People often compliment Kas for being clever,” Leon said. At first, these words seemed innocent, but they inadvertently triggered a series of events that led to the downfall of an innocent man.
This was during an episode of the hit BBC strategy game show The Traitors, where a contestant named Kasim, a kind and trustworthy doctor from Cambridge, found himself under intense suspicion after Leon praised his intelligence. Kasim, who had remained calm and composed, suddenly became the target of suspicion, and for the next few episodes, he was relentlessly questioned. Despite his honesty, Kasim was eventually eliminated, becoming a victim of the very thing that made him stand out—his intellect.
For those unfamiliar with the show, the concept is straightforward: a group of contestants is placed together in a Scottish castle, where a small number are secretly assigned the role of Traitors. The rest are Faithfuls. Each night, the Traitors eliminate one Faithful, while during daily Round Table discussions, the group tries to figure out who the Traitors are. The goal is for the Faithfuls to identify the Traitors before they’re all eliminated. If even one Traitor remains at the end, they win the entire prize pot. If only Faithfuls remain, the prize is shared among them.
The show is a fascinating mix of psychology, strategy, and human behavior. Contestants form alliances, make bold accusations, and manipulate one another—all in a high-stakes game where trust is rare, and even the slightest suspicion can be deadly.
For Kasim, being perceived as too smart proved to be his undoing. After Leon complimented him on his intellect, the group’s perception of Kas changed. What had been seen as an asset became a threat. “You’re smart, you’re calculated,” one player, Jake, said during a Round Table discussion, linking his intelligence to his supposed duplicity. Another player compared him to a notorious British serial killer, Harold Shipman, further escalating the paranoia. The more Kasim tried to defend himself with reasoned arguments, the more his words made others suspicious. His intellect, once seen as an asset, became a liability, and he was ultimately voted out of the game.
This wasn’t the first time that being too clever caused problems on the show. In past seasons, players with high intelligence often became targets for the same reason. In the first season, a brilliant astrophysicist named Imran was eliminated early, despite having done nothing suspicious. His advanced education and intellectual demeanor were enough to raise doubts about his loyalty. Similarly, Ivan, a game theory expert, was banished simply because he was too smart for his own good. The message was clear: in The Traitors, it’s safer to appear average or even a bit clueless than to come across as too intelligent.
This trend continued in later seasons, where clever players like chess coach Anthony and politics student Freddie were also eliminated due to their perceived intelligence. Anthony, who had correctly identified a Traitor early on using sound logic, was banished later in the game, with other players citing his ability to divert questions as suspicious. In contrast, players who managed to appear less intellectually sharp, like Meryl and Aaron from season one, often made it to the final rounds, despite not having the best strategies.
This phenomenon of distrusting intelligence extends beyond the show and into real life. In a world where people often gravitate towards simplicity and straightforwardness, being too intellectual can be seen as a threat. The disdain for experts has become a global trend, with political figures like Michael Gove in the UK and the rise of leaders like Donald Trump, who often reject intellectualism and embrace a more populist, anti-expertise stance. This has raised questions about whether being perceived as “too smart” can hinder success, especially in politics.
Studies have shown that intelligent people tend to trust others more than their less intelligent counterparts. Research from Oxford University found that smarter individuals are often better judges of character. However, in a game like The Traitors, and perhaps in life, the smartest strategy might not be to rely on intellect, but to play the part of the “average” person—appearing simple and unthreatening to avoid suspicion.
The story of Kasim serves as a reminder that in some situations, playing dumb can be the smartest move. It’s not always the most intellectual player who wins; sometimes, it’s the one who knows how to blend in, avoid suspicion, and let others do the heavy lifting. So, next time you’re in a high-stakes situation, remember: sometimes the smartest thing to do is to play a little dumb.