This little-valued character trait may be proof that you're intelligent

Proving that you’re intelligent isn’t all about IQ tests and acing quiz shows, at least according to a viral TikToker.

A clip from Julian de Medeiros, who goes by @julianphilosophy on the platform, has given people a lot to think about after posting a video that’s racked up more than 2.2 million views since being uploaded recently.

The video looks at the work of Arthur Schopenhauer, the German philosopher known for his work on the notion of pessimism.

Explaining his work, the video sees De Medeiros say: "Here's how you know that somebody is intelligent. And this is a simple rule about intelligence from the philosopher Schopenhauer, who basically argued that intelligent people keep to themselves, in fact, that intelligent people need time and space.

"They tend to be introverted, or in his precise words, 'it is the fate of all great minds to be alone'. And yet, for Schopenhauer, being alone did not equate loneliness. In fact, he said intelligent people prefer their own company.”

The clip carries on: "It's like they're never bored. There's so much that they want to do, they're happy to have time to themselves. And yet, intelligence can breed indifference.

"Because if you like being by yourself so much that you don't go out to spend time with people or friends, this can make you a misanthrope. It can make you someone who starts resenting the world around you, perhaps even feeling superior to it.

"And so Schopenhauer cautions that to be intelligent is therefore to risk becoming antisocial. You know, somebody's intelligent, if they like to keep to themselves. Introverts tend to be intelligent."

The clip divides opinion in the comments section, with one writing: “Now every anti-social person will think they are intelligent.”

Another said: “Also this means that your more smart when you don’t interact with other people the more extroverted you are the most you learn from the world.”

“100 per cent true. I think intelligence recognizes the world for what is truly is and that's not something we prefer to engage with at most times,” one commented.

While the clip and others like it provoke discussions about intelligence, there are more objective ways to measure intelligence – including the world’s shortest IQ test.

The Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT) assesses your ability to identify that a simple problem can actually be harder than it first appears.

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