How Celebrity Gossip May Actually Improve Your Life.

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Could a fascination with celebrity gossip be more than just entertainment – ​​perhaps even a sign of heightened intelligence?

Younghoon Kim holds the title of person with the highest IQ in the world at 276 (well above the genius threshold of 140), and he thinks that might just be the case. In an interview with Us every weekKim, 35, said while delving into the lives of celebrities like her favorites, K-Pop group BTS and Taylor Swift“is a form of artistic experience” as well as both “an escape” and “a source of inspiration.”

Kim, a science and technology researcher working in higher education in Korea, told the outlet that he accepts celebrity culture to help him manage his mental health, a challenge that is not uncommon among people with exceptionally high IQs (the average being around 100).

“Not only are celebrities really creative, but they also help us find new ideas and new ways to express ourselves,” he explained.

Kim’s view aligns with a new study cited by WE. Researchers from Stanford and the University of Maryland found that gossip can play a cooperative role among those who share information about absent third parties.

Michele Gelfand, co-author of the study and professor at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, wrote that “gossip is useful in terms of disseminating information about people’s reputations” and leading others to become aware of the how they are perceived. “People care more about affiliating with people who have good reputations (and who will cooperate) and avoiding people who defect.”

Kim agrees, noting that celebrity gossip “helps us become more motivated to become better versions of ourselves.”

And that’s a good thing, he added, because “pop culture never stops!”