Appear Intelligent
Have you ever wished to appear more intelligent than you actually are, but are perhaps too lazy or lack the aptitude to actually become smart? Have no fear, because if you accomplish everything suggested here you can with ease appear as intelligent as even the most eminent scholars.
Contents
Steps
- Wear glasses. People often associate glasses with intelligence. In fact, this has been studied by body language experts.
- Buff up your lexicon. It's common knowledge that intelligent people tend to use longer words. However, when someone intentionally warps their speech into a bunch of--ahem--sesquipedalian, loquacious verbiage--it looks silly, and is obviously fake. Intelligent people use longer words because they're more precise and efficient, and they help explain things in a way that's more easily understood (if you can get a handle on the vocabulary, at least). Avoiding slang helps. If you want to improve your vocabulary, read! You don't have to memorize Great Expectations, especially when a good novel will accomplish the same thing.
If you want to adopt this speech pattern and are 13 or older, I recommend reading the web comic Girl Genius--it's a steampunk web comic that demonstrates how to do this well, while being funny, entertaining, and free to read at the same time. Nearly all the characters speak this way, and they use plenty of longer words you can pick up. Download a dictionary app on your computer or phone, or keep a dictionary site open, so you can understand unfamiliar words. You also get bonus nerd points for reading GG, because it's an extremely nerdy comic. - Enunciate and speak clearly.
- Speak only when you have something substantial to contribute.
- Don't use sentence fillers, such as 'umm..', 'errr...', and 'like'. Sentence fillers make you appear as if you don't know what you are talking about or just appears as less mature (especially when you say like in a weird context). Pause, and run your sentence past in your head before you say it. Pausing to think for a second always looks intelligent.
- There are basically two looks to go for: option one, the preppy 'Oxford'/'Harvard' look. The full intellectual look is nearly always casually smart. You will need several well-fitting suits and at least one tweed or moleskin blazer. Don't go for the cheap suit; it looks like you don't know how to dress properly and are only wearing a suit because of decorum. Furthermore, cut your hair. Whilst not quite a requisite for intellect, it shows that you want to look smart but don't wish to have to maintain your look (as in not wanting to style your hair every morning, but still wishing to be efficient).
The other option is the long-haired, bohemian, 'I don't care what you think' look - a risky bet because it can easily be confused with the 'I'm too poor and lazy to wear proper apparel' look. This option is okay for the impoverished genius, but may not get you that post at Oxford or Yale. - Eccentricity can be effective, but can be easily misinterpreted; go for the eccentric Edwardian gentlemen as opposed to the tortured Gothic.
- Learn things in quick ways. Want to carry on a conversation with your well-read friends? If you don't have much patience for the classics, read CliffNotes so you at least know what they're about.
Familiarize yourself with famous authors and popular philosophies. Get abbreviated, crash-course lessons on a couple different topics of your choice. Art history? Go for it. Want to know all about the Civil War? Look on the Internet. Mildly interested in psychology? Try the book Psych101--it's a small book that'll familiarize you with the basic theories and theorists, and you can pick it up and read little bits at your leisure. - If someone asks you something, answer them as completely as you can with your current knowledge. Don't make things up. Truly intelligent people are secure in their intelligence, so they're not afraid to admit they don't know everything about everything. Nobody does.
- Avoid swearing and use of other types of 'vulgar' language. The primary reason to swear is to use 'shock' tactics; using language that society has deemed inappropriate is supposed to add meaning to your statements. Intelligent people have more creative ways to make their point than bad language, and they tend to look down upon profanity. Give it a rest.
- Be sure you're not being arrogant--this has nothing to do with being intelligent, and all too much to do with being rude and conceited.
Tips
- Ask lots of questions. It increases your intelligence when you listen to the answers, and also shows that you're paying attention, making you look more intelligent. Win-win!
- Hang around with intelligent people, and listen a lot. You'll find that the more you try to understand, the more intelligent you become, or at least the more intelligent you'll look.
- It's actually not difficult to pick up smarts you don't have to fake.
Warnings
- Don't try to one-up or argue with people who actually know what they're talking about. You will be shot down, and pegged in that person's mind as irritating.
- Don't be a jerk.
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