Simple Ways to Look Smart
photo credit: prashant_zi
Most people want others to think them clever or smart. In some cases, they probably care about this more than whether others think they’re good-looking, funny or even nice.
Why? Seeming smart is a nice ego boost for many. Bluffing to appear clever can get you a long way in many areas of life: professionally, socially, romantically and so on.
Your professional standing has great bearing on perceptions of your intelligence: if you’re a personal trainer people might highly unfairly assume you’re a bit dim. If you’re on a prestigious graduate employment scheme, people will tend to credit you with greater intelligence than is usually the case.
If you’re on a first date and can say a few knowledgeable-sounding things it will count in your favour, whether your motives are noble or otherwise.
But the question for this post is: how can you fake it? Below are a few little tricks I’ve used in my time to appear smarter than I feel:
- Use broad, non-committal statements. This is an entry-level tactic, suitable really only for a throwaway comment. “What did you think of War and Peace?” “Well, it has its merits.”
- Use the word ‘nuance’ a lot. One of my favourite phrases: “that’s not a terribly nuanced view”. This suggests you see all sorts of flaws in and counter-arguments to your interlocutor’s position without actually having to specify any.
- Be Socrates. Other people will often gift you with sweeping statements. Play devil’s advocate and ask lots of questions such as ‘what about…?’ and ‘what if…?’ Chances are people haven’t really thought through their position and will flounder a little. You meanwhile appear thoughtful and surefooted without actually having to put anything forward yourself.
- Be cynical. Again, this suggests you see a deeper current in whatever is the topic of discussion. “It’s great that interest rates are down, that makes my mortgage cheaper.” “I wouldn’t get too excited, let’s see how long it lasts.” I’ll put a health warning on this one though: endless cynicism might make you look clever, but it can also make you a bit of a downer to be around.
Remember, bluffing can only get you so far. Relying too heavily on any of these tactics will swiftly get you found out. And if the discussion starts getting deep you’ll need to up your game or, horrors, actually know what you’re talking about…
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I think one of the cleverest ways of looking smart is an approach one of the lecturers took in my former department. His approach was to say very little in meetings, he would just sit there with his fingers in the shape of an intellectual pyramid*. At each point in the conversation he would raise a single eyebrow or at an important point the bold but subtle head shake. But this was not enough to convince you he was a true genius that came with the killer punch. Just when you thought you had wrapped up the entire meeting, he would open his mouth and give a single but genius argument winning suggestion. The effect or should that be affect was to leave everyone basking in his smarts. However, ten minutes after the meeting you would realise all that he had done was restructure all the previously rejected ideas into one new cool groovy idea. One could describe such a person as someone who recycles old smart into new groovy sexy smart, the environmentalist of looking smart if you will.
That is all
Factual Footnote warning
* The intellectual finger pyramid should not be confused with the evil finger pyramid which involves drumming the finger tips whilst quoting the Simpsons. Nor should it be confused with the illuminati finger pyramid which involves positioning the left eye just above the tip of the finger pyramid and ushering light from it, tricky but useful when you can’t find the keyhole to your front door during the middle of the night.
@Nat: that’s another excellent strategy for looking smart. Again it’s all about giving the impression you’re having deep thoughts without having to think any. A single raised eyebrow accomplishes that nicely.