Every few days, I read a headline that implies that some weird personality trait of mine (e.g. not being able to ‘do’ life very well) doesn’t make me a typical, flawed human being, but an extremely intelligent one.
I like the people who write these articles. They work for a noble cause and are responsible for a majority of my remaining self-esteem. And now, apparently, there’s research to suggest that three very unexpected traits are linked to a higher IQ.
And, unsurprisingly, I have all of them.
Lots of swearing = very intelligent.
So this statement fundamentally ignores the nuances of scientific research BUT it does have some basis in truth.
Essentially, for a long time, people believed that those who swear a lot have a "restricted vocabulary." They swear because they don't have beautifully eloquent ways to describe how it feels when someone steps on your toe, or how heinously cute a puppy is on the street. Intelligent people, on the other hand, have such a nuanced vocabulary that they simply don't need to swear.
Top Comments
Uh huh...yeah sorry I still think if you are unable to express yourself without a swear word being every other word, that shows a limited vocabulary and intelligence. These results will change in a few weeks/months anyway so it doesn't really matter.
But that doesn't seem to be what the research says at all about swearing. It says people with high IQs are good at swearing and at recalling swear words. That doesn't necessarily mean they swear a lot. It means they know a lot of swear words and can use them effectively. Quantity doesn't necessarily equal quality.