---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you have high IQ, you're really good…"
description: "\"If you have high IQ, you're really good at finding post-hoc arguments to support your feelings of truthiness.\" — Jonathan Haidt"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38f/jonathan-haidt-1823_argument_if-you-have-high-iq-you-re-really-good-a_1222594.jpg"
---

#  If you have high IQ, you're really good at finding…

![“If you have high IQ, you're really good at finding post-hoc arguments to support your feelings of truthiness.” quote by Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38f/jonathan-haidt-1823_argument_if-you-have-high-iq-you-re-really-good-a_1222594.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38f/jonathan-haidt-1823_argument_if-you-have-high-iq-you-re-really-good-a_1222594.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38f/jonathan-haidt-1823_argument_if-you-have-high-iq-you-re-really-good-a_1222594.jpg)

> “If you have high IQ, you're really good at finding post-hoc arguments to support your feelings of truthiness.”

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Highly intelligent people often craft post‑hoc justifications to support their biased beliefs.

**In simple terms:** Smart people make up reasons after the fact.

Key Takeaway

Beware of rationalizing without evidence.

Themes

cognition bias intelligence

Mood

analytical critical

Type

psychological educational

When to use this quote

- debates
- media consumption
- personal decision making
- academic research

Key Concepts

confirmation bias motivated reasoning critical thinking

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you check your own reasoning?
- What strategies prevent biased justifications?

A Different Perspective

The claim may not apply to all intelligent individuals.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) [Arguments Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arguments-support-771249/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Feelings Truthiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings-truthiness-3749367/) [Finding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finding/) [Findings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/findings/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [High](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high/) [High Iq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-iq/) [Hoc Arguments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hoc-arguments-3749368/) [Iq Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iq-really-2148112/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/)

## Related quotes

> [I know Steve Kerr well and his basketball IQ is really high. He knows everything about basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-kukoc/i-know-steve-kerr-well-and-his-basketball-iq-is-really-high-he-knows/)

[Toni Kukoc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-kukoc/)

> [“You know, considering your IQ, you're really socially retarded sometimes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-delany/you-know-considering-your-iq-you-re-really-socially-retarded-sometimes/)

[Shannon Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-delany/)

> [I think I have a high boxing IQ and I do this at a really high level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caleb-plant/i-think-i-have-a-high-boxing-iq-and-i-do-this-at-a-really-high-level/)

[Caleb Plant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caleb-plant/)

> [ People do not like being lied to, and they do not like having their rights violated. So as soon as \[officials\] stop making arguments,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/people-do-not-like-being-lied-to-and-they-do-not-like-having-their/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [For any given doctrine that one wants to believe, there is never a shortage of arguments by which to support it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leszek-kolakowski/for-any-given-doctrine-that-one-wants-to-believe-there-is-never-a/)

[Leszek Kolakowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leszek-kolakowski/)

> [“are less confident in a choice when they are asked to produce more arguments to support it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/are-less-confident-in-a-choice-when-they-are-asked-to-produce-more/)

[Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/)

> [Sometimes I like to list the strongest arguments I can find to support a point of view I think is wrong. When I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-b-smedes/sometimes-i-like-to-list-the-strongest-arguments-i-can-find-to/)

[Lewis B. Smedes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-b-smedes/)

> [“Predominantly inattentive type Perhaps the majority of girls with AD/HD fall into the primarily inattentive type, and are most likely to go undiagnosed. Generally,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-g-nadeau/predominantly-inattentive-type-perhaps-the-majority-of-girls-with-ad/)

[Kathleen G. Nadeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-g-nadeau/)

> [“You may not be the person with high IQ, but you can be the person with highest hard work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/you-may-not-be-the-person-with-high-iq-but-you-can-be-the-person-with/)

[Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/)

> [Obviously, I don't have a high IQ, but I've always liked nerds and quirky guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaley-cuoco/obviously-i-don-t-have-a-high-iq-but-i-ve-always-liked-nerds-and/)

[Kaley Cuoco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaley-cuoco/)

> [High IQ individuals don't like surprises and are pessimistic, because it's logical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-o-brien/high-iq-individuals-don-t-like-surprises-and-are-pessimistic-because/)

[Walter O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-o-brien/)

> [It's not to say I don't want African players to hustle and play hard, but I also wanted to show we can do more.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pascal-siakam/it-s-not-to-say-i-don-t-want-african-players-to-hustle-and-play-hard/)

[Pascal Siakam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pascal-siakam/)

> [Even though a high IQ is no guarantee of prosperity, prestige, or happiness in life, our schools and our culture fixate on academic abilities,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/even-though-a-high-iq-is-no-guarantee-of-prosperity-prestige-or/)

[Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/)

> [ The typical white intellectual considers himself superior to ordinary white people for two contradictory reasons: a\] he constantly proclaims belief in human equality, but… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-sailer/the-typical-white-intellectual-considers-himself-superior-to-ordinary/)

[Steve Sailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-sailer/)

> [The original Greek word "idiotes" referred to people who might have had a high IQ, but were so self-involved that they focused exclusively on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/the-original-greek-word-idiotes-referred-to-people-who-might-have-had/)

[Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/)

## More by Jonathan Haidt

> [Love and work are to people what water and sunshine are to plants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/love-and-work-are-to-people-what-water-and-sunshine-are-to-plants/)

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

> [You can see the rider serving the elephant when people are morally dumbfounded. They have strong gut feelings about what is right and wrong,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/you-can-see-the-rider-serving-the-elephant-when-people-are-morally/)

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

> [Congress is full of good, decent, smart people who have devoted their lives to public service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/congress-is-full-of-good-decent-smart-people-who-have-devoted-their/)

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

> [Once you understand the power of stimulus control, you can use it to your advantage by changing the stimuli in your environment and avoiding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/once-you-understand-the-power-of-stimulus-control-you-can-use-it-to/)

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

> [“The ethic of autonomy is based on the idea that people are, first and foremost, autonomous individuals with wants, needs, and preferences. People should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/the-ethic-of-autonomy-is-based-on-the-idea-that-people-are-first-and/)

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

> [I got interested in the American culture war back in 2004, and it's one of the only growth stocks I've ever invested in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/i-got-interested-in-the-american-culture-war-back-in-2004-and-it-s/)

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

> [I think of myself as a social scientist. In order to get hired and to get promoted, we're forced to declare a disciplinary and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/i-think-of-myself-as-a-social-scientist-in-order-to-get-hired-and-to/)

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

> [“We should not expect individuals to produce good, open-minded, truth-seeking reasoning, particularly when self-interest or reputational concerns are in play. But if you put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/we-should-not-expect-individuals-to-produce-good-open-minded-truth/)

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

> [The most powerful force ever known on this planet is human cooperation - a force for construction and destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/the-most-powerful-force-ever-known-on-this-planet-is-human/)

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

> [It only takes twenty generations of selective breeding to create large differences or appearance and behavior in other mammals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/it-only-takes-twenty-generations-of-selective-breeding-to-create/)

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

> [If you think half of America votes badly because they are stupid or religious, you are trapped in a matrix ... Take the red…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/if-you-think-half-of-america-votes-badly-because-they-are-stupid-or/)

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

> [“Our minds have the potential to become righteous about many different concerns, and only a few of these concerns are activated during childhood. Other”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/our-minds-have-the-potential-to-become-righteous-about-many-different/)

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

> [People who devote their lives to studying something often come to believe that the object of their fascination is the key to understanding everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/people-who-devote-their-lives-to-studying-something-often-come-to/)

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

> [“Nonetheless, if you are trying to change an organization or a society and you do not consider the effects of your changes on moral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/nonetheless-if-you-are-trying-to-change-an-organization-or-a-society/)

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

> [If you have a personality predisposed to liberalism, you might gravitate more to the artsy crowd or the anti-establishment crowd. And then those peers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/if-you-have-a-personality-predisposed-to-liberalism-you-might/)

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

[Explore all 204 Jonathan Haidt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

## More Argument quotes

> [A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/a-flourishing-morally-credible-media-is-a-vital-component-in-the/)

[Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/)

> [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/)

[Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/)

> [Lutherans, whose arguments and mistakes will not be difficult to contest or discover, do not want to attribute any value to works, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-servetus/lutherans-whose-arguments-and-mistakes-will-not-be-difficult-to/)

[Michael Servetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-servetus/)

> [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/)

[John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/)

> [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [There could be no more powerful argument against mixing religion and government than the success of independent African American churches in placing racial segregation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/there-could-be-no-more-powerful-argument-against-mixing-religion-and/)

[Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/)

> [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/)

[Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/)

> [On the stage, the characters express themselves more through words than images. So the arguments of the characters and the tension between characters -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/on-the-stage-the-characters-express-themselves-more-through-words/)

[Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/)

> [One argument goes that recessions are good for female artists because when money flies out the window, women are allowed in the house. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/one-argument-goes-that-recessions-are-good-for-female-artists-because/)

[Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/)

> [All of the barriers to innovation in the energy sector are arguments for a big commitment to public investment. Only the public sector can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nordhaus/all-of-the-barriers-to-innovation-in-the-energy-sector-are-arguments/)

[Ted Nordhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nordhaus/)

> [“Arguments led by subjectivity are a waste of time. And, if they take place online, add to that, a waste of one’s keyboard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/arguments-led-by-subjectivity-are-a-waste-of-time-and-if-they-take/)

[Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/)

> [If in the middle of an argument I suddenly fall silent it does not mean you have won... No it means you should probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/if-in-the-middle-of-an-argument-i-suddenly-fall-silent-it-does-not/)

[Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/)

> [Don't get divorced after your first argument! I have a lot of friends that have one fight and that's it, they get divorced. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-ripa/don-t-get-divorced-after-your-first-argument-i-have-a-lot-of-friends/)

[Kelly Ripa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-ripa/)

> [“The motive behind my arguments have always been to come at truth. I am not interested in conquering anyone with my ideologies or seeking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crystal-evans/the-motive-behind-my-arguments-have-always-been-to-come-at-truth-i-am/)

[Crystal Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crystal-evans/)

> [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/)

[John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/)

[Browse all 3,479 Argument quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "If you have high IQ, you're really good at finding post-hoc arguments to support your feelings of truthiness.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jonathan Haidt"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/if-you-have-high-iq-you-re-really-good-at-finding-post-hoc-arguments/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Argument"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/if-you-have-high-iq-you-re-really-good-at-finding-post-hoc-arguments/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38f/jonathan-haidt-1823_argument_if-you-have-high-iq-you-re-really-good-a_1222594.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38f/jonathan-haidt-1823_argument_if-you-have-high-iq-you-re-really-good-a_1222594.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38f/jonathan-haidt-1823_argument_if-you-have-high-iq-you-re-really-good-a_1222594.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If you have high IQ, you're really good at finding post-hoc arguments to support your feelings of truthiness.” — Jonathan Haidt",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Jonathan Haidt",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "If you have high IQ, you're...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/if-you-have-high-iq-you-re-really-good-at-finding-post-hoc-arguments/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/if-you-have-high-iq-you-re-really-good-at-finding-post-hoc-arguments/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
