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Are you worried that you may never know if a person is truly stupid?
Sure, some people can be rather obvious about their lack of intelligence, but more often than not those tell-tale signs can be hard to detect – until it’s too late.
Allow us to put your worries to rest; today we’ll show you 13 subtle and not-so-subtle signs of stupidity so that you know who to avoid before it’s too late!
Read on for our must-know tips for picking out the fools from the crowd.
12 Signs and Symptoms of Stupidity
If it feels like everyone around you is being a bit dense, then there’s no need to worry – stupid people have some very obvious signs!
People who lack intelligence make too many assumptions, are easily triggered by arguments, and are known to jump to conclusions quickly.
Additionally, they often do not think through the consequences of their choices and are unable to look beyond their perspective.
Finally, they can also be equally as stubborn and irrational at times, this makes them hard to deal with due to their narrow-minded thinking.
It’s easy enough to recognize a stupid person when you know what interactions or characteristics may indicate this – keep an eye out for these 13 telltale signs!
1. Stupid People Will Extend Their Arguments
Have you ever been stuck in an argument with someone who just won’t let it go? Even when you’re not saying anything, these people will extend their arguments to show that they’re better than everyone else.
This is because they have trouble understanding life and lack self-awareness.
It’s very frustrating, and it gives them a false sense of superiority whenever they’re in the company of others. Unfortunately, this means you’ll sometimes come across such people no matter where you are – be it at home or at the office.
How to handle people who like extending arguments:
- Take a step back and calm down. (Take a deep breath if needed)
- Start being intentional with your words.
- Instead of attacking their opinion or character, focus on calmly explaining your own perspective.
This helps you get across your point-of-view without alienating the other person. Next time you can know to see the symptoms of stupidity before you get trapped in the argument.
2. Dumb People Will Exhibit Inappropriate and Hostile Behavior
One of the symptoms of stupidity is that many of these low-IQ individuals will often exhibit inappropriate and hostile behavior.
I am sure you have seen this: one moment they’re making dismissive remarks that make you want to slap your forehead in frustration, the next they’re uttering outlandish statements that make it difficult to tell if they’re serious or not. It’s enough to drive anyone up the wall!
How to handle a stupid person who is inappropriate and hostile:
- Identify the bad behavior
- Respond respectfully, remaining calm and composed.
- Provide clear explanations and directions
- Ask questions to get a better understanding of the person’s point of view
- Listen without judgment or criticism. Showing respect for the other person’s opinion even if you don’t agree with it.
- Avoid escalating the situation by taking responsibility for your behavior and emotions
3. They Have Little Empathy
Helps us build meaningful relationships with others and gives greater insight into the world around us. Sadly, some people lack this trait.
Fortunately, these stupid people can be easily identified by their distinct behavior.
Reluctant eye contact: They may find it hard to look directly into your eyes, and tend instead to avert their gaze.
They refuse to connect: This lack of connection likely carries over into conversations too – as such people often have difficulty reading the emotions in your words and give shallow replies.
Domineering attitude: The opposite of the two options above is also true. If our non-empathetic person is also full of self-confidence; they may try to “stare you down”, or crush your grip when you shake or talk over you when you speak. They do not know how to interact, so they choose to dominate.
Don’t understand body language: People give off more clues through body language than they do from words. Those who lack empathy often have difficulty understanding non-verbal communication, thus putting them at a disadvantage in social situations.
4. They Make the Wrong Decision at the Wrong time
This is one of the most dangerous and visible signs of stupidity. They don’t think about the consequences of their actions, they act impulsively and take decisions that may not be in their best interest.
It could range from making irrational investments to getting into a physical altercation with someone – anything goes!
5. They are Arrogant and Stubborn
Another symptom of stupidity is that these people tend to be very arrogant and stubborn. They are so full of themselves that they will not admit when they are wrong, or even listen to others’ opinions.
They think the world revolves around them and thus rarely consider the feelings or views of others. It’s a sign of low intelligence because it shows an inability to think logically or consider alternative points-of-view.
6. They Can Be Gaslighters
Gaslighting is a form of psychological abuse that involves manipulating someone else’s reality by denying facts, making false accusations, or being overly critical. It’s a way to control another person and make them question their own sanity.
Find out more about gaslighting:
7. Stupid People are Always Scared of Looking Stupid
People who are always scared of looking stupid can be difficult to deal with. They may try to put up a facade that they know more than everyone else and constantly look for validation from others perhaps due to low self-esteem.
This makes it hard to have an open dialogue where differences of opinion can be discussed without fear of being judged or ridiculed. It’s also difficult for them to take risks and admit mistakes, making progress slow and frustrating.
8. They Tend to Be Overly Defensive
Being overly defensive is another sign of stupidity. When someone is made aware of a mistake or criticism, they may shut down and become overly protective. Simple words can set them off into massive arguments.
This can be incredibly frustrating as it makes constructive conversations almost impossible – often the goal is simply to deny any wrongdoing and ignore any advice or suggestions given.
Smart people do everything they can to avoid any interactions with this person, as it can only end badly.
9. They Have Difficulty Understanding Humor
Next, these people may have difficulty understanding subtle jokes or sarcasm, leading them to take comments too literally and make faux pas in social settings. It can also lead to hurt feelings and awkward moments when they don’t get the joke at all!
But you also need to consider if the fault is yours. Kidding around and having them not understand it at first is one thing, but if they do not wish to joke around and you keep teasing them, then the fault quickly shifts to you.
10. They Talk Too Much
Talking too much without saying anything of value can be a sign of stupidity. Instead of engaging in meaningful conversations, they will often blabber on-and-on about pointless topics or try to entertain others with stories that don’t interest anyone.
A smart person knows when it is time to shut up and listen – an intelligent conversation requires understanding different points-of-view, something which the stupid person may struggle with.
11. They Make Poor Judgments
Another sign of stupidity is making poor judgments and decisions that can have serious consequences. This can include anything from financial investments to career moves, or even something as simple as choosing the wrong outfit for an event.
It’s important to remember that everyone makes mistakes – but if someone continually displays bad judgment in various situations, it could be a sign of unintelligent people.
12. They are Self-Centered
Some people are so self-centered they fail to see the needs of others and how their actions may affect those around them.
[What is the difference between self-centered and self-absorbed?]
They think only of themselves and will go out of their way to get what they want, regardless of who or what gets hurt in the process. They want to settle things but only in their own favor.
These people often display signs of stupidity due to their lack of empathy, as they fail to understand that other people have feelings too, and should be valued as much as their own.
For example, they like to make a change for others and even feel insecure if something is not happening as they want it to happen.
They will use people as a tool and play hypocrisy. They instantly get ready to fight and have zero self-control. That is the reason they do not have long and healthy relationships.
What Others Do When They Think You Are Dumb
If you are reading this, I assume you are an intelligent person.
Hey, you read! This means you may not be Albert Einstein, but it is one of the biggest signs you are not an unintelligent person.
But even if you don’t think you do stupid things or are one of the stupid people, others might have a different view.
You see, stupidity is subjective. We are not talking about clinically slow adults here. The stupid people may be quite smart, but their stupid behavior and actions make you think they are not high intelligence.
The reverse could be true. You may not see the way others react to you. Some minor bad habits might be viewed as lack of common sense.
If you wonder if other people in your life might think you are a bit slow check out the following are eight signs that co-workers, friends or family members might think you are sometimes a bit stupid.
1. Body language: If their body language is rude or disconnected when they are normally open to you. they may think you are acting stupidly.
2. They ignore you: You may feel ignored if someone stops talking to you when you talk about something. They may think that your idea is stupid or not worth listening to, which could be a sign they don’t take you seriously and are condescending towards you.
3. Talking down: If people talk to you in a patronizing way, as if talking to a child it might be because they think your opinion is not worth considering and do not see the value in your thoughts.
4. Laughing at your ideas: Laughing at an idea without giving consideration could be extremely disrespectful and mean that other people think your ideas are of no use.
5. Interruptions: When people interrupt one another it can indicate that there is disagreement or lack of respect between those
6. Act surprised at your success: If someone acts surprised when you succeed at something it could be because they don’t think that success was deserved and are subtly undermining you.
7. Eye rolls: Eye rolling is a sign of disrespect, which can mean that others think you are stupid or just not worth paying attention to.
8. Avoidance: Avoidance of eye contact and engagement during conversations might also indicate that you are being seen as unintelligent by those around you.
These signs should help you understand whether other people consider your ideas or opinions to be valuable or if they have written them off completely as stupid and unimportant.
It’s important to remember that everyone makes mistakes – but if someone continually displays bad judgment in various situations, it could be a sign of unintelligence.
They never take you seriously. Somehow, stupid people do act unexpectedly to show themselves better than others.
Feeling Stupid? Do as Gump Does
Forest Gump famously said, “stupid is as stupid does“.
This is important because most of the time you think someone is dumb or they think you are stupid it is more about opinions than facts.
I have seen near geniuses with signs of stupidity and some truly low IQ people that have a high EQ and therefore seem attentive and sharp.
When it comes to signs of stupidity, they typically come in one of two forms – either you hear the person speaking or you read something they wrote.
If they’re using a starkly simple vocabulary and making broad generalizations, that’s usually a clear sign that things could go downhill quickly.
Unfortunately, these signs often mean a person has become an easy target for those looking to have a good laugh at someone else’s expense.
Of course, if someone is enjoying themselves, there’s nothing wrong with that, but hopefully, everyone can take a step back and recognize signs of stupidity before things get out of hand.
And if you’re looking for more help on how to deal with different types of people, check out these posts:
