# How to combat pseudo-intelletualism



## Tezkatlipoca (May 7, 2012)

That's right, talking about all you nitpicking grammar Nazi's and fallacious filled argumentative philistines out there! How does somebody combat someone who could easily win over a dumb ass by appearing smart through constantly trying to make the other person seem stupid, in front of a crowd of idiots!?


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## Abraxas (May 28, 2011)

You don't.


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## Ras1983 (May 11, 2012)

I did it a lot when I was younger and less mature than I am now. It's very condescending to do that. I still do it to intentionally annoy friends that I argue/debate with, but I refrain from doing it otherwise. It's rude and is very disrespectful to the other party and, despite what some people would like to think, doesn't actually invaidate or rebutt the other party's argument.


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## day_dreamer (Nov 8, 2010)

Tezkatlipoca said:


> That's right, talking about all you nitpicking grammar Nazi's and fallacious filled argumentative philistines out there! How does somebody combat someone who could easily win over a dumb ass by appearing smart through constantly trying to make the other person seem stupid, in front of a crowd of idiots!?


I have been in that state so many times that I have lost count. It is best not to argue with those people, just make a statement that simple goes over their head and make an expression as to everyone knows it and that is normal. This will be a serious blow to their ego. All the more, add some real life facts to support your argument.

If they still continue to dwell on the triviality instead of moving on with the topic, simply smile and ask why they are wasting time on such petty things. Is it because they have no understanding of the subject or are they trying to impress the crowd? Straight forward statements like that delivered with calm, ease and a big smile will surely shut them up.

And all this while, play cool, calm and composed because the crowd of idiots will judge your by your composure and not what you say (coz most don't understand that, they just want to see who is winning).


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## Perhaps (Aug 20, 2011)

I just call them on it. Calm and matter-of-fact.

Yes, it's combative, but it gets the point across that you know what they're trying to do and you aren't having it. People engage in this sort of behavior because it has a way of tripping others up in a way that _does_ make them look more intelligent, simply because the other party is so frustrated by their nonsense that they can't form a coherent reply. It's really a thinly-veiled emotional attack disguised as "debating," because it's coming straight out of their insecurity and intended to humiliate.

Afterwards? It's really not worth continuing to talk to them. Utter waste of time and energy.


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## Tezkatlipoca (May 7, 2012)

Action Potential said:


> I just call them on it. Calm and matter-of-fact.
> 
> Yes, it's combative, but it gets the point across that you know what they're trying to do and you aren't having it. People engage in this sort of behavior because it has a way of tripping others up in a way that _does_ make them look more intelligent, simply because the other party is so frustrated by their nonsense that they can't form a coherent reply. It's really a thinly-veiled emotional attack disguised as "debating," because it's coming straight out of their insecurity and intended to humiliate.
> 
> Afterwards? It's really not worth continuing to talk to them. Utter waste of time and energy.


Some people indirectly do it, which ends in the same result. I know this girl who constantly does this. She constantly slings big words around and nitpicks at my grammatical errors to seem smart, even if she has no logical argument against my own. If she doesn't understand it herself she'll constantly try to make it seem like I don't know what I'm talking about, when clearly she's the one who isn't comprehending. She'll say things like "You don't even understand logic." or "Since you're 16 it's no surprise you're emotionally insecure." Major hypocrisy I'm dealing with here.


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## bionic (Mar 29, 2010)

Kick them in the face.


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## wiarumas (Aug 27, 2010)

You beat them at their own game... or one up them.

Editing to clarify: You humiliate them back while demonstrating your superior intellect. Don't back down, don't get overly emotional where it shows you lost control (rather firm and assertive), and simply bombard them to the point where they are unable to keep up with you intellectually.


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## AbioticPrime (Sep 1, 2011)

wiarumas said:


> You beat them at their own game... or one up them.
> 
> Editing to clarify: You humiliate them back while demonstrating your superior intellect. Don't back down, don't get overly emotional where it shows you lost control (rather firm and assertive), and simply bombard them to the point where they are unable to keep up with you intellectually.


+1. As a kid I had a hard time with this, I'd often try to logically explain and argue my point in front of a crowd of morons which always led to a wall of confused faces looking for a simple Americanized comic relief, which my opponents gladly offered. 

I've learned the only way to win is to use single or double syllable words, colloquialisms, and leave the rest to attitude.

You have to understand what most people listen to / like. They don't give a fuck about logical inconsistencies, faulty evidence, or straying from the point. They care about impact, wit, and confidence, even if it takes a hundred fallacies to deliver. Sigh.


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## Tezkatlipoca (May 7, 2012)

AbioticPrime said:


> +1. As a kid I had a hard time with this, I'd often try to logically explain and argue my point in front of a crowd of morons which always led to a wall of confused faces looking for a simple Americanized comic relief, which my opponents gladly offered.
> 
> I've learned the only way to win is to use single or double syllable words, colloquialisms, and leave the rest to attitude.
> 
> You have to understand what most people listen to / like. They don't give a fuck about logical inconsistencies, faulty evidence, or straying from the point. They care about impact, wit, and confidence, even if it takes a hundred fallacies to deliver. Sigh.


Problem I have is with someone misinterpreting information I give them, then trying to make it seem like I don't understand what I'm talking about. Basically using their own ignorance to try and make ME seem ignorant.


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## Marimeli (Apr 17, 2012)

wiarumas said:


> You beat them at their own game... or one up them.
> 
> Editing to clarify: You humiliate them back while demonstrating your superior intellect. Don't back down, don't get overly emotional where it shows you lost control (rather firm and assertive), and simply bombard them to the point where they are unable to keep up with you intellectually.


The problem I have with these people is they'll keep arguing points that make no sense and are totally unconnected to the argument just to keep it going. To them, it doesn't matter who makes the best argument; they win if they keep it going longest, so if you finally give up punching the jello of their idiotic responses, they celebrate and the onlookers think you lost because you gave up. Rrrrrgh, I HATE that.


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## Marimeli (Apr 17, 2012)

AbioticPrime said:


> +1. As a kid I had a hard time with this, I'd often try to logically explain and argue my point in front of a crowd of morons which always led to a wall of confused faces looking for a simple Americanized comic relief, which my opponents gladly offered.
> 
> I've learned the only way to win is to use single or double syllable words, colloquialisms, and leave the rest to attitude.
> 
> You have to understand what most people listen to / like. They don't give a fuck about logical inconsistencies, faulty evidence, or straying from the point. They care about impact, wit, and confidence, even if it takes a hundred fallacies to deliver. Sigh.


Like the family guy episode where Lois was losing the debate badly, so she stopped giving actual responses and just answered "Jesus" and "9/11" to every question and she won by a landslide.


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## AbioticPrime (Sep 1, 2011)

Tezkatlipoca said:


> Problem I have is with someone misinterpreting information I give them, then trying to make it seem like I don't understand what I'm talking about. Basically using their own ignorance to try and make ME seem ignorant.


I feel that. I've noted one hurdle for ti users is to express themselves in a way others can easily understand. This falls under the attitude/tone department, though many eventually find ways around it.


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## Tezkatlipoca (May 7, 2012)

AbioticPrime said:


> I feel that. I've noted one hurdle for ti users is to express themselves in a way others can easily understand. This falls under the attitude/tone department, though many eventually find ways around it.


Right, I guess this is a combination of their stupidity, and my incoherence. But mostly their stupidity, the most insulting thing about it is that she regards herself as an intellectual, when all she does is read the works and materials of other great minds like Einstein, Nikola Tesla, Neil Degrassi Tyson, you name it. And try's to seem so deep and profound by trying to say that "I'm not explaining my opposition clear enough." When my point is as simple as 123, I told her one time that she came off as "asexual" and she had to use the webster dictionary to look up what I meant, she took the actual textbook meaning into account, what do you call this?


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## AbioticPrime (Sep 1, 2011)

Tezkatlipoca said:


> Right, I guess this is a combination of their stupidity, and my incoherence. But mostly their stupidity, the most insulting thing about it is that she regards herself as an intellectual, when all she does is read the works and materials of other great minds like Einstein, Nikola Tesla, Neil Degrassi Tyson, you name it. And try's to seem so deep and profound by trying to say that "I'm not explaining my opposition clear enough." When my point is as simple as 123, I told her one time that she came off as "asexual" and she had to use the webster dictionary to look up what I meant, she took the actual textbook meaning into account, what do you call this?



I call this inability to conceptualize and think for oneself aka modern americanism. Sounds to me like an unhealthy sj on an ego trip.


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## Tezkatlipoca (May 7, 2012)

AbioticPrime said:


> I call this inability to conceptualize and think for oneself aka modern americanism. Sounds to me like an unhealthy sj on an ego trip.


Or a conceited ENTP, I try multiple times to get her to take the test, but each time she blows me off by saying "I don't wan't to fit myself into a box hurrrrr, it could change over time hurrrr."same shit over and over again.


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## Verthani (May 8, 2012)

Tezkatlipoca said:


> Or a conceited ENTP, I try multiple times to get her to take the test, but each time she blows me off by saying "I don't wan't to fit myself into a box hurrrrr, it could change over time hurrrr."same shit over and over again.


DON'T LABEL ME MAN! I'M A SPECIAL SNOWFLAKE!!!!111

No but seriously, she sounds awfully dramatic and annoying. There is a real thing called special snowflake syndrome though, and its basically a form of narcissism. Its hard to say is she's an SJ or an NT though just from that description. Although if she's really that unhealthy her Functions are going to be expressed so negatively it can be hard to recognize them. 

You ever hear that quote " Never mention a good movie in your bad movie." Well, I think " Don't bring up good ideas while arguing your bad idea." should also be used as well.


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## Tezkatlipoca (May 7, 2012)

Verthani said:


> DON'T LABEL ME MAN! I'M A SPECIAL SNOWFLAKE!!!!111
> 
> No but seriously, she sounds awfully dramatic and annoying. There is a real thing called special snowflake syndrome though, and its basically a form of narcissism. Its hard to say is she's an SJ or an NT though just from that description. Although if she's really that unhealthy her Functions are going to be expressed so negatively it can be hard to recognize them.
> 
> You ever hear that quote " Never mention a good movie in your bad movie." Well, I think " Don't bring up good ideas while arguing your bad idea." should also be used as well.


Dramatic in an indirect why, she tries to make it seem like she's above the topic and oh so stoic, when really she cares more than anyone else. I remember a while back she tried to convince me of being narcissistic and misogynistic because of a jokingly tone i displayed around her, her misinterpretation got me again. How could it be hard?


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## Abraxas (May 28, 2011)

After re-reading this thread, I still think my strategy is best.

Which is, essentially, "fuck em".

Win in the end game, 30 years later, at the high-school reunion, when you land a private chopper outside in the parking lot and explain you can only stay for a few drinks because you have to meet with the Nipponese suits in an hour to seal a multi-billion dollar deal.

Seriously, _who gives a fuck._ Pearls to swine, dude.

_Fuck em.

_Choose your battles carefully and conserve your energy for shit that really matters. Figure out the difference between a tactical victory and a dominant strategy.


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## affezwilling (Feb 1, 2011)

Well there is the old saying - Don't argue with idiots, they only drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.

Typically when confronted with these people I will debate them for all of about 30 seconds. Then I'll resort to acting like a second grader. If they're going to argue on the intellectual level of a child, I will make it obnoxiously clear that I can do the same thing. I'll probably even go so far as to call them a poopyhead or something of the sort at some point. I love arguing with children, or adults who act like children, it's a source of much amusement.


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