Overthinking is not intelligence

Fyodor Dostoevsky's Notes from Underground errs in equating overthinking with intelligence. The protagonist contrasts the "man of action" with the overthinker. While the man of action can swiftly seek revenge, the overthinker is paralysed by self-doubt and endless analysis. Dostoevsky writes that spontaneous people can only be so because they are “stupid and limited” and therefore are able to take immediate action. They can be absolutely sure of themselves and are therefore able to act.

This suggests that deep thinking is linked to intelligence, but it overlooks how overthinking can actually harm our well-being. It’s not a lack of intelligence that allows for spontaneity and action, it’s an ability to adapt to uncertainty.

True intelligence is more like a river that adapts to the landscape, flowing around obstacles and finding new paths. This adaptability is crucial for navigating life's twists and turns. It's not about charting a theoretical course to a pre-determined destination – it’s about choosing a direction (our values and the meaning that they give us) and adjusting our sails in response to the wind (our challenges).

Overthinkers often try to think their way out of problems, like trying to untangle a knot by pulling on every thread. This can work for technical issues or strategic planning, but when it comes to existential questions or emotional crises this approach falls short. Emotional and existential problems need more than just intellectualisation; they require emotional processing and acceptance.

Overthinking can be like a fog that obscures our search for meaning. By fixating on hypothetical scenarios, potential failures, or past regrets, we become disconnected from the present moment and the opportunities it holds. Instead of engaging with life and its uncertainties, we remain trapped in our minds, leading to feelings of emptiness and existential angst.

We do this because, as rational, educated beings in an intellectually enlightened world, success often comes from being able to think of the next right move. However, not all problems require thinking. We default to it because it’s our strongest, most developed ability. We become the hammer that treats all problems as nails.

However, to properly engage with life we need to embrace adaptability and openness to experience. This means recognizing that not all problems can be solved through analysis and that some uncertainties are just part of life.

Practices like mindfulness, meditation, or journaling can help us stay grounded in the present moment and reduce the grip of overthinking. Being open to the mess of relationship, the vulnerability of connection, and the chaos of unknowable “others” conditions us to see that we need to be open to uncertainty if we’re to connect with life.

Thinking is undoubtedly valuable, but it's not the only measure of intelligence, nor is it enough to address life's big questions. Life’s big questions come down to our values and the meaning we can find in life, and many of our challenges arise not because we can’t think of a solution, but because we cannot resolve our value conflicts. For example, Dostoevsky's brute can indulge in revenge, as there is no value conflict, but the (over)thinker cannot because of doubt, and therefore stews.

True intelligence lies in balancing thought and action, analysis and acceptance, and continually adapting to the ever-changing landscape of human existence.

That Dostoevsky equates spontaneity with stupidity and confuses intelligence with overthinking is ironic, given that Notes from Underground is all about the perils of excessive rumination and how constant analysis and self-doubt lead to irrational behaviour and social isolation.