Go away, I'm thinking.

August 12, 2006 8:54 PM

Are smart people grumpier?
posted by footnote (48 comments total)

posted by porpoise at 8:58 PM on August 12, 2006 [1 favorite]

This is the only PubMed reference for (a) Bichsel, J (as reported in the newspiece)... is there a psychology/psychiatry journal specific search engine? (... and for Thomas Baker).
posted by porpoise at 9:05 PM on August 12, 2006

Since both intelligence and "grumpiness" are characteristics that are very difficult to define and measure, I would say that you could likely find the evidence to support an answer either way, and never be completely correct.

Also, even the article states that since subjects weren't studied as they age, deciding correlation versus causation isn't possible, which makes this little more than an vaguely interesting observation.

Still, it's an intruiging idea, and I would not be opposed to seeing more long-term studies centered around this apparent theme.
posted by internet!Hannah at 9:06 PM on August 12, 2006

What kind of frikken moron would ask such a stupid question?
posted by PareidoliaticBoy at 9:07 PM on August 12, 2006

Are smart people grumpier?

Duh. STFU.
posted by Faint of Butt at 9:08 PM on August 12, 2006

Are smart people grumpier?

Yes, dammit!

Actually, I find that I'm more cynical than grumpy.
posted by Servo5678 at 9:19 PM on August 12, 2006

If so, Metafilter would be called Mensafilter.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 9:26 PM on August 12, 2006 [1 favorite]

Ignorance is bliss. We've known that one for years.
posted by chudmonkey at 9:27 PM on August 12, 2006

I love the icredibly focused, successfully medicaded happy persons who gaze directly into my eyes in the ADHD medication ads accompanying the content.
posted by longsleeves at 9:40 PM on August 12, 2006

n
posted by longsleeves at 9:42 PM on August 12, 2006

t
posted by longsleeves at 9:45 PM on August 12, 2006

that little brat has the chart upside down
posted by trondant at 9:47 PM on August 12, 2006

Given recent events, if you're not grumpy, you are stupid.
posted by VulcanMike at 9:55 PM on August 12, 2006

longsleeves wrote "I love the icredibly focused, successfully medicaded happy persons who gaze directly into my eyes in the ADHD medication ads accompanying the content."

I guess I'm also grumpy because my ADD meds make me focus on mundane things and that ultimately makes me grumpier. Looking at my previous post, I suppose the two are more connected than I originally realized.
posted by VulcanMike at 9:59 PM on August 12, 2006

"Hey, kid, get offa my Stenotaphrum secundatum!"
posted by rob511 at 10:00 PM on August 12, 2006

In today's world only complete morons can be happy anyway. F*ck them!
posted by clevershark at 10:01 PM on August 12, 2006

we aren't grumpy.

we're just frustrated with the rest of you.
posted by StrasbourgSecaucus at 10:11 PM on August 12, 2006

(sits back to watch everyone act pissy to prove their high intelligence while realizing that mefi's age demographic indicates the grumpy here are actually generally rather dull, due to their relative youth. statistically speaking, of course.)
posted by IronLizard at 10:12 PM on August 12, 2006

I wonder what quonsar would say...
posted by clevershark at 10:25 PM on August 12, 2006

(sits back to watch everyone act pissy to prove their high intelligence while realizing that mefi's age demographic indicates the grumpy here are actually generally rather dull, due to their relative youth. statistically speaking, of course

I'm sorry, what?
posted by longsleeves at 10:59 PM on August 12, 2006

Whenever I explain the Davison (aka my) Theorem: Optimism is inversely related to intelligence (soon to be published) at a party I invariably get some idiot exclaim "Oh that's so cynical!" I simply reply "Yes. Yes, it is."
posted by jimmythefish at 11:11 PM on August 12, 2006

we aren't grumpy.

we're just frustrated with the rest of you.
posted by StrasbourgSecaucus at 1:11 AM EST on August 13 [+] [!]

:)
posted by caddis at 11:16 PM on August 12, 2006

All this time that I thought I was happy,.. now I know that I'm really just to dumb to see the difference.
posted by Hicksu at 11:25 PM on August 12, 2006

that little brat has the chart upside down

Uh, the result would be the same on both ends, only the middle would be diffrent (you'd have a clump of happy average people rather then happy sad people). Now if she had the chart mirrored...
posted by delmoi at 11:34 PM on August 12, 2006

Given recent events, if you're not grumpy, you are stupid.

You picked the arrest acceleration? I would have gone with the funding cut for liquid explosive detection coupled with the claim that voting for democrats and leaving iraq would show everyone that we're soft on terrorism.

But grumpy isn't really the right word. More like panicked.
posted by delmoi at 11:37 PM on August 12, 2006

Oh hey guys, the study says that smart people are not, in fact, grumpy, at least when young. So um, stop acting grumpy, morons.
posted by delmoi at 11:38 PM on August 12, 2006

Let's go ride bikes!
posted by nlindstrom at 12:12 AM on August 13, 2006

longsleeves writes "(sits back to watch everyone act pissy to prove their high intelligence while realizing that mefi's age demographic indicates the grumpy here are actually generally rather dull, due to their relative youth. statistically speaking, of course

"I'm sorry, what?"

Did you bother to read the article? (This being exactly what I meant, a great many would react to the title and not realize the study suggests that grumpiness and intelligence go together in the 60+ crowd and NOT under. The vast majority of MeFi users are far below 60......).
posted by IronLizard at 2:14 AM on August 13, 2006

"Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know."
-Hemingway
posted by spazzm at 2:43 AM on August 13, 2006

That Einstein - what a grouch.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 3:50 AM on August 13, 2006

the study suggests that grumpiness and intelligence go together in the 60+ crowd and NOT under.

Irrelevant. I've been an old man since I was 15.
posted by Faint of Butt at 3:59 AM on August 13, 2006

Oh hey guys, the study says that smart people are not, in fact, grumpy, at least when young. So um, stop acting grumpy, morons.

*everybody shuts up*

Yep, the first fucking line in the article says:

Grumpy and brainy may go together in older folks; but young people tend to be more open and friendly if they're bright, researchers report.

And later:

But, among younger subjects (19-60), openness and extroversion, or friendliness, were tied to higher intelligence scores.

This was not so for the older group (61-89). Instead, a lack of agreeableness was a predictor for the highest test scores in those over 60.

That is, high scorers tended to be grumpier in the over-60 group.

I think the key here is that young smart people are pissing off old smart people. Stay off their lawns, for Christ's sake.

(Meanwhile, dim, morose youngsters are slowly becoming happy bingo-playing oldsters.)
posted by pracowity at 4:47 AM on August 13, 2006

"Years ago my mother used to say to me, she'd say, 'In this world, Elwood, you must be' - she always called me Elwood - 'In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant.' Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. And you may quote me."
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 7:47 AM on August 13, 2006

The over 60 smart people aren't grumpy, they're just constipated.
posted by jefbla at 8:02 AM on August 13, 2006

I'm pretty happy, but I have drunk myself stupid.
posted by Sailor Martin at 8:16 AM on August 13, 2006

Let's go ride bikes!
posted by nlindstrom at 3:12 AM EST on August 13 [+] [!]

I don't know how. :-(
posted by Skygazer at 8:51 AM on August 13, 2006

So lets see, the young bright folks are excited about changing the world; and the older they get, the more they realize they can't, the grumpier they get? Seems logical to me. :P
posted by [insert clever name here] at 8:57 AM on August 13, 2006

Seems like an obvious conclusion, but it seems there are plenty of grumpy idiots around these days as well. To wit: Mel Gibson, Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly, Ann Coulter and that guy holding up the "Get a Brain, Morans" sign.
posted by psmealey at 9:13 AM on August 13, 2006

psmealey : "Seems like an obvious conclusion, but it seems there are plenty of grumpy idiots around these days as well."

Mel Gibson - Age 50
Sean Hannity - Age 45
Bill O'Reilly - Age 57
Ann Coulter - Age 45
guy holding up the "Get a Brain, Morans" sign - Unknown, estimated age 38

So, yeah, that's perfectly in keeping with the study's results: Intelligent people under age 60 are generally happy, intelligent people over age 60 are generally grumpy. Most MeFi residents, Gibson, Hannity, O'Reilly, Coulter, and Morans Moranis are grumpy and under age 60, hence...
posted by Bugbread at 9:55 AM on August 13, 2006

And, yes, I know that the study does not imply that the inverse is also true. Just being snarky. But happily snarky!
posted by Bugbread at 9:57 AM on August 13, 2006

This is taking the "mad scientists" stereotype too far.
posted by Eideteker at 10:11 AM on August 13, 2006

Maybe smart old folks just don't watch enough TV.
posted by owhydididoit at 11:37 AM on August 13, 2006

Are smart people grumpier?

Oh, fuck off, you annoying little telephone canvasser. Eat my balls!
posted by five fresh fish at 2:52 PM on August 13, 2006

footnote five fresh fish ate my balls
posted by caddis at 3:25 PM on August 13, 2006

And they were salty balls!
posted by five fresh fish at 3:55 PM on August 13, 2006

I'm really quite a cheerful fellow, I just fake being grumpy in order to seem smarter.
posted by Ritchie at 1:41 AM on August 14, 2006

For a young'un, I sure am a cranky little bitch, and have been since first grade when I was all, "Why the hell does Mr. Rogers take his shoes off? That's not his HOUSE." So I guess I really should be a member of the older cranky generation...
posted by jenfullmoon at 1:35 PM on August 14, 2006

Grumpy and Dopey have been my fave dwarves since childhood. That can't be a coincidence.
posted by ZachsMind at 2:17 PM on August 14, 2006