Y'all know pseudo-intellects. Whether it's in a college classroom, in an internet debate, or a dinner table with your friend's arrogant S.I., you've encountered them. They pretend to know everything.
Well, last week, Reddit user u/PoodleDoodle22 asked, "What's a sign someone is a pseudo-intellectual?" People came through with red flags and signs you can spot when dealing with someone that screams that they're a fake intellectual.
We've all dealt with these people before, so let's just get right to it. Here's what they said:
1. "They like to 'debate,' but shut down and get angry the second they get an unexpected question or have to think about their answer."
2. "They debate and don't let anyone else speak, and when someone does try to speak, the other person just talks louder and faster."
3. "In internet debates, the trend in the past few years was just to just say, 'I'm not reading all that' when they encounter an argument they can't counter."
4. "When they tell you their IQ and it's always suspiciously high."
5. "They hyper-focus on a single source of wisdom or completely ignore their opponent's perspective. Actual intellectuals read broadly, and the best intellectuals read things they disagree with."
6. "They also talk endlessly, using word salad. True experts are direct and to the point. They summarize initially and then can dive into details as needed."
7. "I guess it depends on how you define intellect, but some of the smartest people I know have a very narrow band of knowledge, such as a friend who got his Ph.D. in theoretical math and works in cryptography but he knows nothing about other fields. Psuedo-intellectuals will pretend they know it all."
8. "Pseudo-intellectuals love to name-drop famous experts in the field, and will often do that in lieu of a real explanation when challenged to explain themselves."
9. "They don't validate the experiences of others, which are often backed by science or data, if they haven't been through it themselves."
—Anonymous
10. "Really intelligent people are very secure in their intelligence but fakers will most likely be trying to put others down to seem smarter."
11. "Reminds me of my mom's fiancé. Says things as if he understands the topic completely and then when gently pressed, completely crumbles and can't form coherent thoughts."
12. "They absolutely cannot fess up to their own mistakes."
13. "They repeat what you already said, in a slightly different way, and act as if they're adding to the discussion."
14. "They refuse or are unable to explain something in an easier, more digestible, and understandable way when asked about it."
And lastly:
15. "They will never say they don't know something."
Did they miss any examples? Let me know in the comments below!
Responses edited for length/clarity.