Intellectualization is a Freudian defense mechanism, rated "neurotic" and Level III by George Vaillant (Level IV is optimal or mature), that many people use to rationalize or justify emotionally distressing events in their lives. I actually think I can cite a specific example of the use of intellectualization in almost every single person I know. How then can it be labelled neurotic? Certainly we are all "neurotic" to a certain extent and in certain circumstances, but if most people rationalize then why not label it "normal"?