Appearing Intelligent?

[nightning]

lol, Then what? Blindside them with your wealth of knowledge? ;P Sounds like a good plan!

knowledge = junk unless it can be applied.

I don't know why people wish to appear to be intelligent. It seems to me like a waste of time. The higher you are, the harder you fall. Put yourself in a position that doesn't fit and you'll be spotted as a fake.

I hate pretentious people and if I had to hear someone go on and on about how fabulous they were, I'd probably confront them eventually and set them straight but it's doubtful they'd even hear me so I'd just be back to square one. *sigh*

I hate pretentious people too Jen But usually it takes too much work to set them straight. Unless I get down right irritated and fed up with BS. Then I enjoy taking them down a peg or twelve.

I think the reverse case is a great deal more fun.... appearing to be unintelligent. My lazy ass slacking self talking. If you're "dumb", you're given less to do.

*mumbles* perhaps that'll make a good topic... Appearing Unintelligent... (but I'm too lazy)

 

[matmos]

Appearing intelligent?

Better to keep one's mouth shut and have people think you're an idiot, than open it and let them know you really are one.

 

[Blackmail!]

Appearing intelligent?

Better to keep one's mouth shut and have people think you're an idiot, than open it and let them know you really are one.

It sounds so... desperately introvert!

---

I don't mind to look silly in public. And with a dominant Ne constantly spreading havoc and chaos in your own mind, the thrill of silliness is almost unstoppable!

 

[matmos]

It sounds so... desperately introvert!

---

I don't mind to look silly in public. And with a dominant Ne constantly spreading havoc and chaos in your own mind, the thrill of silliness is almost unstoppable!

You French are so extravagant! You should learn a little Anglo-Saxon misery!

Sante! (Does that sound intelligent?)

 

[Grayscale]

lol, Then what? Blindside them with your wealth of knowledge? ;P Sounds like a good plan!

"Speak softly and carry a big stick." - Roosevelt

 

[Mole]

Frowning

Victor dear, try to get it all in one shot! Multiple posts are typically frowned upon.

Here we are egaliarian to a fault. And so when we don't like someone, we call them pretentious.

In fact the only sin you can commit in this whole continent is to be pretentious.

So I am used to being frowned upon.

And I write multiple posts because I am emotionally Over-Excitable.

For instance, when I buy birthday presents, rather than buying just one, I buy three or four or even five. And shower then on the recipient who doesn't know whether this is weird or to be pleased.

So I shower you with one or two or three posts at a time.

But you know not to be pleased but to frown upon me.

Victor.

 

[Tigerlily]

Turn that frown upside down!

 

[suzyk]

It's kind of stupid to an image that you are anything. Trying to look intelligent is just plain stupid. You could be an extremely enthusiastic extrovert, in top physical shape and you could still partake in 'highly intellectual' debates. You can work hard, but that doesn't necessarily mean you're intelligent. It's hard to define the word intelligent, since people are intelligent in their own ways. Having a foreign film collection and quoting Shakespeare all the time makes you look like a dork, no offense. My mother has a foreign film collection. Of Bollywood movies. And I hate my glasses, but I have to wear them because I watched too much television in the dark. Having glasses means nothing, essentially. People kill for 20/20 vision. Being a classical music fan doesn't mean you are intelligent either. It may mean that you have taste. I laughed at 'studying in an European country'. You could study in Germany, and in one of the worst schools, so it's a pretty poor thing to consider. People have studied in normal public schools and ended up with PhD's in math and science/the like. If this kid drinks wine when he's still in school, he has serious problems. You can be a liberal, and you can smoke pot at the same time.

That's just me. If you ever run into this guy again, tell him that he doesn't have to act intelligent to be intelligent.

 

[heykitten]

I've skimmed the thread and I concur with Blackmail that a lot of what goes for 'intelligent' is actually western intellectualism wrapped in class connotations or vice versa.

Yes, yes, yes, I completely agree. re: the characteristics GZA listed I would associate with an upper-class upbringing, specifically the opportunity to be surrounded by affluent ideals. To appear intelligent reminds me of Peter Keating (as oppose to Howard Roark who did not give a damn about how others perceived him) from The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand - he conformed to the societal ideals of success & everything the world inhibited, his intelligence was a means to an end rather than say, how I would normally define intelligence, that is to explore our own intellectual curiosity for the pure pleasure and reward of learning.

While you can't deny there is a correlation towards intelligent people liking certain things, e.g discussing philosophy, to mold yourself into what might 'define' intelligence is rather silly. For example, I have always questioned my own intelligence (extremely right-brain: conceptual and abstract in the way I perceive the world) vs. traditionally established definition of intelligence e.g. good grades in school, high iq etc. And if you define my traits by such restraints, then no, I probably would not seem 'intelligent'. Evidently, I feel to constrain yourself & others in very self-contained definitions is self-defeating.

 

[Mole]

We say we want a better job; we say we want better health; we say we want a better house; we say we want more money; we say we want to be more beautiful; we say we want to look younger; and we want a better car; we even say we want a better spouse.

But we never say we want to be more intelligent.

 

[heykitten]

We say we want a better job; we say we want better health; we say we want a better house; we say we want more money; we say we want to be more beautiful; we say we want to look younger; and we want a better car; we even say we want a better spouse.

But we never say we want to be more intelligent.

Curiously, who are the 'we' you are referring to?

 

[heart]

Appearing intelligent?

Better to keep one's mouth shut and have people think you're an idiot, than open it and let them know you really are one.

Doesn't matter what you do, people will think what they want to anyway, based on their own preconceived notions. Better to just live and enjoy life.

 

[Blackmail!]

Doesn't matter what you do, people will think what they want to anyway, based on their own preconceived notions. Better to just live and enjoy life.

The voice of wisdom!