Perhaps ignorance is bliss...

Okay, I'm finding this to be more and more interesting. I joined this friend-making/dating site a while back after I moved here from Omaha. I didn't know anyone in the area, so I thought it might be a good way to meet some people, get shown around the area, be introduced to more people and who knows, perhaps wind up dating somebody. None of that has happened, but I have remained a member. I studied psychology, so yes, I find people to be rather fascinating and enjoy reading about different people's interests, perspectives and the like. Upon doing this, I've picked up on something I think. I'm now wondering if there is a possible link between intelligence and self-confidence and not the link one may immediately think of when hearing those two words. I'm guessing most people would think with an increase in one's intelligence, there too would be an increase in their confidence, but I'm finding the opposite to be true. Those whom held college degrees of all stripes, were grammatically correct throughout their profiles and answers, came across as very well read and spoken, typically answered questions regarding their confidence-level as "average". Those whom didn't earn such degrees, weren't grammatically correct in their writing, etc., typically answered confidence-related questions as "higher than average" or "way higher than average". Most all of these women were at least moderately attractive on the surface, from my vantage point anyway. So, why the seeming trend that those whom were better educated and more intelligent appeared to be less confident in themselves than those whom had average or even below-average intelligence?

My immediate thought is just that - the educated/intelligent can tend to over-think things and this includes how to perceive themselves. It's like I always say - the more one knows, the more one knows how little they actually know. If I'm uneducated, unintelligent, I won't be as bothered by inaccuracies reported in the news or lectures. I won't be cognizant of them, so how I can truly be troubled by that which I'm unaware? My life, my vision is very simple. I may see things in black-and-white, may just see myself as a physically attractive waiter or waitress who has a bubbly personality and likes to laugh. There's not much to be critical of myself for when looking at things through that kind of lens. I'm not very intelligent. I'm not very cognizant. I see things as this or that and because I don't see myself in a negative light, of course, I see myself in a very positive one. However, with an increase in education and intelligence, there's an increase in information from which to critique and just as I or others like me may thoroughly critique a paper, speech or film, we'll be more apt than the before-mentioned simpler folk when it comes to critiquing ourselves, leading to a lesser confidence than these individuals.

I'm actually curious to do some research and see if any studies have been conducted on the link between education/intellect and self-confidence. Of course, there would have to be other factors to take into account as well. Like I mentioned earlier in this blog, all the women whose profiles I read through and saw these trends with, were at least moderately attractive on the surface, from my vantage point. Very interesting if I do say so myself (and I suppose I just did)... Perhaps ignorance is bliss in a way...