What are some good ways to downplay your own intelligence/intellect in public?

vandaalen · 2017-09-26T13:05:18+00:00

quicklogaccount · 2017-09-26T14:04:45+00:00

Avoid conversations with more than one layer. Leave those to your bros, if they don't understand you, you're to blame, you're weird;
Get used to making conversations about hobbies, sports, trips, food, booze, some anecdotes about friends and family... Movies and tv series maybe. For god's sake never, ever bring up literature or books;
You probably read a lot about shit people have superficial opinions on. Don't EVER give a spontaneous lectures, people will feel challenged and will probably fail to keep track because they weren't paying enough attention. If you must, warn them beforehand (I like "I'll nerd this out because I really dig it"). People won't pay attention nor change opinions but they'll admire you at least;
Don't talk a lot;
If the person looks lost, go back to hobbies, family, pets, whatever;
Acknowledge when people say something smart.

I've met some real geniuses and one is a bro man. These guys could keep normal conversations without sounding condescending when they were 16.
The folks that couldn't, myself among them, were the arrogant pricks eager to show how much they knew.

Westernhagen · 2017-09-26T14:09:21+00:00

Screw masking and downplaying it. Your frame is weak. Operate from this frame: "I am intelligent and DNGAF who does not like that".

If you filter out some brainless twats who don't like intelligent men for some reason, that is a good thing.

What you want to do - and what is achievable if you work on it - is to project warmth and likeability as well as intelligence.

GreenPiller · 2017-09-26T14:07:23+00:00

To be fair, you have to have a very high IQ to understand Rick and Morty. The humour is extremely subtle, and without a solid grasp of theoretical physics most of the jokes will go over a typical viewer's head. There's also Rick's nihilistic outlook, which is deftly woven into his characterisation- his personal philosophy draws heavily from Narodnaya Volya literature, for instance. The fans understand this stuff; they have the intellectual capacity to truly appreciate the depths of these jokes, to realise that they're not just funny- they say something deep about LIFE. As a consequence people who dislike Rick & Morty truly ARE idiots- of course they wouldn't appreciate, for instance, the humour in Rick's existential catchphrase "Wubba Lubba Dub Dub," which itself is a cryptic reference to Turgenev's Russian epic Fathers and Sons. I'm smirking right now just imagining one of those addlepated simpletons scratching their heads in confusion as Dan Harmon's genius wit unfolds itself on their television screens. What fools.. how I pity them.

WISE_TURD · 2017-09-26T13:16:46+00:00

Are you sure you're reading this situation correctly? For example, are you steering the conversation toward topics that you understand and the other person doesn't?

A good socializer will allow them to feel smart/good about themselves, knowing they'll unconsciously associate you will that good feeling. Let then choose the topic, pick up on subtle "bread crumbs" they drop for follow up questions.

Read how to win friends and influence people. If you already have, read it again and implement it's advice.

AlexIsWhack · 2017-09-26T13:51:39+00:00

does it matter how smart you are when you are ugly?

Rian_Stone · 2017-09-26T16:30:37+00:00

When you stop trying to show off and seek validation for your brain, it goes away.

No one cares, you're simply validation seeking, not smart.

INTJokes · 2017-09-26T17:21:52+00:00

>tfw to intelligent

Title	What are some good ways to downplay your own intelligence/intellect in public?
Author	AlexIsWhack
Upvotes	2
Comments	12
Date	September 26, 2017 1:04 PM UTC (8 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/askTRP
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/asktrp/comments/72k6u5/what_are_some_good_ways_to_downplay_your_own/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/askTRP/what-are-some-good-ways-to-downplay-your-own.115064 https://theredarchive.com/post/115064

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