrive precisely in solitude. For the weekend with a book, a notebook or a mental experiment? Ideal. To have a chat during an event with Prosecco for free? Mechanical

Because smart people prefer loneliness (and why they don’t have to explain it to everyone by drinking something)

1. Focus on long -term goals
Highly intelligent individuals invest their energies in projects that require time, concentration and vision, whether it is writing a novel, founding a company or developing its own quantum algorithm. For them the long -term company is not a reward, but a distraction.

2. Quality> quantity
Instead of a network of knowledge, they focus on a few deep and genuine relationships. It’s like choosing a gourmet meal in an intimate restaurant instead of taking everything from a buffet. (And yes, in this case there is nothing wrong with eating alone.)

3. Best adaptation to the modern world
Although our brain is still in tribal mode, highly intelligent individuals are better adapted to the frenetic rhythms of today’s cities. They don’t need a constant company to feel significant.

Conclusion: redefine happiness and social norms

The idea that intelligent people have less friends may seem sad at first sight. But who said that happiness resides only in the number of birthday greeting cards?

For most people, friends represent an important part of happiness. For very intelligent people, however, the opposite often happens: too much social noise can dilute the sense of inner satisfaction.

These people find happiness in:

Deep and sincere relationships
Long -term creative or intellectual projects
and – without a swallow of shame – in silence

So if you have ever wondered why mass events tire you faster than a 10 km race, or because a lonely evening at home takes you more things than spending time in a bar, you are not strange. Maybe you are simply … skillfully programmed for a different version of happiness.

And if you have a friend, who from time to time disappears into his introspection cave: don’t worry. Most likely he is not ignoring your message: he is just developing a new theory on the universe. Or he is writing a novel again. Who knows.

The next time you enjoy your solitude serenely, think: maybe it is at that moment that your brain receives exactly what it needs to shine.