"The higher the general average of intelligence, all things else being equal, the less the disposition to be meddlesome, critical, and overbearing"
About this Quote
The subtext is about civic temperament. Harris lived in an era when professional men were building modern institutions and clubs, selling "service" as a stabilizing virtue against both elite arrogance and mass agitation. Read through that lens, the target isn’t just the loudmouth; it’s the petty authority figure, the moral busybody, the person who turns community into surveillance. Intelligence becomes a proxy for self-control and humility, a claim that justifies leadership by promising restraint.
It also contains a subtle piece of class-coded persuasion. "Meddlesome" and "overbearing" are accusations often aimed at people climbing social ladders, those who overcompensate by policing manners and status. Harris reframes good citizenship as non-domination: the smartest person in the room doesn’t need to win every room.
Of course, the premise is debatable. Intelligence can sharpen critique and amplify ego. But that’s why the sentence works: it offers a social ideal - competence without contempt - and uses the listener’s self-image as leverage to get them there.
Quote Details
| Topic | Humility |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Harris, Paul. (2026, January 16). The higher the general average of intelligence, all things else being equal, the less the disposition to be meddlesome, critical, and overbearing. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-higher-the-general-average-of-intelligence-85378/
Chicago Style
Harris, Paul. "The higher the general average of intelligence, all things else being equal, the less the disposition to be meddlesome, critical, and overbearing." FixQuotes. January 16, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-higher-the-general-average-of-intelligence-85378/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"The higher the general average of intelligence, all things else being equal, the less the disposition to be meddlesome, critical, and overbearing." FixQuotes, 16 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-higher-the-general-average-of-intelligence-85378/. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
