How am I not though? Based on articles written about emotional intelligence and sometimes posts on here, having a high IQ is looked down upon. Only high EQ seems to make you worthy, which would explain why people with much less ability/knowledge etc. are able to get jobs/TA positions etc. (and are generally more favored) before those who do. I was raised to believe IQ/ability/performance were the most important because that was my dad's experience. I was never taught to socialize and I might have even been actively discouraged from it if I'm remembering correctly. I didn't understand other children as a child.

I seem to get bullied/pushed around all the time, not necessarily because I'm too nice (although that's part of it), but because I don't realize that that's what's happening. I don't know if it's because I've been conditioned to take abuse or because I can't really tell the intentions of most other people. I've recently just had to start assuming everyone is lying, using me, is not being serious, etc. until proven otherwise.

And my confidence tanked after running into a new bully, a new faculty hire at my university. He ended up on my graduate committee and I can't take him off because one of my original committee members is on sick leave. It's hard to build confidence when you have someone who tells you to grow up in front of your peers, calls you high maintenance about something you already feel some shame about, makes fun of your boyfriend's name, and generally just makes you feel stupid and incompetent and tries to humiliate you in front of your peers (he also does this to other people).

But I digress, I should probably make my own thread...