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Do You Hide Your Intelligence When You Meet "Normal" People?

Yes I do sometimes but it does depend on whose company I'm in. But if someone is obviously a fan of lower intelligence and/or does clearly have lower intelligence, and they are really annoying me, I have been known to continue the conversation making sure I phrase it in the most complicated way and use the longest words I can, in the hope that they will get annoyed, think I'm a freak or just be too confused and then leave me alone. It often does the trick [emoji39]
Also, if I've just been my normal self then been accused of being stupid or the other person/people have implied that they think I am stupid, I make sure I say everything as accurately as possible, even if it's overly scientific and I use as many long and largely unheard of words [emoji16]
But that's how I use others' misconception to my advantage [emoji39]
 
I have been known to continue the conversation making sure I phrase it in the most complicated way and use the longest words I can, in the hope that they will get annoyed, think I'm a freak or just be too confused and then leave me alone.

That's brilliant. :)
 
the weird thing is that I kind of outgrew the need to be intelligent and saying big words and whatnot to make myself feel smart, because I KNOW I'm smart, even though I don't show it much.
 
the weird thing is that I kind of outgrew the need to be intelligent and saying big words and whatnot to make myself feel smart, because I KNOW I'm smart, even though I don't show it much.

Pastel, a big word is more than simply a big, long word. It is nuanced or perhaps more precise.
For example, for one person, " a big house" will do, and to another person, a chateau, palace or mansion may paint a better mental image.
I am probably wrong but I think that complex people trying to express complex thoughts to specific others at a similar level of mental acuity may use words to hint or alert others.
 
Pastel, a big word is more than simply a big, long word. It is nuanced or perhaps more precise.
For example, for one person, " a big house" will do, and to another person, a chateau, palace or mansion may paint a better mental image.
I am probably wrong but I think that complex people trying to express complex thoughts to specific others at a similar level of mental acuity may use words to hint or alert others.

Yeah, it's the reason we have a bunch of different words for "walk", to paint a more detailed picture. Did the person stroll, or lope, or stalk, or meander, or bumble, or saunter, or march, or jaunt, ect. Each of the words means a mildly different thing to paint a mildly different picture for the same general thing.
 
Yeah, it's the reason we have a bunch of different words for "walk", to paint a more detailed picture. Did the person stroll, or lope, or stalk, or meander, or bumble, or saunter, or march, or jaunt, ect. Each of the words means a mildly different thing to paint a mildly different picture for the same general thing.

MV, I agree, If we have the words, exercise and flaunt them.
By the way I like your avatar, is it a Mondrian?
 
Frequently I assess the situation first. People tend to lash out at me, which is probably something I'm doing, but haven't figured out quite what. Tends to happen less if people think I'm stupid, though.
 
I try not to talk to much when I meet new people. About the only time I show my intelligence is during meetings at work. When I am feeling annoyed at everyone I will answer every obscure question asked that they think an hourly employee wont know. The plant manager will asked for definitions, or the monthly count and I give monthly and yearly count and ratios. Now sometimes when he asks a question he says anyone else besides me. Just my way of having some fun as I sit alone up front.
 
I often hide it. People get wired if you're a lot smarter than they see themselves as being. Also, people can expect you to be miracle worker.
 
When i meet new people i try to hide my intelligence to see what kind of people i meet, but it not take long time for me to overpower the people i meet, so i think i am really bad to hide it.
 
I don't call observing other people and correlating my
communication to a style that works well with theirs
'hiding my intelligence.'
 
I will maybe embarrass myself with this post, but I can't distinguish in me what (behavior, speech, whatever) may be interpreted as being intelligent or otherwise. I will not hide my ignorance, but hiding my intelligence, I don't know how to do that. If I don't know to to show my intelligence, I don't know how to hide it. What I may feel is intelligent, may seems stupid for others. Around "normal" people I don't show much. I interpret "normal" here as "stranger". Around strangers I don't show much, and I see no point in hiding part of myself (being being silly, or yes, intelligent) around those I frequent, or live with.
 
Depending on the situation, definitely. If it's a friend and/or someone who really knows me I feel as though I can speak freely as myself. Definitely with my one friend who also has AS; I felt as though a could be myself with her without going through this weird tier system.

Some family members I tone it down a little, other family members I tone it down a little bit more, and for people I only see once in a while I tone it down more, if I talk to them at all.

My social anxiety comes when I'm dealing with actual friends, not strangers, so I can talk intelligently to strangers depending on the topic.
 
I don't hide it, but I don't flaunt it either. My poor husband came to a Mensa meeting with me (initial meet and greet, small group) and he said he got lost with what we were talking about and felt stupid. That really wasn't my intention in bringing him along. I just do better meeting new people if someone familiar is there. We did go to a brunch thing where the conversation was more mellow (no one hiding their intelligence, but conversations were mostly small talk) and he was more comfortable. That one was bigger, though, so I felt a little more uncomfortable. He talked with one guy who talked about Densan moments: Times when Mensans do stupid things. And that made him feel a lot better too.

I tend to try and focus on the interests of others (though, they usually match my own) so that I'm less likely to bore someone with all the stuff I like to talk about, since I won't notice if I am unless they tell me. This sometimes means less intellectual conversation, but it's usually pretty good anyhow.
 
For the sake of acceptance at the schools I was educated in, yes.
I dialed back fierce curiosity and wonder at new information because it seemed usual to do that. (And safer)

I will join in with conversations on subjects I'm familiar with, I can hold my own in that respect.

If someone asks me a question on a particular subject I will usually ask what they know so far or throw in a few questions of my own to recognise the level at which I can answer.

I understand "intelligence" to mean the ability to adapt.
I'm not aware of purposely hiding my ability to adapt.
 
Hmm... I don't think I hide it actively because most people generally don't seem to think I'm very intelligent. While I do score highly on conventional intelligence tests (... almost everyone claims that, I know - I did get officially tested more than once) and am amply qualified, this hasn't translated into anything approaching a career. Since most people insist that you are what you do for your (primary) income, this disqualifies me from even the consideration that I might be intelligent before they get to know me better.

I also don't find talking very easy. Even just finding the right words. Everything needs to happen so fast in conversation. I remember someone - I don't remember where or when - writing that they consider verbal to be their first foreign language, and that is a very good description of me, too. Words don't just... come - I need to actively find them and speak them. Although I've become used to it, it is tedious and time-consuming compared to how I suspect most people talk. It doesn't make for very fast-paced conversation, and this likely adds to most people's perception of me as 'not very bright'.

So no, I don't really hide my intelligence. ASD and its attendant circumstances hide it well enough enough for me most of the time. I really wish I could show my knowledge and abilities off more, but there's hardly ever a chance to do that in everyday life.
 
This is easy to do, I just keep my mouth shut. The NT's tell me boy are you bright. when I do open up compared to my siblings, I'm not that bright. I can quickly tell if someone else is bright. hard to impress me
 
On many social occasions/interactions I've found it better to hide my intelligence and just go along with the social flow. Unless I'm with a college Professor/Doctor or other intelligent being, I find it more beneficial to "dumb" myself down. Perhaps it might be because of the location I'm in. Like I said when I meet intelligent people I can be myself.

What about you?

Yes. If not I couldn't communicate with most people because it would take far too long to catch them up
 

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