BY WENDY KAUR
Jealous or threatened individuals may become argumentative, often playing devil's advocate, countering your ideas, and becoming defensive as they fear being exposed by your intelligence.
I've had a co-worker who constantly played devil's advocate when discussing news topics, and while I'm open to different perspectives, her condescending tone made it difficult to consider her points; condescending people often struggle to appreciate others' perspectives, resorting to dismissive or belittling comments to assert their intellectual superiority, as noted by Abundance No Limits.
Sharing your unexpected achievement with acquaintances at a party, only to receive a lukewarm response and quick topic change, can be deflating, as significant success and accomplishments can intimidate others, making them feel inadequate or overwhelmed, as mentioned by the team at Times of India.
When someone feels threatened by your intelligence, they may openly tune you out, exhibiting behaviors like checking their phone, looking away, or making distracting gestures that convey their disinterest in the conversation.
When someone is threatened by your intelligence, they may struggle to maintain eye contact during the conversation, potentially due to feelings of inadequacy, embarrassment, or unease, as noted by clinical psychologist Sharon Saline, PsyD.
If your friends are consistently unresponsive or brief in their communication, they might be intimidated by your intelligence and hold elitist views, perceiving you as out of their league and arrogant, driven by their envy rather than any intentional indication on your part.
When someone feels intimidated by your intelligence, they may subtly turn their body away from you, indicating their discomfort and desire to disengage from the conversation, as explained by Saline.