The deep thinker is a rare creature in modern society. They are a beautiful exception in the world of consumerism, vanity, and ignorance.
Deep thinker definition
What does it mean to be a deep thinker? Typically, it is a highly intelligent, insightful, and observant person who has an abstract and analytical mind. It is someone who is constantly wondering, questioning, and searching for meaning.
If you relate to this description or know someone who fits it, read through the signs below to learn more.
Signs of a deep thinker – are you one?
1. You never take things at face value
One of the most telling signs of a deep thinker is that they rely on their own judgment rather than blindly follow public opinion. Herd mentality is not for a person who thinks deeply about everything.
Thus, if you are one, you never accept something as a fact just because you were told to. Whether it’s society, your boss, or your parents that are trying to impose their views on you, in the end, you always think for yourself and act according to your judgment.
For this reason, deep thinkers rarely excel at the office and public service jobs where they need to execute orders.
2. You doubt everything
Deep thinkers always leave space for doubt. They realize that nothing is only black or white, and life is a complex combination of half-tones. You can’t be 100% sure of anything, especially if there are other people involved.
A deep thinker is not a person to jump to conclusions or be quick to judge. They always try to see both sides of a story. This is why they won’t give in blind belief, whether it comes to religion, politics, or their personal moral code.
3. You are an abstract thinker
If you are a deep thinker, then most likely, you were a successful student in school and college. This is because you rely on abstract thinking, which means that you can easily grasp theories and abstract concepts.
You learn by reading, which is a useful skill for academic excellence. You are more interested in expanding your theoretical knowledge rather than using it in practice.
4. You are a passionate learner and an avid reader
Except for being an abstract thinker, you are also an avid reader. Whatever genre of literature you prefer, you love the fact that reading gives you the opportunity to escape the boring reality.
Yes, a deep thinker often feels like ordinary everyday reality is too dull and some exciting unexplored worlds are out there waiting to be discovered.
You also enjoy learning new fascinating facts about the world. You are amazed by the complexity of life and are trying to delve into its secrets.
5. You keep your mind open
An open mind is another surefire sign of a deep thinker. They always listen to others without judging them, even if they have a different point of view.
A deep thinker is not someone who will interrupt you, insist that their opinion is correct and yours is wrong, and stubbornly try to talk you into their point of view.
Since they are aware of the multifacetedness of life and always doubt everything, they won’t be the ones to fall into the trap of narrow-mindedness and fanatical belief.
6. You overthink things
Being a deep thinker often equals being an overthinker. Be it your personal or professional life, you tend to overanalyze things. This can lead you to self-criticism too as you also overthink your failures and flaws.
You can’t just relax and enjoy life – since you think about everything in depth, you are constantly busy with observation, analysis, and contemplation.
7. You can be indecisive
The tendency to overanalyze things can lead a deep thinker to be indecisive. You hesitate to make a decision and need to carefully examine all the possible options and consequences before acting.
Sometimes you can be uncertain even when it comes to the most trivial decisions in your daily life.
8. You often feel like you don’t fit in
Deep thinkers often feel like they don’t belong anywhere and don’t fit in with other human beings. It’s not because they feel superior to others – they simply don’t share the views, values, and interests of the majority.
Sometimes they feel misunderstood and lonely as they struggle to find someone to discuss all those deep, meaningful topics that occupy their minds.
9. You are a truth seeker who always wants to know why
Why is a deep thinker’s favorite question. They always want to delve into the roots of all happenings, be it the global economy, the meaning of human existence, or their own personality.
Without understanding the cause, any fact or event feels incomplete. For their whole lives, deep thinkers are trying to reach the elusive truth and make sense of their existence and reality as a whole.
10. You ask the big questions
For the same reason, deep thinkers often ponder about the essence of life and ask themselves existential questions. They want to know what the sense of being is, whether there is life after death, and what the purpose of their existence is.
Most people don’t bother asking themselves such questions, but a deep thinker is always looking for answers – even when they just don’t exist.
11. You think more than you talk
A deep thinker is not necessarily an introvert or loner. I’ve known deep thinkers who were empathetic extroverts. However, they all have a common trait – they weigh their words carefully and think twice before opening their mouths.
A telling trait of a deep thinker is that they observe and think more than they talk. Sometimes they shut down and go quiet. It happens because some problem or topic attracts their attention and they feel the need to withdraw and think it over.
Whether you are a deep-thinking introvert or extrovert, you like spending time on your own – it gives you the possibility to put your thoughts in order.
12. You worry about global problems
A deep thinker is a sensitive soul, especially when it comes to humanity’s global problems. They always see the big picture and think holistically. This leaves them being concerned with the things that are bigger than their lives.
As a deep thinker, you may get profoundly sad about humans’ greed, selfishness, and violence that cause all the suffering in the world. Sometimes this leaves you feeling pessimistic about the human race’s future.
13. You love deep conversations and hate small talk
Deep thinkers have no interest in discussing the latest celebrity gossip from shallow TV shows. Neither do they like forced, meaningless conversations. When a small talk topic pops up, they usually play a passive role in the conversation or try to change the subject.
It’s not because deep thinkers are snobbish – they just see no sense in filling the silence with pointless words.
They want to talk about life, death, love, and the universe. They want to know everything about your dreams, fears, and concerns – instead of listening to the description of what you had for dinner and what shoes you are going to buy.
14. You have sound problem-solving and analytical thinking skills
A deep thinker is a skillful problem-solver, especially in theoretical fields. They often excel in sciences that require advanced problem-solving skills, such as physics and mathematics.
But their remarkable ability for analytical thinking also helps them succeed in humanitarian sciences such as philosophy, psychology, and history.
They are abstract thinkers with highly analytical minds, so they can easily see connections between seemingly unrelated things and find patterns.
15. You read people
As a deep thinker, you don’t use your analytical ability only for studies or work. It also helps you in your personal life. Specifically, you can see through people’s character traits and behaviors. You understand the motives of their actions and their true intentions.
You may even predict the outcomes of relationships and different situations that happen to those around you. If you are a deep thinker, then you are probably the one to give your friends advice on their personal lives.
16. You feel repulsed by popular culture
Popular culture with all the superficial values it promotes is not a place for deep thinkers. Mindless consumerism, showing off on social media, meaningless music, fake faces and lives – all this repulses a person who is capable of deep thought.
If you are a deep thinker, then most likely you have unpopular hobbies and old-fashioned music preferences. Maybe you are drawn to alternative lifestyles and underground culture.
In any case, you are not a person to watch trending TV shows, post one selfie after another on Facebook, read pulp fiction, and listen to pop music. You always look for meaning and quality, so these things are just not for you.
17. You can be impractical
Since you rely on abstract thinking, you may be pretty impractical when it comes to everyday life. You probably don’t like things such as paperwork, shopping, or housekeeping.
These activities feel too pointless to give them much importance and time. So you can sometimes be absent-minded and forget about your laundry or dentist appointment.
Some highly intelligent deep thinkers can excel in incredibly complex scientific subjects and yet be totally inept in dealing with the raw reality of the daily routine.
18 You often find yourself disconnected from reality and lost in thought
Sometimes you go a little too deep in your thoughts. It can happen if your mind is puzzled by some kind of problem or idea.
Deep thinkers are often profoundly affected by books, movies, and theories. This is when they immerse in their inner worlds and disconnect from the surrounding environment. They are prone to escapism and are always searching for something bigger than the boring reality.
A deep thinker can sometimes struggle to leave the fascinating world of their imagination and return to the mundane routine.
19 You are independent and don’t care about other people’s opinions
Every deep thinker realizes that relying too much on other people’s opinions is not a good idea. They are independent thinkers, so they live their lives according to their own vision.
Be it work, leisure, or relationships, a deep thinker won’t conform to someone else’s expectations. They will follow their own path.
They are desperately trying to find meaning, so living a life of purpose is among their most important goals. Thus, a deep thinking individual will choose a lifestyle and job that gives them a sense of purpose, no matter how it looks in the eyes of other people.
Some deep thinkers can have pretty quirky behaviors, habits, and looks. And guess what? They don’t mind being quirky.
20 You are not impressed by someone’s position of power, social status, or financial wellbeing
All these superficial things that constitute meaning in life for so many people in our society don’t make sense to a deep thinker. They don’t care about your money, power, or social status.
They care about your mind and soul – whether you are a decent human being and whether you are interested in something bigger than your small, selfish goals.
You can’t impress a deep thinker with a fancy car or brand-new outfit. They just don’t care. You can only impress them with the depth of your mind and the kindness of your heart.
The rare example of depth in a shallow society
As you can see from the above, a deep thinker is certainly a person who stands out from the crowd – without even trying. In our society that is driven by ignorance and shallowness, people who are capable of deep thought are doomed to be the minority, the outsiders, the black sheep.
If you relate to the above, consider getting a copy of my book as it is aimed at all people who feel alien to the modern world. There is a whole chapter devoted to deep thinkers and the problems they face in today’s society.
