Quite a lot of popular entertainment works by giving our brains quick little rewards, but intelligent people see right through that, and they don’t find any of these things interesting.
The spin without the puzzle
Slot machines are essentially anticipation machines. The lights flash, and the sounds go off, then every few seconds, you get another chance of something happening. It’s that kind of uncertainty that the average mind finds exciting.
Even when they get a near-miss, ordinary people want to keep playing. Not smart people, though. These sorts of machines don’t require any kind of talent to play, just plain dumb luck, and intelligent people aren’t interested in things that don’t engage their brains.
Arguments with a familiar rhythm
There’s something about reality TV that manages to stretch a single awkward dinner into half an episode. One person rolls their eyes, another leaves the room and says they’re ‘done.’ Cue the commercial break. There are so many people who love watching these shows because they’re pretty addictive.
Except, not when you’re an intelligent person. They only need to watch a few episodes before the machinery behind the storylines becomes clear. They can tell when the arguments are going to appear, and it’s hard to care about that.
When the story stops at gossip
Gossip is one thing. Celebrity gossip is another, and it’s that sort of gossip that intelligent people aren’t interested in. You know the kind, where someone talks about how a famous person was seen leaving a restaurant with someone. This sort of gossip leaves little room to go anywhere.
No, intelligent people aren’t completely against gossip, as they know that regular gossip does have a social purpose. It’s just that celebrity gossip is pointless to them. There’s nothing they gain from talking about other people in that way. No wonder they find it tiring.
Opening the box is the event
There’s a bit of a fascination on the internet with unboxing videos. They feature someone opening a new product and showing off the packaging, as well as the product itself. Millions of people will happily watch them, and there’s a reason for that.
The reveal of the product is a kind of ‘reward’ for the viewers. But it’s only pleasurable if you’re someone who enjoys the anticipation of it all. Smarter people tend to be more active than passive, and they’re only interested in an unboxing when it gives them some mental action. They’re not going to get that from watching another person do it.
The evening that runs on rails
The thing that makes highly organized social events so enjoyable for some people is that everyone knows the script. Speak here, listen there, laugh now. These sorts of familiar social routines reduce how much thinking you have to do, and that’s precisely why average minds enjoy them.
But not smart people. They enjoy unpredictable conversation because they have no idea where the discussion’s going to go, and that’s exciting for them. An evening of pre-written discussions is way too boring for them.
Luxury as spectator entertainment
Quite a lot of influencer content is built around expensive purchases, and these give viewers front-row seats to a lifestyle they’ll probably never get to experience. Smart people understand that, of course. They’re just not interested in them.
Yes, highly intelligent people are far more interested in learning how things work, rather than the signal of luxury. They’d like to learn about the psychology behind these videos. That’s the real appeal for them.
Nothing required from the viewer
Don’t get us wrong, intelligent people do like entertainment. The problem is that they want entertainment that requires some sort of participation from their minds. In other words, the exact opposite of shows where you can turn off your brain.
Highly intelligent people enjoy thinking for its own sake. That matters because it means they find informational and mentally challenging media way more engaging. Don’t be surprised if they get bored when every joke is obvious and every plot point is predictable.
Buying something because buying feels good
Some people are happy to spend an afternoon shopping for absolutely nothing in particular. It’s all because they enjoy the browsing, and the part where they find something unexpected. In fact, researchers have looked into it. It’s called pleasure-driven or hedonic shopping.
While the novelty might work for some people, it doesn’t go down so well with highly intelligent people. They need a lot more mental stimulation. The cycle of walking around aimlessly is incredibly dull for them, and really, the newness wears off pretty quickly.
Waiting for somebody to fall for it
We’ve all seen a prank video before. They’re the ones where someone’s hidden behind a door, ready to jump out, or they’ve convinced a stranger of something ridiculous. The exciting part comes from the anticipation of the pranked person’s reaction.
Yet very smart people don’t like them. Not because they hate fun, but because they can see the format almost immediately, and they’re not interested in watching repeats. Seeing the same kind of reaction again and again is boring, simple as that.
Refreshing for the next argument
The investigative side to internet drama is what really interests some people. That, and the emotions associated with it all, like anger and surprise. They enjoy picking sides, too. But this sort of overdone drama is pretty dull for highly intelligent people.
They can see the storyline behind the drama from a mile away. Smart people are emotional, of course, but they don’t find overly dramatic and overly emotional videos very appealing. They want something to teach them. They want to engage their minds.Â
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
10 complaints you’ll never hear from intelligent people
Smart people get annoyed like the rest of us, but the difference is that they don’t have some of the most common complaints.
