Act Dumb

While most people want to be perceived as intelligent, there are situations where playing dumb can be beneficial. At work, for example, pretending to know less than you do can make competitors see you as less of a threat. You also may want to act dumb in certain social situations to avoid intimidating others. To act dumb, talk in a fashion that makes you seem less intelligent than you are. Slouch when speaking, mumble slightly, and express yourself in cliche terms. Engage in behaviors thought of as less intelligent, like having a very black and white view of the world. Do not act dumb all the time, however. Acting dumb as a form of manipulation, or in romantic relationships, will not work out well longterm.

Steps

Speaking in an Unintelligent Fashion

1. Slouch when you talk. People perceive posture as a sign of intelligence and confidence. People who sit up straight when conversing, with their chin up, come off as smart. If you want to appear dumb, do the opposite.
   • Slouch slightly in your chair when you speak, or slouch over when you stand.
   • Keep your chin down slightly. Keep your neck tense as well, as this will make you struggle slightly with your words. Being inarticulate may make people think less of your intelligence.
2. Mumble. Smart people tend to talk loud enough for everyone to understand. People perceive those who are easy to hear as smart. To appear dumb, keep your tone quiet and mumble slightly. If people cannot understand you, they may assume you're not smart.
3. Phrase things in an unintelligent fashion. Intelligent people tend to use unexpected phrases and language well. They may draw analogies that are not cliche. Non-specific phrases may make people think less of your intelligence. You may look somewhat careless if you phrase things vaguely or make heavy use of cliches and idioms.
   • Try to use expressions like "a dime a dozen" and, "It's raining like cats and dogs." Avoid originality in your language.
   • You can also try using big words. Strangely, big words often make people question your intelligence. Highly intelligent people are able to boil down complex concepts in terms everyone understands. If you overuse big words, people may feel you're overcompensating for a lack of intelligence.
4. Struggle to express yourself. Intelligent people usually talk with a lot of clarity and precision. They also have a lot of charisma, and are able to vary their tone considerably in conversation and come off as excited about what they're saying. If you want to appear unintelligent, feign difficulty when expressing yourself.
   • When talking in a situation, take a long time to make your point. Think about how you may talk when you're nervous. Try to employ the same tactics. Struggle a little to get your words out.
   • Limit tone variation. Try to sound a little bored and disinterested as you talk.

Behaving in an Unintelligent Manner

1. Adopt a poker face. This is important to appearing dumb. You do not want to look like you're reacting to another person. People may perceive you as dumb if you appear unresponsive to what's going on, so work on maintaining a neutral expression.
   • To maintain a neutral expression, keep your mouth straight. Do not focus too much with your eyes. Keep your cheeks slack.
   • Strive to stay aware of your expression. A lot of times, your resting face may look tense or focused. People are often unaware of their resting face, so take note of your expression from time to time throughout the day.
2. Claim to believe in fate and superstition. People who are firm believers in fate, superstition, and folklore are often perceived as less intelligent. If you want people to believe you're dumb, work on feigning these types of beliefs.
   • Engage in small superstitions throughout the day. Pretend to be nervous if it's Friday the 13th. Do things like throw spilled salt over your shoulder, express fear over black cats, and avoid behaviors like walking under ladders.
   • Mention fate from time to time. Say things like, "I guess it was just meant to be" and "I hope the powers that be are on my side today." Make a point of mentioning your horoscope for the day.
3. Avoid being a know-it-all. If you're an expert in a particular field, try to conceal this. If you come off as a know-it-all, people will think of you as intelligent and may be annoyed by your tendency to correct others.
   • For example, say you know a lot about history. If a co-worker or friend mentions a fact about a US president you know to be false, bite your tongue. Avoid the urge to correct this person.
   • Instead of correcting your friend, say something non-committal and vague back. Try something like, "Oh, that's interesting. I'll look into that more later." You do not necessarily want to agree with someone when they're wrong, but you don't want to be overly critical either.
4. Pretend to see things in a black and white fashion. If you're unable to see the complexities in life, people may perceive you as less intelligent. Intelligent people are often modest and have a degree of uncertainty and skepticism. Work on speaking in black and white terms in daily conversation if you want to look dumb.
   • Use statements like, "Well, that's just the right way to do this" and "This study shows this is true." Statements with more ambiguity, like "This is one way to do this" and "One study indicated this has validity, but we need more research" are likely to make you look more intelligent.

Avoiding Pitfalls When Acting Dumb

1. Learn when acting dumb can benefit you. Acting dumb is not a great strategy to employ all the time, but has some benefits. It's important you play dumb in the right situations and not all the time.
   • In the work place, it's a good idea to act dumb in front of superiors. This does not mean making people think you're unintelligent to the point of incompetence, but you should avoid correcting your boss or key clients. Acting dumb can make you seem cooperative.
   • You should also act dumb when acting intelligent may insult someone. For example, say a friend misuses a word in a conversation. Sometimes, the most tactful thing to do is to pretend you did not notice the error.
2. Be subtle in your approach. Playing dumb can work great if you want to avoid coming off as intimidating, but you should avoid overdoing it. If you act completely clueless, it can come off as an act. If you, for example, use big gestures when playing dumb, or ask very obvious questions, someone may think you're actually making fun of them. When playing dumb, stick to a subtle approach rather than an over-the-top one.
3. Reconsider playing dumb in romantic relationships. Many people, especially women, feel people may prefer someone of less intelligence in a relationship. Playing dumb to get a romantic partner is likely to backfire for several reasons.
   • People do not always want a long term match who is of less intelligence than them. If someone is dating casually, a partner's intelligence may not be a major factor. However, a lot of people prefer someone smarter in the longterm.
   • It's hard to maintain an act in the long term. While you may be able to keep up the dumb act for a few dates, your true self will eventually come out. If you're looking for a longterm relationship, do not downplay your intelligence.
4. Do not act dumb as a form of manipulation. Many people play dumb in relationships to get out of trouble. You may, for example, deny you had manipulative intent when you did by acting incredulous when someone is upset with you. This can be very damaging for the people around you. It will lead to relationship problems, so never play dumb in order to manipulate another person.
   • If you chronically play dumb to manipulate others, seek therapy. A qualified therapist can help you learn to have healthier relationships with others.

Related Articles

• Become a Stereotypical Dumb Blonde
• Avoid Being Laughed at for a Dumb Mistake
• Cosplay As Elle in "Legally Blonde"

Sources and Citations

See also

• Wear a Denim Jacket (Men)
• Be Bad
• Be a Proper Young Lady
• Be Dark
• Be a 90's Grunge Girl
• Change Your Whole Personality
• Be a Conservative Girl
• Act Like a Baby Again
• Be Proud, Not Cocky and Conceited
• Be a Bad Boy

Read more ...