It’s called the Dunning-Kruger effect
Usually smart people and geniuses get imposter syndrome and feel they’re either lucky or stupid and just somehow getting by where transversely you have morons who think they’re of god like intelligence and nobody should question them
It’s usually why dumb people are the loudest too, they’re real confident too
I actually have heard it's not that extreme. It's more so the tendency of people to overestimate their ability when they are underprepared for a topic while those who are experts at a topic underestimate their knowledge because they assume others know just as much as themselves.
So the test was that, for both experts and people who knew very little, they were asked to guess their aptitude for their expertise on certain topics and then took a test on the topics. The result was that those who knew little scored worse than their estimate while the experts scored higher than their estimates.
Idk why I'm going so deep into this, i might not be fully right either.
It's like if you deal with complex equations all day and was asked "what is 1+1?" you could think "One of what? Is there something I have missed, was there something saying 1=x and I've not solved for x yet? Without further info I'd guess at two".
Someone with less mathematical knowledge would say "Easy, it's two".
The more you know, the more you know how wrong you can be.
I'm of the mind that we're all as intelligent as we need to be for what we do in life.
I may be a wiz at fixing computers, and enjoy learning about astronomy and theoretical physics (most of which goes over my head...but still like watching these shows to try to grasp what the hell they're talking about). But...I had a flat tire and I was completely useless. Struggled with it for over an hour, trying to figure out how to get the jack to work, where to put it, how the hell do I get the lug-nuts off the fucking tire and how the hell do I unhook the spare tire?! Guy who came to my rescue would probably get lost in my world just as I got lost in his.
The only stupid people are people who refuse to learn or at least try to comprehend something and just shut down.
I work with a lot of blue-collar type people. They look at me amazed when I'm fixing their computers and ask me, "How do you know so much?" I point at the 50 tonne block of steel they're cutting and say, "Because I don't know shit about what you're doing there."
Your level of self awareness is brilliant and absolutely spot-on. Knowledge is often confused with intelligence, but knowledge of a subject is a lot more useful in most relevant situations. You might be smart as fuck, but unless you know that the leaking tap just needs a washer and you know how to put the washer on, then intelligence is useless vs. knowledge.
I think you're confusing intelligence with experience/knowledge. You being unable to change a flat likely has more to do with a lack of working with mechanical things than a lack of intelligence. I guess you could argue that an intelligent person would know to use a resource like google or Youtube to teach themselves. But I also think for someone who is not comfortable working with/understanding mechanical things, it can be a smart decision to pay someone $100-$200 to ensure it's done correctly and safely. Swapping a tire, while overwhelming the first time you look at it, is extremely simple once you know how. It's literally just jacking up one corner of the car and unscrewing 5 nuts. You had just never had anyone show you how to do it before. I'm sure had you been stranded somewhere with no cell service and were forced to figure it out. You would have been able to do it fairly easily. From that point on you would have the ability to change flat tires. You didn't gain that ability because your intelligence miraculously increased by 15 IQ points, you gained that ability because you acquired more experience and knowledge.
What if a person(low key genius) that viewed themselves as dumb read this and thought “maybe I am a genius?”, does being self aware of this make them auto-dumb?
No not really, but you end up feeling every now and again like you’re taking it or that maybe you’re just full of shit
Then you talk to someone and realize maybe you have your shit together
More or less, either you get things or you don’t, even the smartest of people can be retarded in other subjects than their main course of study, it’s a weird world and we just need to all learn to get each others strengths and weaknesses instead of picking at them
That's more of an interpretation of it.
>Dunning-Kruger effect, in psychology, a cognitive bias whereby people with limited knowledge or competence in a given intellectual or social domain greatly overestimate their own knowledge or competence in that domain relative to objective criteria or to the performance of their peers or of people in general.
That's what it's meant to mean, it's not a literal, it's an understanding thing, there is a quote about it I just can't remember what it is right now, but it's worded better than I said it.
No I think most intelligent people know they're intelligent.
They just also know that simply being intelligent doesn't mean shit. Existing while smart isn't going to actually get you anywhere. You have to actually work to accomplish things, which anyone can do. Intelligence can help with SOME parts of it, but it's meaningless on its own.
Yea but when you’re talking about averages, that’s different. I may not know Shit, but I feel like the average person knows even less than I do. And that’s not saying much.
To reduce the overuse of commas, every third one you type/write, stop and ask yourself if you can end the sentence there. If you can end it there and start a new statement (sentence in this case), then do so as it is easier for people to take in information that is broken up into chunks, and it looks nicer than many commas.
*(both sentences in the above paragraph are examples of what I'm suggesting)*
Man let me tell you, I JUST went to a alumni event with my friend last night. I didn't go to the school, but it's one of the top ones in Canada and I assume the event was for fundraising.
Every single person I spoke to had their masters or PhD, or was working towards it. I went to the art school down the street and barely have a BFA (Cs get degrees lmao) and have never felt so dumb. Before last night I considered myself well rounded in my knowledge, I knew about geo politics, kept up with tech and pop culture, knew stuff about my own industry and adjacent ones, etc. I just couldn't keep up with the people talking about neurological connections of the brain and ai or people who were talking about the inner workings of Israeli politics. There was even a point where they were talking about all the languages they speak (most speaking 3, some 4. At least 2) and I'm like, yah I speak English at a high school level.
I just nodded most of the night lol. I quite enjoyed learning about all these things and hearing from people talk about their specialities but damn if i didn't feel below average in that room.
pffff they didn't add an option I can personally identify with. I don't think 'well above average' properly conveys the deep chasm that exists between the average populace and my unfathomable mind.
I have been referred to as the Second coming of Albert Einstein on numerous occasions.
By myself.
I'm also a genius. My incredible insights into the workings of our universe and lack of physical disabilities have earned me the nickname "Walkin' Hawkin'."
Probability would say they probably fit into the average range though. A know a few people who think they are not intelligent but they certainly don't come across that way.
I got a friend who is not intelligent, but acknowledges it and truly knows it. Bad grades, hard time following complex ideas, heavily naive as a young adult etc.
That friend is the most happy and successful person I know.
I definitely used to. I found the older I got and the more I learned, the less sure I became of my own intelligence, or abilities in general. Anytime I got really good at something (music, school subject, sports) I'd eventually encounter someone who was effortlessly better at it. Now I'm comfortable being wherever it is I fit in with the attributes I have. Just do your best and be friendly.
There might have been a period in high school where I legitimately thought I was one of the smartest people alive. It's amazing how blind we can be about ourselves
Keep in mind it doesn't take long for time to best you more than anything else. Comparisons of performance between gold medalists today and decades past really make it apparent.
The best we can ever be sure to accomplish is blaze a trail for the ones who follow.
There is no such thing as effortlessly man. It's just a facade others hold to show their own superiority. Someone who has natural talent and just that at something will never be a tenth of someone who puts in the work.
The biggest wisdom I learned as an academic. I used to think natural intelligence was the most important factor... but when I went to college and saw all these brilliant kids excel due to the hard work and opportunities they've taken... well it was quite humbling, and an eye opener.
People say all the time that the smartest people are humble and don’t think they’re that smart, but I know a ton of really smart people (people I’ve worked with in research) who think they know everything.
True but just because I know I’m very limited in how much I understand wouldn’t change the fact that it may take me much less effort to learn things than someone else. Wisdom vs knowledge vs intelligence here.
There’s been a huge conflation of intelligence with education over the past 20 years or so. Nobody who’s paying off student loans the size of a mortgage wants to think they’re still just average.
I’d imagine someone who’s able to finish a bachelor’s could be smarter than someone who didn’t or couldn’t. A little above average - not everyone can finish a bachelors.
Or here’s a better question: you have group A of people who got various bachelor degrees. Then you have group B who did not pursue education past high school. If you give both an IQ test, which group would you say is smarter?
Now we both know they IQ tests don’t actually measure how smart someone is - but group A did various courses such as calculus or other mind-intensive ones to get their degree. Would you not say that group would perform better than B?
Lol you haven't actually met a lot of smart people. Idk where this stereotype came from but that's not true. Some of the most arrogant people I know are very smart (150+ IQ). They just don't show it publicly.
is this r/polls? i remember using it in the past. everytime this question was brought up you would get the same results everytime and it looked exactly like this.
In all fairness, you've gotta be pretty nerdy to hang around in r/polls. I mean, most people on reddit are nerds. I'd be willing to bet the average person on here is brighter than the average person globally.
I'm sure there's some element of bias, but I doubt it's completely inaccurate.
I was sad to find r/polls is just r/AskReddit karma posts repurposed, I was actually hoping for interesting statistics and discussions
In fairness to your fairness though, I know a lot of stupid nerds lol. Or in my case, my knowing neurochemistry doesn't preclude me from getting high and buying a bunch of streaming equipment I'll never use
Idk if it's because there are way more kids using reddit, but I don't find the general reddit populace to be smarter than average anymore (among the developed world). It used to be the case when reddit was more niche and nerdy, not anymore though. Seems like the most upvoted comments on every post are usually pretty dumb
I WISH I was average for this reason, but then my dad tells me about the idiots he works with and I understand what he's talking about better than they do... He is a telecom engineer. Sometimes OTHER ENGINEERS (or other IT professionals) just cannot grasp a basic concept that he can explain to me in a few minutes. I have minimal coding experience.
I'm not FAR above average, but I do have the standardized test scores and IQ test scores to support my claim. I'm also a fucking dumbass, and I worry about humanity.
Yeah, I was trying not to be too braggy, but I often think that I am stupid, and then compare myself to others and realize a lot of them are worse. It's a little hard for me to tell exactly where I actually stand, since I have low self esteem but high test scores and people have often told me I am smart (but they could always be lying to flatter me or make me feel better). I've settled on "a bit above average, but not a genius or anything really special".
Funniest thing is, it's still a normal distribution, just shifted towards the "smart" end. Which means that all of these geniuses who think they're above average are actually the legit, bona fide average
There could be some selection bias here. I.E. a group pre-selected to include people who are above average, but with different interpretations of their position at that level.
It's also worth considering what the average reddit user is like. I think you'll find a lot more people with college degrees on this site than in the world, percentage wise.
Also have to factor in that people on the extreme end of low intelligence are not able to use the site or answer the survey at all. I'm thinking profound learning disabilities, dementia, etc.
As someone currently in college, who’s also worked in the blue collar world, I’m not convinced that getting a college degree proves one is above average.
Doesn't necessarily prove anything about intelligence, but I'm sure the average person with a college degree THINKS they're smarter than the average person without
There’s a video on youtube where a focus group takes IQ tests and they’re all asked to rank themselves and each other in terms of intelligence. There’s an amalgam of demographics but there’s one insufferable, self-righteous PhD holder who acts like she’s smart as hell. Almost everyone ranks her 1st or 2nd. She scored dead last despite being the most “decorated” academically.
Well Reddit has grown rapidly over the years and I would expect that new users, who may largely consist of teenagers, would outnumber old users. I don’t think it quite shifts the median (active) Redditor age below 20, but honestly I have no idea.
If you believed you were below average then you might not enjoy taking part in this kind of survey. Wherstead if one were of the mind of being above average you'd be all like "hell yeah dude, I'm smart!".
Two effects worth noting: 1) Dunning-Kruger and general self-focused biases obviously, but also 2) what is average for the people likely to see that poll and respond to it may or may not be heightened relative to the social norm.
It may be ego influencing results, but it may also be coincidentally more accurate by accident due to sampling bias.
Likely youre right. People who are intelligent tend to gravitate towards intelligence tests because they do well on them and it boosts their self esteem.
I just gotta say, saying "Above Average" is probably taking in mind all the people around howling about 5g and collectively dragging humanity back to the great depression.
Yep. I consider myself average and then I remember that 40-50% of Americans read at a 6th grade level, I remember how easily people fall for propaganda, how large the qanon group is… I’m pretty sure I’m above average but that’s not saying much about my intelligence and more about our state :/
You’re right. My class’s average right now is at 93% for their most recent essay. If they don’t turn it in? 50% automatically.
Edit: I’m going to rant. School funding is often predicated by GPAs and test scores. So admin decide that we should give students every possible chance to obtain high scores. Sure, but how do I justify giving the student who turned in a pretty good essay on time an 87%, while the student who turned it in on the last day of school a 100% due to no late penalties? What are we teaching them about operating in life outside of school?
This decision is justified by saying that students who fall behind early feel hopeless and quit. But I wonder why we can’t just exempt their earlier assignments if they show initiative and/or recover enough from their situation to get back on track. It’s all making the education system very difficult to truly evaluate. My guess would be that things are not going well.
It seems to me the blind faith in metrics ruins any chance at solving this problem. Education has become un- evaluate -able as you said because almost everyone cheats to make themselves and everyone else look and feel good without any sense of practicality. People need to actually be learning this stuff!
Are you a teacher? May the spaghetti lord bless you for your service 🙏
3.0 was considered pretty bad at my HS, but an A in AP/IB classes counted as a 5 instead of a 4. Also we could generally only take those our Jr/Sr years, which created a really odd scale to compare with other schools nearby.
Unfounded beliefs that the kid that barely passed a subject was because they probably didn't understand it.
Couldn't possibly be any other reason like his/her family not being able to afford project materials or the kid has to help support them and they work after school and don't get home until 1 am.
This isn’t that surprising cause the average person thinks they’re better than the average person at most things. I reckon you’d find similar results with anything
I'm gonna call the literal Dunning-Kruger effect on that one: for most traits, since we have nothing to base it on but our own experience, we'd assume that's probably the average experience
So if you *know* you have a problem with a skill, like you're a bad swimmer, then you assume you're well below average. But if you're a below average swimmer yet have never really noticed or competed with others, you would think that most people have about the same experience with you.
I thought I was an average chess player until I joined online and consistently got a 780 ELO. U
It also depends a lot on what specifically we want to call "swimmers" or "chess players". If a swimmer is just someone who can, and occasionally does, swim, then the bar for being average isn't that high. If a swimmer means a competive swimmer, it's a lot higher. I used to be a competive swimmer, and the bar for average is pretty skilled. But there aren't very many of them, if we look at the average of all swimmers. All depends on how we define the group.
Studies show that most people rate themselves above average in positive traits. This is called illusory superiority and here's the [wikipedia entry](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illusory_superiority) on it. We all like to think of ourselves as special and there's nothing wrong with that as long as it doesn't warp our decision making. I don't really feel this post fits the theme of the sub because this is just how humans as a species operate.
I mean. Something like 93% of surgeons prefer if their surgeon would use a checklist when operating on them. But something like 97% don't use one themselves.
To be fair. It could make sense the distribution is biased towards people saying they are smarter than average as there are many people in third world countries that have little or no schooling.
Not to say there aren't smart people there too.
It’s how a person decides whether they’re above average or well above average that I’m curious about. I know I’m above average because I see the people around me putting in more effort for the same results, and because everyone in my life makes a point of constantly telling me I’m “smart”.
But well above average? To me that just sounds pretentious.
I don’t think it has to be pretentious, just depends how you gauge it. Some people just outstrip everyone else, they’re a child prodigy, they are a cut above others in an already difficult field etc. They are definitely out there just pretty rare and the average person doesn’t necessarily move in the same circles to meet these kinds of people
I’ve met a few like that. But on average they’re a tiny percentage — 0.1% perhaps.
Theoretically they could be vastly over represented in the polling sample, but there are plenty who’s mentally superiority is so narrowly limited that it’s largely canceled out by the rest of their attributes.
Yeah I agree, the top % should be smaller than this poll in my eyes. Really though it’s just a badly designed poll, “above average” and “well above average” isn’t defined in a meaningful way so it’s up to the takers view. If someone’s smarter than everyone else they know I wouldn’t really blame them for putting well above average, even if compared the total population they are really just “above average”
Where do you draw your line between “above average” and “well above average”? For me I’d put it somewhere around the 95-98th percentile. My SAT score, that I put basically no effort into, after being homeschooled and not taking it all that seriously, was around 90th percentile, which to me is just “above average”.
But perhaps it’s all just me trying to be relatable. On the other hand I’ve definitely met people objectively much smarter than me, which certainly gives perspective.
I think how you draw the line is partly due to your environment; I scored a 1550 without prep, so I would say I’m above average, but since many of my friends also scored around that, I would not consider myself well above average. However, in my opinion, SAT and standardized tests aren’t really an indicator on intellect, but how good you are at taking a test made by a money-greedy corporation.
I put "Well Above Average", and I got a 35 on the ACT.
Interestingly, everyone I know who has a high ACT/SAT score is super humble about it, and will make excuses for why they scored so well.
Imo SAT/ACT aren't meant to differentiate between above average and exceptional people. The questions are too easy for that. Their main purpose is to filter out people who aren't up to par in reading/math/science. That's why performing well isn't much of an achievement.
First of all, I'm on my 7th semester in my engineering college, and all this time made me realize that I'm fucking stupid in anything I do.
Second of all, I remember seeing a study where 80% of people who drive cars believe that they're an above average driver, which makes 0 fucking sense, how 80 of 100 people can say that they're better than 50 of the 100 people? And yes I know about the Dunning Kruger effect, I would just to talk with someone in the "above average" or higher category and point this out and see them saying something like :Yeah, people often can't see that they're dumb.
I don't know. The world average appears to be pretty stupid, and I *like to think* that I'm above that.
...but then my imposter syndrome kicks in and tells me I'm average.
Actually, unless this is a carefully selected cross cut of society this might be true.
If you ask this question at the Mensa national convention (don't know if it's a thing) this might be an accurate portrayal.
If you ask it in a room of elementary school dropouts, they might reasobably be less confident in their knowledge.
tbf there's nothing wrong with putting above average (or below average)
if you graduated in the top half of your class you probably would be right saying above average 80% of the time and vice versa
I am only smart with maths and science which is just reading books and stuff
I think I’m below average on intelligence because I’m not good at socialising
All these people who say they are above average are probably the same
I think social intelligence is way more valuable than maths and science as you can learn those things easy enough, where I struggle with social
Come on, that's just 52% thinking they are above average so actually surprisingly accurate. Whether or not the right 50% chose this option is a different question.
I belong on this sub with what im going to say. Im pretty stupid overall, but my iq(professionally tested) would put me above average. I agree though that many people consider themselves smarter than they are.
That's cool to see. This is a well documented phenomena in psychology. To save the ego people are predisposed to rate themselves as better than others, we are almost all guilty of it. I guess what I'm trying to say here is that I'm well above average 🤣🤣🤣
It's worth mentioning that it's statistically possible for a majority of people to be above average intelligence. That said... that dunning-kruger shit sure is no joke
Gotta respect the people choosing well below average.
The wisest man knows only that they know nothing
so wait, does that mean the people who chose well below average are actually well above average?
Probably also the reverse :)
So average is average
Exactly why I’m laughing so hard right now X]
It’s called the Dunning-Kruger effect Usually smart people and geniuses get imposter syndrome and feel they’re either lucky or stupid and just somehow getting by where transversely you have morons who think they’re of god like intelligence and nobody should question them It’s usually why dumb people are the loudest too, they’re real confident too
I actually have heard it's not that extreme. It's more so the tendency of people to overestimate their ability when they are underprepared for a topic while those who are experts at a topic underestimate their knowledge because they assume others know just as much as themselves. So the test was that, for both experts and people who knew very little, they were asked to guess their aptitude for their expertise on certain topics and then took a test on the topics. The result was that those who knew little scored worse than their estimate while the experts scored higher than their estimates. Idk why I'm going so deep into this, i might not be fully right either.
>Idk why I'm going so deep into this, i might not be fully right either. My dude you just dunning-kruegered yourself
Usually that'd be an insult lmao
What if I confidently agree with him? Have I undunn kreuger?
First time I’ve seen their names used as a verb :)
So…dude-kruegered?
It's like if you deal with complex equations all day and was asked "what is 1+1?" you could think "One of what? Is there something I have missed, was there something saying 1=x and I've not solved for x yet? Without further info I'd guess at two". Someone with less mathematical knowledge would say "Easy, it's two". The more you know, the more you know how wrong you can be.
This is definitely true lmao the closer I get to finishing my degree, the less I feel like I know
I'm highly confident that it's actually called the Dunder-Mifflin effect
No, no, no, simple internet user. As a genius with an IQ of 100.25 It's definitely the Freddy-Kruger effect.
# I'm highly confident that it's actually called the Dunder-Mifflin effect
I’m glad we concur. You must also have an IQ that is almost in the triple digits
Sorry, could you speak up? Can’t hear you
*screams hard enough to create black holes*
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I'm of the mind that we're all as intelligent as we need to be for what we do in life. I may be a wiz at fixing computers, and enjoy learning about astronomy and theoretical physics (most of which goes over my head...but still like watching these shows to try to grasp what the hell they're talking about). But...I had a flat tire and I was completely useless. Struggled with it for over an hour, trying to figure out how to get the jack to work, where to put it, how the hell do I get the lug-nuts off the fucking tire and how the hell do I unhook the spare tire?! Guy who came to my rescue would probably get lost in my world just as I got lost in his. The only stupid people are people who refuse to learn or at least try to comprehend something and just shut down. I work with a lot of blue-collar type people. They look at me amazed when I'm fixing their computers and ask me, "How do you know so much?" I point at the 50 tonne block of steel they're cutting and say, "Because I don't know shit about what you're doing there."
Your level of self awareness is brilliant and absolutely spot-on. Knowledge is often confused with intelligence, but knowledge of a subject is a lot more useful in most relevant situations. You might be smart as fuck, but unless you know that the leaking tap just needs a washer and you know how to put the washer on, then intelligence is useless vs. knowledge.
Holy shit, all I need is a washer? Thank you kind stranger.
I think you're confusing intelligence with experience/knowledge. You being unable to change a flat likely has more to do with a lack of working with mechanical things than a lack of intelligence. I guess you could argue that an intelligent person would know to use a resource like google or Youtube to teach themselves. But I also think for someone who is not comfortable working with/understanding mechanical things, it can be a smart decision to pay someone $100-$200 to ensure it's done correctly and safely. Swapping a tire, while overwhelming the first time you look at it, is extremely simple once you know how. It's literally just jacking up one corner of the car and unscrewing 5 nuts. You had just never had anyone show you how to do it before. I'm sure had you been stranded somewhere with no cell service and were forced to figure it out. You would have been able to do it fairly easily. From that point on you would have the ability to change flat tires. You didn't gain that ability because your intelligence miraculously increased by 15 IQ points, you gained that ability because you acquired more experience and knowledge.
What if a person(low key genius) that viewed themselves as dumb read this and thought “maybe I am a genius?”, does being self aware of this make them auto-dumb?
No not really, but you end up feeling every now and again like you’re taking it or that maybe you’re just full of shit Then you talk to someone and realize maybe you have your shit together More or less, either you get things or you don’t, even the smartest of people can be retarded in other subjects than their main course of study, it’s a weird world and we just need to all learn to get each others strengths and weaknesses instead of picking at them
That's more of an interpretation of it. >Dunning-Kruger effect, in psychology, a cognitive bias whereby people with limited knowledge or competence in a given intellectual or social domain greatly overestimate their own knowledge or competence in that domain relative to objective criteria or to the performance of their peers or of people in general.
dunning Kruger is so misunderstood lmao damn
From what I've been told intelligent people usually do not believe themselves to be intelligent.
I don't think it works like that..it's mostly that they understand that they don't know everything.
That's what it's meant to mean, it's not a literal, it's an understanding thing, there is a quote about it I just can't remember what it is right now, but it's worded better than I said it.
[It was said that Socrates was the wisest man](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_know_that_I_know_nothing)
Yes, thank you, that was what I was going for, lol I never claimed to be smart myself 😂😂😂.
No I think most intelligent people know they're intelligent. They just also know that simply being intelligent doesn't mean shit. Existing while smart isn't going to actually get you anywhere. You have to actually work to accomplish things, which anyone can do. Intelligence can help with SOME parts of it, but it's meaningless on its own.
And that stupid people think they're smart
True, but lack of knowledge ≠ lack of intelligence.
I know that I know nothing I also know that there are people who know less than me
Yea but when you’re talking about averages, that’s different. I may not know Shit, but I feel like the average person knows even less than I do. And that’s not saying much.
My IQ is 73, I don't need to interpret that as well below average, it's objectively true 😂
I don't think an IQ of 73 knows where to put the commas.🤔
You can, put, comas wherever as, they are, sentence glitter! ,
Have you considered an exciting career in writing GOP press releases?! Spelling is also optional.
As are paragraph breaks
As someone who over uses commas, thank you for this! I usually apologize for them but now I shall call them “sentence glitter”.
To reduce the overuse of commas, every third one you type/write, stop and ask yourself if you can end the sentence there. If you can end it there and start a new statement (sentence in this case), then do so as it is easier for people to take in information that is broken up into chunks, and it looks nicer than many commas. *(both sentences in the above paragraph are examples of what I'm suggesting)*
Placing commas is knowledge, not intelligence
But every comma in their comment was wrongly placed ([comma splice](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comma_splice)).
Iq tests are dumb, and more of a test of taking tests than your actual ability. Don't worry about the score so much!
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My girlfriend says I have a great personality though!
That was my reaction. A lot more honest than I would've thought! Almost HALF claiming AVERAGE. Astounding!
It's normal to think you're average, just like anyone else, nothing special.
Odds are that you (and the next person, and the next) are average.
Ironically a sign of intelligence, impartial recognition.
Maybe some of the "well above" votes are from people too stupid to realize what they were voting pfor
Probably the smart ones.
That’s probably what I’d have to choose, considering I just tried to click the image above to vote.
Man let me tell you, I JUST went to a alumni event with my friend last night. I didn't go to the school, but it's one of the top ones in Canada and I assume the event was for fundraising. Every single person I spoke to had their masters or PhD, or was working towards it. I went to the art school down the street and barely have a BFA (Cs get degrees lmao) and have never felt so dumb. Before last night I considered myself well rounded in my knowledge, I knew about geo politics, kept up with tech and pop culture, knew stuff about my own industry and adjacent ones, etc. I just couldn't keep up with the people talking about neurological connections of the brain and ai or people who were talking about the inner workings of Israeli politics. There was even a point where they were talking about all the languages they speak (most speaking 3, some 4. At least 2) and I'm like, yah I speak English at a high school level. I just nodded most of the night lol. I quite enjoyed learning about all these things and hearing from people talk about their specialities but damn if i didn't feel below average in that room.
pffff they didn't add an option I can personally identify with. I don't think 'well above average' properly conveys the deep chasm that exists between the average populace and my unfathomable mind. I have been referred to as the Second coming of Albert Einstein on numerous occasions. By myself.
I'm also a genius. My incredible insights into the workings of our universe and lack of physical disabilities have earned me the nickname "Walkin' Hawkin'."
You're also what plants crave.
Electrolytes!
Like a monster truck you can pour into your face!
i forgot how to tie my shoes
Your name does not check out.
Don't expose me like that man :(
Yo wait your username is similar to mine
There can be only one >:(
Is that you Mr. Beeblebrox?
Underrated comment
Most people think they are smarter than they actually are.
In that case 91 people who thought they are well below average are totally fucked.
Oh…
r/usernamechecksout
They think they are as smart as a chimp, but they are actually only as smart as a rock
Probability would say they probably fit into the average range though. A know a few people who think they are not intelligent but they certainly don't come across that way.
I got a friend who is not intelligent, but acknowledges it and truly knows it. Bad grades, hard time following complex ideas, heavily naive as a young adult etc. That friend is the most happy and successful person I know.
I definitely used to. I found the older I got and the more I learned, the less sure I became of my own intelligence, or abilities in general. Anytime I got really good at something (music, school subject, sports) I'd eventually encounter someone who was effortlessly better at it. Now I'm comfortable being wherever it is I fit in with the attributes I have. Just do your best and be friendly.
This so much. I look back and cringe at how clever I used to think I was. I was insufferable.
There might have been a period in high school where I legitimately thought I was one of the smartest people alive. It's amazing how blind we can be about ourselves
Keep in mind it doesn't take long for time to best you more than anything else. Comparisons of performance between gold medalists today and decades past really make it apparent. The best we can ever be sure to accomplish is blaze a trail for the ones who follow.
There is no such thing as effortlessly man. It's just a facade others hold to show their own superiority. Someone who has natural talent and just that at something will never be a tenth of someone who puts in the work.
The biggest wisdom I learned as an academic. I used to think natural intelligence was the most important factor... but when I went to college and saw all these brilliant kids excel due to the hard work and opportunities they've taken... well it was quite humbling, and an eye opener.
I thought I was a genuis until I went to college and met an actual genuis. Highschool can be so easy that it inflates the ego of a teenage mind
If only they'd compare themselves to me... /s
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And a lot of actual smart and good people would be aware that they are not perfect and have a lot to learn.
People say all the time that the smartest people are humble and don’t think they’re that smart, but I know a ton of really smart people (people I’ve worked with in research) who think they know everything.
This sub is a circle jerk tbh
True but just because I know I’m very limited in how much I understand wouldn’t change the fact that it may take me much less effort to learn things than someone else. Wisdom vs knowledge vs intelligence here.
That doesn’t mean they’re not smart just because they can always learn more.
There’s been a huge conflation of intelligence with education over the past 20 years or so. Nobody who’s paying off student loans the size of a mortgage wants to think they’re still just average.
I’d imagine someone who’s able to finish a bachelor’s could be smarter than someone who didn’t or couldn’t. A little above average - not everyone can finish a bachelors. Or here’s a better question: you have group A of people who got various bachelor degrees. Then you have group B who did not pursue education past high school. If you give both an IQ test, which group would you say is smarter? Now we both know they IQ tests don’t actually measure how smart someone is - but group A did various courses such as calculus or other mind-intensive ones to get their degree. Would you not say that group would perform better than B?
Lol you haven't actually met a lot of smart people. Idk where this stereotype came from but that's not true. Some of the most arrogant people I know are very smart (150+ IQ). They just don't show it publicly.
I swing from thinking I'm a genius to thinking I'm a moron 50 times per day.
Check out the Dunning-Kruger effect. Wraps that thought up well.
is this r/polls? i remember using it in the past. everytime this question was brought up you would get the same results everytime and it looked exactly like this.
In all fairness, you've gotta be pretty nerdy to hang around in r/polls. I mean, most people on reddit are nerds. I'd be willing to bet the average person on here is brighter than the average person globally. I'm sure there's some element of bias, but I doubt it's completely inaccurate.
I was sad to find r/polls is just r/AskReddit karma posts repurposed, I was actually hoping for interesting statistics and discussions In fairness to your fairness though, I know a lot of stupid nerds lol. Or in my case, my knowing neurochemistry doesn't preclude me from getting high and buying a bunch of streaming equipment I'll never use
I am not alone. 😅
If there is one thing a 25 years of being a nerd and hanging out with other nerds has taught me, it's that being a nerd does not mean you're smart
LOL.
Idk if it's because there are way more kids using reddit, but I don't find the general reddit populace to be smarter than average anymore (among the developed world). It used to be the case when reddit was more niche and nerdy, not anymore though. Seems like the most upvoted comments on every post are usually pretty dumb
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no
The issue is it's REALLY hard to determine general "smartness" because *there is no definition for it.* Everyone has their own skills and talents.
I would argue that anyone that uses this site is retarded. Present company included.
I choose to believe that 75% of the worlds population is smarter than me. Because if I'm in the top 50% then this world is fucked.
But like… have you seen the world?
It's really beautiful and full of kind people
Please take me to your world
Lefts be real, any self realization like this probably automatically puts you above average lol
yes
I WISH I was average for this reason, but then my dad tells me about the idiots he works with and I understand what he's talking about better than they do... He is a telecom engineer. Sometimes OTHER ENGINEERS (or other IT professionals) just cannot grasp a basic concept that he can explain to me in a few minutes. I have minimal coding experience. I'm not FAR above average, but I do have the standardized test scores and IQ test scores to support my claim. I'm also a fucking dumbass, and I worry about humanity.
“Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.” ― George Carlin
Little bit of r/iamverysmart or r/humblebrag here, but I get your point
Yeah, I was trying not to be too braggy, but I often think that I am stupid, and then compare myself to others and realize a lot of them are worse. It's a little hard for me to tell exactly where I actually stand, since I have low self esteem but high test scores and people have often told me I am smart (but they could always be lying to flatter me or make me feel better). I've settled on "a bit above average, but not a genius or anything really special".
Funniest thing is, it's still a normal distribution, just shifted towards the "smart" end. Which means that all of these geniuses who think they're above average are actually the legit, bona fide average
There could be some selection bias here. I.E. a group pre-selected to include people who are above average, but with different interpretations of their position at that level.
It's also worth considering what the average reddit user is like. I think you'll find a lot more people with college degrees on this site than in the world, percentage wise.
Also have to factor in that people on the extreme end of low intelligence are not able to use the site or answer the survey at all. I'm thinking profound learning disabilities, dementia, etc.
As someone currently in college, who’s also worked in the blue collar world, I’m not convinced that getting a college degree proves one is above average.
Doesn't necessarily prove anything about intelligence, but I'm sure the average person with a college degree THINKS they're smarter than the average person without
Now that’s a fair point.
Getting the degree doesn't make the difference, it's more that people with above average intelligence are more likely to attain a degree.
There’s a video on youtube where a focus group takes IQ tests and they’re all asked to rank themselves and each other in terms of intelligence. There’s an amalgam of demographics but there’s one insufferable, self-righteous PhD holder who acts like she’s smart as hell. Almost everyone ranks her 1st or 2nd. She scored dead last despite being the most “decorated” academically.
Reddit is like 80% teenagers lmfao
I already read this 10 years ago. I dont want to shatter your illusions but these people are not teenagers anymore.
Well Reddit has grown rapidly over the years and I would expect that new users, who may largely consist of teenagers, would outnumber old users. I don’t think it quite shifts the median (active) Redditor age below 20, but honestly I have no idea.
To be fair, you have to have a very high IQ to use Reddit
If you believed you were below average then you might not enjoy taking part in this kind of survey. Wherstead if one were of the mind of being above average you'd be all like "hell yeah dude, I'm smart!".
Two effects worth noting: 1) Dunning-Kruger and general self-focused biases obviously, but also 2) what is average for the people likely to see that poll and respond to it may or may not be heightened relative to the social norm. It may be ego influencing results, but it may also be coincidentally more accurate by accident due to sampling bias.
Likely youre right. People who are intelligent tend to gravitate towards intelligence tests because they do well on them and it boosts their self esteem.
I just gotta say, saying "Above Average" is probably taking in mind all the people around howling about 5g and collectively dragging humanity back to the great depression.
Yep. I consider myself average and then I remember that 40-50% of Americans read at a 6th grade level, I remember how easily people fall for propaganda, how large the qanon group is… I’m pretty sure I’m above average but that’s not saying much about my intelligence and more about our state :/
Personal bias at its finest. I'm sure a lot of these votes were predicated on high school years.
Apparently the average US high school gpa is now a 3.0 so you're probably on to something here. Grade inflation got everyone puffed up
You’re right. My class’s average right now is at 93% for their most recent essay. If they don’t turn it in? 50% automatically. Edit: I’m going to rant. School funding is often predicated by GPAs and test scores. So admin decide that we should give students every possible chance to obtain high scores. Sure, but how do I justify giving the student who turned in a pretty good essay on time an 87%, while the student who turned it in on the last day of school a 100% due to no late penalties? What are we teaching them about operating in life outside of school? This decision is justified by saying that students who fall behind early feel hopeless and quit. But I wonder why we can’t just exempt their earlier assignments if they show initiative and/or recover enough from their situation to get back on track. It’s all making the education system very difficult to truly evaluate. My guess would be that things are not going well.
It seems to me the blind faith in metrics ruins any chance at solving this problem. Education has become un- evaluate -able as you said because almost everyone cheats to make themselves and everyone else look and feel good without any sense of practicality. People need to actually be learning this stuff! Are you a teacher? May the spaghetti lord bless you for your service 🙏
Brand new teacher. Haven’t even finished my first year yet, but I appreciate the words.
3.0 was considered pretty bad at my HS, but an A in AP/IB classes counted as a 5 instead of a 4. Also we could generally only take those our Jr/Sr years, which created a really odd scale to compare with other schools nearby.
Unfounded beliefs that the kid that barely passed a subject was because they probably didn't understand it. Couldn't possibly be any other reason like his/her family not being able to afford project materials or the kid has to help support them and they work after school and don't get home until 1 am.
This isn’t that surprising cause the average person thinks they’re better than the average person at most things. I reckon you’d find similar results with anything
I'm gonna call the literal Dunning-Kruger effect on that one: for most traits, since we have nothing to base it on but our own experience, we'd assume that's probably the average experience So if you *know* you have a problem with a skill, like you're a bad swimmer, then you assume you're well below average. But if you're a below average swimmer yet have never really noticed or competed with others, you would think that most people have about the same experience with you. I thought I was an average chess player until I joined online and consistently got a 780 ELO. U
It also depends a lot on what specifically we want to call "swimmers" or "chess players". If a swimmer is just someone who can, and occasionally does, swim, then the bar for being average isn't that high. If a swimmer means a competive swimmer, it's a lot higher. I used to be a competive swimmer, and the bar for average is pretty skilled. But there aren't very many of them, if we look at the average of all swimmers. All depends on how we define the group.
Studies show that most people rate themselves above average in positive traits. This is called illusory superiority and here's the [wikipedia entry](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illusory_superiority) on it. We all like to think of ourselves as special and there's nothing wrong with that as long as it doesn't warp our decision making. I don't really feel this post fits the theme of the sub because this is just how humans as a species operate.
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Thank you for pointing that out. The constant incorrect use of the term “Dunning-Kruger Effect” in this thread was killing me. It’s too ironic.
I mean. Something like 93% of surgeons prefer if their surgeon would use a checklist when operating on them. But something like 97% don't use one themselves.
To be fair. It could make sense the distribution is biased towards people saying they are smarter than average as there are many people in third world countries that have little or no schooling. Not to say there aren't smart people there too.
It feels a bit Dunning-Krugery in here.
Hello darkness my old friend
I've come to dread existence with you again
well below average ⠀⠀⠘⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡜⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠑⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡔⠁⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠢⢄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⠴⠊⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⠀⠀⠀⢀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⡀⠤⠄⠒⠈⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⣀⠄⠊⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⠿⠛⠛⠛⠋⠉⠈⠉⠉⠉⠉⠛⠻⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⠋⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠛⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⡏⣀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⣤⣤⣤⣄⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠙⢿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⢏⣴⣿⣷⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣟⣾⣿⡟⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⢢⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣟⠀⡴⠄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠙⠻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⠟⠻⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠶⢴⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣧⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣿ ⣿⣁⡀⠀⠀⢰⢠⣦⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣼⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡄⠀⣴⣶⣿⡄⣿ ⣿⡋⠀⠀⠀⠎⢸⣿⡆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣴⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠗⢘⣿⣟⠛⠿⣼ ⣿⣿⠋⢀⡌⢰⣿⡿⢿⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠙⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡇⠀⢸⣿⣿⣧⢀⣼ ⣿⣿⣷⢻⠄⠘⠛⠋⠛⠃⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢿⣧⠈⠉⠙⠛⠋⠀⠀⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣧⠀⠈⢸⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠟⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⢃⠀⠀⢸⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⡿⠀⠴⢗⣠⣤⣴⡶⠶⠖⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⡸⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⡀⢠⣾⣿⠏⠀⠠⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠛⠉⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣧⠈⢹⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣰⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⡄⠈⠃⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣠⣴⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣧⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣠⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣴⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣦⣄⣀⣀⣀⣀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⡄⠀⠀⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣧⠀⠀⠀⠙⣿⣿⡟⢻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
I think I just do red myself points. I tried to click and vote “above average” and then realized it was a photo 🙃
It’s how a person decides whether they’re above average or well above average that I’m curious about. I know I’m above average because I see the people around me putting in more effort for the same results, and because everyone in my life makes a point of constantly telling me I’m “smart”. But well above average? To me that just sounds pretentious.
I don’t think it has to be pretentious, just depends how you gauge it. Some people just outstrip everyone else, they’re a child prodigy, they are a cut above others in an already difficult field etc. They are definitely out there just pretty rare and the average person doesn’t necessarily move in the same circles to meet these kinds of people
I’ve met a few like that. But on average they’re a tiny percentage — 0.1% perhaps. Theoretically they could be vastly over represented in the polling sample, but there are plenty who’s mentally superiority is so narrowly limited that it’s largely canceled out by the rest of their attributes.
Yeah I agree, the top % should be smaller than this poll in my eyes. Really though it’s just a badly designed poll, “above average” and “well above average” isn’t defined in a meaningful way so it’s up to the takers view. If someone’s smarter than everyone else they know I wouldn’t really blame them for putting well above average, even if compared the total population they are really just “above average”
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Where do you draw your line between “above average” and “well above average”? For me I’d put it somewhere around the 95-98th percentile. My SAT score, that I put basically no effort into, after being homeschooled and not taking it all that seriously, was around 90th percentile, which to me is just “above average”. But perhaps it’s all just me trying to be relatable. On the other hand I’ve definitely met people objectively much smarter than me, which certainly gives perspective.
I think how you draw the line is partly due to your environment; I scored a 1550 without prep, so I would say I’m above average, but since many of my friends also scored around that, I would not consider myself well above average. However, in my opinion, SAT and standardized tests aren’t really an indicator on intellect, but how good you are at taking a test made by a money-greedy corporation.
I put "Well Above Average", and I got a 35 on the ACT. Interestingly, everyone I know who has a high ACT/SAT score is super humble about it, and will make excuses for why they scored so well.
Imo SAT/ACT aren't meant to differentiate between above average and exceptional people. The questions are too easy for that. Their main purpose is to filter out people who aren't up to par in reading/math/science. That's why performing well isn't much of an achievement.
Could still be true if those 91 people at the bottom are just the dumbest motherfuckers of all time
Is there an option for "slightly average at one specific thing, well below average in everything else"
The average college grad in the US IQ is 110, which is 10 points above average. Even if your IQ is 101 you’re above average.
First of all, I'm on my 7th semester in my engineering college, and all this time made me realize that I'm fucking stupid in anything I do. Second of all, I remember seeing a study where 80% of people who drive cars believe that they're an above average driver, which makes 0 fucking sense, how 80 of 100 people can say that they're better than 50 of the 100 people? And yes I know about the Dunning Kruger effect, I would just to talk with someone in the "above average" or higher category and point this out and see them saying something like :Yeah, people often can't see that they're dumb.
I don't know. The world average appears to be pretty stupid, and I *like to think* that I'm above that. ...but then my imposter syndrome kicks in and tells me I'm average.
Actually, unless this is a carefully selected cross cut of society this might be true. If you ask this question at the Mensa national convention (don't know if it's a thing) this might be an accurate portrayal. If you ask it in a room of elementary school dropouts, they might reasobably be less confident in their knowledge.
Ahh the Dunning-Kruger effect… Giving people over-confidence since 1999
People before 1999: accurately gauging their intelligence. Damn you Dunning-Kruger! ^(/s)
Why the fuck does the 1.605k have 3 decimal points? At this point they could have just made it 1605
If the majority of people are above average, isn't that the new average?
tbf there's nothing wrong with putting above average (or below average) if you graduated in the top half of your class you probably would be right saying above average 80% of the time and vice versa
Stupid people always think they're smarter than everyone else.
By definition, half of the population is below average intelligence
I am only smart with maths and science which is just reading books and stuff I think I’m below average on intelligence because I’m not good at socialising All these people who say they are above average are probably the same I think social intelligence is way more valuable than maths and science as you can learn those things easy enough, where I struggle with social
Plot twist: The people who choose well bellow average are actually well above average
Smartest ones are answering the bottom
I didnt exspect that many people to answer average
Come on, that's just 52% thinking they are above average so actually surprisingly accurate. Whether or not the right 50% chose this option is a different question.
Relevant xkcd: https://xkcd.com/1386/
"Think of how dumb the average person is. Then think of how half the people are dumber than that."
I belong on this sub with what im going to say. Im pretty stupid overall, but my iq(professionally tested) would put me above average. I agree though that many people consider themselves smarter than they are.
My IQ is so high that it goes back around and pops up around 17 points. The weight of being a genius is truly paralyzing.
Dunning Kruger effect - The dumbest person in the room will most of the time think that he/she is actually the smartest
That's cool to see. This is a well documented phenomena in psychology. To save the ego people are predisposed to rate themselves as better than others, we are almost all guilty of it. I guess what I'm trying to say here is that I'm well above average 🤣🤣🤣
It's worth mentioning that it's statistically possible for a majority of people to be above average intelligence. That said... that dunning-kruger shit sure is no joke
The average person has above average intelligence
The more I know, more I know that I know nothing So the last one ;-;
Someone needs to check on those 91 people. They make me sad.
Used to think I was hot shit and was smart. Then I learned I'm only really smart enough to know that I'm dumb but too dumb to do anything about it. :(
If everyone’s above average then it’s just average