Have you ever wondered if some smart people, are so smart they sound dumb?

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   Lee Lee 513posted 10 years ago

   Have you ever wondered if some smart people, are so smart they sound dumb?
   
   Maybe they seem dumb because they're talking over my head. I'm average intelligence and read some of the posts, thinking wow that was not anything I understand. Then you see one person who talks like a famous person or politician and you think, the post is so fluffed up with big words and supposedly thought provoking content but know one ever answers them. They maybe are coming across with an attitude like I'm smarter and better then you. I just wonder why they need to be that way?
   
   

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   Bubblegum Jonesposted 10 years ago

   Sometimes people who are book smart don't have any common sense.

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   peeplesposted 10 years ago

   I think those big words are just natural. My 10 year old talks like that. I actually have to ask him to dumb it down for his brother sometimes because otherwise the two would never be capable of having a conversation. However I make it very clear to him NOT to dumb it down for anyone else. He's smart, and it's okay if other people don't understand him sometimes. He is smarter than those who don't understand him, and there is nothing wrong with that. If he surrounds himself with peers who are on the same academic level it won't be an issue. Now in reality he has NO common sense. He has Aspergers. He has moments where I am dumb founded at how smart he is and how little of the most basic things he knows. Sometimes I think the brain just has to save room for the important stuff.

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      Lee Lee 513posted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Do actually say that in front of his brother? I'm just asking because it may give your son a complex about being dumb. You maybe comfortable with considering yourself dumber then your son but it could damage, your other son.

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      peeplesposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I don't tell him that in front of his brother, and when I do say it I don't imply that his brother is dumb (he isn't) or say it in the same way,  just that he would be able to understand better.

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      Lee Lee 513posted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Sorry I misunderstood, thanks for clearing that up and thanks for your input.

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   mgeorge1050posted 10 years ago

   I feel that there are different ways of being smart.  I have known several intelligent people who seemed to have very little common sense.  I have also known several very successful people that were not very 'book smart'. 
   
   I would assume the more people that understand your posts, the better.  So I have to wonder, is writing an elaborate post on Hubpages really proof that the author is smart?  I would think a person that is truly smart would realize that most of us are of average intelligence, and adjust their posts to appeal to the masses.
   I think many of these folks just like to appear smart by using terms that are not common in day to day conversation.  I often ask simple questions in hopes of receiving simple, from the heart answers. Often I receive long, complex answers that seem like an effort to mock my intelligence, rather than answer the question.  These folks are not trying to communicate with us, they are trying to show everyone that they are so smart that they must be correct.
   You are exactly right about people not responding to some of these questions.  When it is clear to me that someone is purposely trying to speak 'over my head', I completely ignore the post. 
   I think of it like this, a doctor could easily speak over your head by using industry lingo and medical terms when explaining a problem.  However, most doctors are smart enough to understand that we don't all know medical terms.  I would not continue to see a doctor who refused to speak to me in a way I understand.
   This is one of the best questions I have ever seen here on Hubpages.  I know you will collect some wonderful answers.

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