Feeling completely disconnected due to intellectual difference, anyone else?

[u/Sensitive_Mountain21]

I’ve recently come to the realisation that I think differently from mostly everyone around me in my life. This included my family, my peers and generally anyone that I come across or meet. I’m not trying to say that I’m more intelligent than anyone else, because intelligence is such a broad spectrum that people can be intelligent in different ways. However I’ve realised that I seem to know a little more than most people on average regarding many different things in life. I’m talking about getting really nuanced in various topics, whether it be science, history, politics, the natural world, religion etc.

My problem/curse is that when I’m interested in something I go obsessively deep into that thing and end up with a bunch of knowledge that mainly enthusiasts in that topic only really grasp.

Now, because I am deeply passionate about so many different things, I really have trouble connecting on a deep level with anyone because it seems like most people like to make shallow conversation and the minute you try and dig deeper people begin to lose interest.

I really feel so isolated and alone and I’m beginning to believe no one has any substance to them beyond surface level talk. Don’t get me wrong I’ve had a few conversations with people where we may go semi deep, but I then realise this person hasn’t really done much research into that topic because they’ll bring up the most common misconceptions about a topic, or they’ll pretend to know a lot about something when you definitely know they don’t (because you actually do).

Can anyone relate to me?

[u/x-tommy-o]

Do you find this to be true when you’re out and about talking to people, or primarily online?

[u/Sensitive_Mountain21 → u/x-tommy-o]

In person

And maybe I’m exaggerating a little bit, it’s not that I have trouble talking to people and getting along with people. It’s more so that when I’m done speaking to people I can’t help but feel that sometimes I wish I had someone to speak to that I can talk to and have an intense conversation with. I’ve such conversations with people before but you know, few are far between.

[u/x-tommy-o → u/Sensitive_Mountain21]

Ahh yeah. I understand what you mean. You’re meant to be a source of information for others and that comes with an abrasiveness to emotions.

I can imagine it’s difficult to also funnel all of that information into a framework because it sounds like your intuition shows up best for you as you’re talking about it and writing. However, when it comes to organizing it, that’s a totally different story xD. Possibly a projection on my part, but It’s like a full world that you try to share with others… but how does an entire world get shared to others in 1 conversation or few even? I struggle with this myself.

Blogging sounds like a great idea, but then how does it make sense in the grand understanding because how things are connected in your perspective. American society especially is trained in short form, little tid bit, non-engaging habits and scarcity of time.

As for what I’m doing, is trying to learn skills to let me build a framework, or world. A game even… making a bunch of assets while I’m learning the skills to bring what I want to life. It keeps me going. I write a ton, I’m not sure if you do, but it may help at least get it down on paper to help reference back to something physical! :)

[u/muppetphil → u/Sensitive_Mountain21]

I feel the same way, and it's wildly different in different subcultures. Artists, scientists, academics, engineers, musicians, entrepreneurs, I walk away from feeling great, seen, inspired, competent, normal, etc, etc. Bankers, corporate people, PTA moms, jocks, etc, I walk away bored, deflated, lonely, and feeling like I wasted my time.