People reveal 10 traits that are often considered to be 'dumb' but instead are a 'sign of intelligence'

Human behavior is tricky and there is always more to an action or mannerism that people exercise. There are many habits people have that are presumed to be dumb or irrational but actually are a sign of their developing intellect. For instance, being quiet when there's an ongoing argument is not because a person doesn't have anything to say or doesn't know anything but rather because they choose to be calm and composed and analyze the situation. 

A user on Reddit, u/SleeperMood, shared a post asking, "What's something considered to be dumb but actually is a sign of intelligence?" With over 2,000 comments, people have shared numerous actions that hold intellectual meaning but may seem abrupt. If you paused and looked around, you'd notice that a lot of silent or seemingly insignificant acts are tied down to a deeper train of thought. From learning and observing to believing in simple methods, these 10 habits are not as irrational as you think.

1. Asking questions

"Asking questions to help clarify things you don't understand." -u/bmcgowan89 "I’d rather ask stupid questions than make stupid mistakes. And that’s what I tell my staff." -u/Legal_Western1415 "My go-to response is 'no stupid questions, only stupid people.' I get a chuckle about 60% of the time." -u/Balanced_Breakfast "A wise person has more questions than they have answers." -u/The_Mr_Wilson

2. Saying 'I don't know' and taking the onus

"Admitting when you don’t know something instead of trying to blag it." -u/JustGeeseMemes "This is so common in the IT industry that it blows my mind. Everyone feels like they know everything and can never admit that they don't know it but are willing to learn." -u/DexRogue "It's so true. Being honest about what you don’t know shows self-awareness and a willingness to learn." -u/InitialSeesaw6733 "Also admitting when you are/were wrong about what you previously thought. It is actually a massive indicator of intelligence surprisingly." -u/salad_spinner3000

3. Impactful simplicity

"Using words that are easy to understand or 'dumb' so the other person understands you when you explain something." -u/PossibleLevel7495 "My best friend and I often have this debate. I told him that the best speeches, the most memorable speeches, they don't use big words, they use common everyday words that most people understand." -u/Worth_Box_8932 "Being able to explain extremely complex ideas in extremely simple terms is actually a hallmark of vast intelligence." -u/HighburyonStrand

4. Reflection and introspection

"Intelligent people examine and re-examine everything, dumb people are confident and satisfied with the first thing they think." -u/Panic_Azimuth "Many believe that you need to react quickly and give an immediate answer. On the contrary, taking a few seconds to think before an answer shows reflection." -u/Ghune "The best of the best still doubt themselves. It isn't an inherently good thing but it can be a sign of intelligence, introspection, and high personal standards." -u/Talk_and_small

5. Being adaptive

"Someone on here recently said, 'I like being right. I like being right so much just that when I get better information, I change my mind.' This is how intelligence should work." -u/Witness_Me_Karsa "Speaking from my experience, yes, a lot of people believe that 'staying true' to what you believe to be true is not only the smart thing, it's about having a strong will and not being easy to manipulate." -u/DeepVoiceX

6. Listening and silence

"This is ancient wisdom, found in the Bible, in Proverbs 17:28, 'Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.' Or in the parlance of our times, 'Better to be silent and look like a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.'" -u/verstohlen "Sometimes, the smartest move is to listen and observe rather than jump in with your thoughts. It shows self-control and the ability to assess a situation before reacting." -u/Extra_Pudding44

7. Humor and the brain

"They're generally understood as low effort and a lesser form of humor but in my experience, the people who enjoy them the most have a playful relationship to language that correlates with intelligence and literacy." -u/Triseult "Someone able to crank out puns of a specialized category would have to have deep knowledge about many subjects along with sufficient mastery of the language." -u/Mille Chaton

8. Being quick to apologize...even when it may not be your fault

"Apologize and take the first step." -u/Impressive_Scene918 "Apologizing when it's not your fault can be a calculated decision to move forward. But only use it when the other person isn't necessarily wrong either." -u/Office_Zombie "The really smart move is to give up any reciprocal grudges you might have against the other person. That's the cost of the apology. If you aren't willing to do that, then you're not ready to apologize." -u/cutelyaware

9. Examining the 'what ifs' 

"I've bumped into situations where an intelligent person uses 'what if...' scenarios to ponder on a subject." -u/Masseyratti80"This is a great one and resonated with me. I've been in many meetings like this, where I propose a change or an idea but someone shuts it down because it's not how things are currently. I have learned that many people genuinely don't have the capacity for abstract thought. They can't do the "what if" scenarios (even senior leaders)." -u/boo4842

10. Understanding emotions

"Emotional intelligence. It gets treated as secondary to academic intelligence but those with emotional intelligence can be truly valuable in negotiations." -u/Budget-Abrocoma3161 "I feel like the defining skill of emotional intelligence is when to ask how people are feeling versus when to assume how they are feeling. You lean too much into either one and people don't feel like talking to you anymore." -u/indocede