I don't think this article made a particularly good case for the questions it posed ("How could someone possibly be too intelligent? How do you get to a point where you realize you could have been more successful if you had been a little dumber?").
> 1. Very smart people can fool themselves with elaborate stories about why something happened.
I don't see how this relates with being smart. Anyone can "fool" themselves with elaborate stories that may be be true at all, or are just an incomplete piece of a bigger story.
> 2. Being very smart makes it harder to listen to people who are less credentialed than you, even when they might have the right answer.
I don't think so. Not listening to someone who is making a reasonable point because of credentials may indicate the opposite (lack of emotional intelligence). I have met plenty of people who don't listen to others, and I don't see a correlation with 'typical' intelligence.
> 3. Having an intellectual reputation to maintain can make it difficult to change your mind when you need to.
Again, I don't see how this related to being intelligent or not. Everyone is susceptible to shame and peer pressure, even if the degree of how much varies. I don't think you're smarter or dumber because I feel self-conscious about changing your public opinion on a subject. Although being able to do that, to me, is a good sign of emotional maturity.
Overall, I don't think people with those traits would be better off if they were "a little dumber". I don't understand why the article phrased it that way.
> 1. Very smart people can fool themselves with elaborate stories about why something happened.
I don't see how this relates with being smart. Anyone can "fool" themselves with elaborate stories that may be be true at all, or are just an incomplete piece of a bigger story.
> 2. Being very smart makes it harder to listen to people who are less credentialed than you, even when they might have the right answer. I don't think so. Not listening to someone who is making a reasonable point because of credentials may indicate the opposite (lack of emotional intelligence). I have met plenty of people who don't listen to others, and I don't see a correlation with 'typical' intelligence.
> 3. Having an intellectual reputation to maintain can make it difficult to change your mind when you need to. Again, I don't see how this related to being intelligent or not. Everyone is susceptible to shame and peer pressure, even if the degree of how much varies. I don't think you're smarter or dumber because I feel self-conscious about changing your public opinion on a subject. Although being able to do that, to me, is a good sign of emotional maturity.
Overall, I don't think people with those traits would be better off if they were "a little dumber". I don't understand why the article phrased it that way.