Poll: Are you desperate to be seen as smart on the interwebs?
- Thread starter Reeve
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Generally I just try not to sound like an idiot which is why most of my writing goes unposted. Better to remain silent and be thought a fool I guess. Though honestly I'm probably my own worst critic, nobody expects anybody online to be smart so all I really have to do is not be a fundamentalist, shill, or scientific-illiterate and I'll be miles above the expectations.
I usually take weird/minority/contrarian positions, so 90% of the time I know I'm being seen as "stupid" or whatever by almost everyone who replies. Arguing a point often helps me figure out how I feel about something. Also, it's fun and something to do. I haven't done it much since I've met my girlfriend and got a full time job, though.
If I do post anything, it's because I am trying to add something new to the conversation. That, or maybe point out an inaccuracy that is detrimental to a discussion. If I am trying desperately to be anything, it's considerate. Even if I vehemently disagree with you, I still want to show that I respect you.
And sometimes I use big words like "vehemently". I can't help it, I'm an English major.
And sometimes I use big words like "vehemently". I can't help it, I'm an English major.
56% say no.
Yeah right. Read any post of any thread and you will be convinced otherwise. Except maybe those written by women.
The fact is, we speak by assertion. And one doesn't assert unless one believes one's assertion is right and wants to convince others of that rightness. And it's also a common assumption that smart people make right assertions, or at least make them more often. Hence the belief that smart = correct.
Yeah right. Read any post of any thread and you will be convinced otherwise. Except maybe those written by women.
The fact is, we speak by assertion. And one doesn't assert unless one believes one's assertion is right and wants to convince others of that rightness. And it's also a common assumption that smart people make right assertions, or at least make them more often. Hence the belief that smart = correct.
No, while I do try to form my comment in a mature/ well spoken way but do to my lack of grammer/ punctuation etc, I just type it out the way it is regardless it could of been well written/ witty.
Its hard to give a fuck when 30 seconds on Wikipedia can lead people to make the claim they have a PhD in Astrophysics. Combined with the fact that everyone online claims to have an IQ far above the average and trying to be a keyboard warrior just becomes pointless.
I am what I am. A student. Technically I am a liberal arts major. I do Sociology(Ba) as my major with Politics and Media and Cultural studies as Minors. Considering a lot of people here are Uni/College students and we have quite a few grads knocking around I am pretty much average.
The only piece of advice that I can give to people are lines from a Scroobious Pipp song (Which I will link, cause you know, why the fuck not?)
In this life you can be oh so smart or oh so pleasant,
For years I was smart, I recommend pleasant,
Being smart can make you rich and bring respect and reverence,
But the rewards of being pleasant are far more incandescent.
I am what I am. A student. Technically I am a liberal arts major. I do Sociology(Ba) as my major with Politics and Media and Cultural studies as Minors. Considering a lot of people here are Uni/College students and we have quite a few grads knocking around I am pretty much average.
The only piece of advice that I can give to people are lines from a Scroobious Pipp song (Which I will link, cause you know, why the fuck not?)
In this life you can be oh so smart or oh so pleasant,
For years I was smart, I recommend pleasant,
Being smart can make you rich and bring respect and reverence,
But the rewards of being pleasant are far more incandescent.
I don't care.
I do enjoy intelligent conversation, though, so it annoys me if I'm dismissed as stupid if I didn't express myself clearly or something. So I guess I'd like intelligent and knowledgeable people to acknowledge me as someone worth talking to, because those kinds of conversations are fun.
But it should be noted there is a difference in 'intelligent' and 'well-informed/knowledgeable'. I'm not an idiot, but I could not have an intelligent discussion about sport, because I have very little interest in it, and know very little about it. Even when it comes to video-games, some genres like fighting games are something I know very little of.
I do enjoy intelligent conversation, though, so it annoys me if I'm dismissed as stupid if I didn't express myself clearly or something. So I guess I'd like intelligent and knowledgeable people to acknowledge me as someone worth talking to, because those kinds of conversations are fun.
But it should be noted there is a difference in 'intelligent' and 'well-informed/knowledgeable'. I'm not an idiot, but I could not have an intelligent discussion about sport, because I have very little interest in it, and know very little about it. Even when it comes to video-games, some genres like fighting games are something I know very little of.
What do you mean? I don't really pay attention to whether posters are male or female, but are you saying female posters here aren't convinced they're smart?Blood Brain Barrier said:
I used to, and sometimes still.
Usually though I just post whatever's in my head concering the topic at hand... And I try to write it down in a way that won't make people think I'm a total moron.
Usually though I just post whatever's in my head concering the topic at hand... And I try to write it down in a way that won't make people think I'm a total moron.
I think for a lot of folks it's the desire to feel superior to another. This of course leads to the psychoanalysis argument about insecurities in their regular lives so they need to feel better about themselves in another location. it's the bully argument too.
I'm sure there are other reasons too though. I personally know I'm fairly intelligent so the opinion of random strangers doesn't matter too much for me.
I'm sure there are other reasons too though. I personally know I'm fairly intelligent so the opinion of random strangers doesn't matter too much for me.
I Clicked the bottom option!
I'd much rather be seen as kind than smart, but I do love trying to understand all of anything anyone has to say that is interesting (a bit like the gaymer con thread a few months ago- it was really interesting to read all the sides of it). Though from time to time I might feel like 'The only sane man' trope. I would love at some point in the future when I can afford to do, it study anthropology, just to learn more about it, and understand more about people! People are ace!
I'd much rather be seen as kind than smart, but I do love trying to understand all of anything anyone has to say that is interesting (a bit like the gaymer con thread a few months ago- it was really interesting to read all the sides of it). Though from time to time I might feel like 'The only sane man' trope. I would love at some point in the future when I can afford to do, it study anthropology, just to learn more about it, and understand more about people! People are ace!
When most of your friends are learning some form of engineering in college while you are learning history and you see how much you each know about a different thing, what "smarter" is becomes so blurry that it seems pointless to try in real life, let alone the internet.
Ehm, no, but when I am seriously discussing something I do want other people to seriously consider what I said (even in disagreement). So getting my points strawmanned, ad hominem'd, dismissed without a proper rebuttal etc. tends to irk me and make me snarky.