People Who Use Super-Duper Big Words To Sound Morally Superior Actually Have 9 Low-IQ Traits
fizkes | ShutterstockTruly smart people don't need to use big words to prove their superiority. Smart people want to get their point across, not confuse everyone.
People who use big words are usually just trying to make themselves look smarter than they are. Unfortunately for them, they’re showing off some embarrassing low-IQ traits in the process.
People who use big words because they want to sound better than everyone else are just proving they have these low-IQ traits:
1. They can’t make a strong argument
Timur Weber from Pexels via Canva
Using big words can honestly be pretty manipulative. Some people do it because they know they have a super weak argument that they can’t support, but they think everyone will agree with them if they sound intelligent.
The problem with that line of thinking is that strong arguments can be backed up with evidence other people understand. Stringing a bunch of big words together isn’t enough if they don’t actually mean anything.
2. They make disagreements personal
Since there’s a pretty good chance that people who use big words are wrong, they don’t have a good response ready when someone challenges them. They can’t rely on logic, so they rely on personal attacks instead.
Anyone who makes the mistake of disagreeing with them will probably be labeled everything from dumb to insensitive. They don’t care that it doesn’t make sense as long as it disarms them.
This is how they maintain their sense of superiority. If they can convince everyone that someone disagrees with them because they don’t like them, they’ll keep more people on their side.
3. They have fun confusing people
Someone who wants to feel morally superior has no problem putting other people down so they can stay on their pedestal. They’ll actually enjoy making other people question the truth.
Big words are obviously confusing on the surface because they sound like some kind of weird word salad. But if anyone tries to dig deeper, they’ll also have to face the fact that there’s no real meaning there. The person who said that nonsense won’t care that they’re doing a mental double-take.
4. They think they can impress people with basic ideas
The thing about using big words is that someone could take common knowledge, like the grass being green, and rephrase it so it sounds insanely intelligent. Even though they just restated the most basic thing in the world, they’ll still manage to impress people.
That’s how they make themselves feel so morally superior, which researchers in a 2016 study described as nothing more than an “illusion.” It’s like they’re building an impressive facade that’s based on smoke and mirrors. They’re totally fake.
5. They like talking down to other people
boggy22 from Getty Images via Canva
If someone actually enjoys talking down to others, it’s an obvious sign that they have a patronizing personality. Therapist Kalley Hartman, LMFT, said this “implies that the person being spoken to is in some way less knowledgeable, competent, or capable than the speaker.”
Big words are just a cover for a low IQ, so that’s not true. It’s hard to remember that when you’re on the receiving end of someone who acts super condescending, though. They aren’t above playing mind games to establish their superiority.
6. They don’t understand the details
People who use big words are deceptive, but also kind of funny in a way. They love saying things that sound really profound to get a reaction from people. Maybe they would even quote something they heard a much smarter person say.
But if anyone asked them any questions, they would have absolutely nothing to say. They can make it sound like they see the big picture clearly, but they don’t understand the actual details of how things work. They’re far from the expert that they claim to be.
7. They think simple explanations are wrong
Just like using big words doesn’t make someone smart, making something sound super complicated doesn’t make it true. But people who make everything sound as sophisticated as possible will start to think complexity is a sign of intelligence.
There’s a theory called Occam’s Razor that was developed by a Franciscan friar named William of Ockham. According to him, the simplest explanation is usually the right one. Although it’s not always accurate, it makes a lot of sense.
It’s interesting that these people would reject a principle that’s been respected for so long. An explanation that sounds like it came from a scholar isn’t automatically right just because it sounds good.
8. They want to win every argument
A lot of people would agree that winning an argument means proving you’re right. That’s not always true, though. There are plenty of situations where one person is able to out-argue another with a totally wrong opinion.
Research shows that people get the most out of an argument when they use it as a chance to learn. People can’t do that when their main goal is winning. They’ll shut down everyone else along the way and miss out on hearing valuable perspectives.
9. They only care about sounding like they’re right
Sorapong's Images via Canva
If you think about the best teachers you’ve had throughout your life, there’s a good chance they didn’t use a lot of big words because they knew they wouldn’t get through to anyone that way. They could actually prove they were right.
People who use big words are the opposite. They don’t really care about being right as long as it sounds like they are.
The average person, however, thinks someone is smart when they can actually explain something clearly. It’s like these people are fighting a losing battle.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
