There are 13 choices, 22 votes for Defiant 1's debate

Why do people that "claim" to be intellectuals - treat people as if they were beneath them?

First, please know I take this subject very seriously and I truly want to hear other people's opinions regarding this.

The older I get, the more I see people who outwardly "claim" to be intelligent, intellectual or witty. And the behavior they project seems to be very immature, trivial and shameful. On top of that - they group together creating a "clique" in which they gang up on someone and try to push them out with "wits" and ridicule. And it reaaaaally bugs me - why do they do this??? And why can't they be civil with just anyone else?


  • first:

    their may be some who are like that, but that is a behavioral problem, that makes them use their abilities to undermine others. It has nothing to do with intelligence. Also; some intelligent people actually do NOT realize they talk down to people. It is an involuntary habit that comes with time. It is caused by having to speak in a more understanding manner around some people, which in turn develops into a habit of laymen speech submitted in an instructional form of language. For example: I speak like a teacher to my students in the initial conversation. Later as I get to know your abilities to communicate, I will adapt accordingly. I maen no harm in it. I feel compelled to teach others.

    18%  Voted for by frndofyaweh, ohsweetie2788, Aedon, emo-tech.
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  • force of habit

    It's nothing really personal, it's just habit. Intelligent people tire of explaining things all of the time. This is why they cluster together. Many people see this as arrogance, but think of how you feel when little kids ask why constantly. When they ridicule you remember they ridicule each other as well, so it's not like they're singling you out in their ridicule. I have yet to meet an intelligent person that isn't sarcastic. They do tend to assume you are stupid, and they should work on that, but it's not exactly unjustified. most people are stupid. I try to be, if not nice, tolerable to people, but ignorance is a pet peeve of everybody.

    18%  Voted for by Cornilius, MindsAbyss, Aedon, emo-tech.
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  • .

    It’s called “arrogance.”

    13%  Voted for by -BlackKnight-, ohsweetie2788, intangableenigma.
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  • who said it...

    I think it was an annonymous quote actually...(probably some monk or something like that) "A fool would say he knows everything, A wise man would say he knows nothing."

    9%  Voted for by evernot, Applehead.
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  • Complexes Force Man

    There are only very few people who can be declared as intellectuals in the real sense. Otherwise, mostly people are either sharp/wise or simple/fools…It is one of the two complexes including inferiority or superiority that leads man to think that he is intellectual or something great…....

    Voted for by Mujtaba H Zaidi.
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  • Intellectual or not

    I think someone who claims to be intellectual and then treats others as inferior cannot be superior, that's why the need to look superior as the inferiority is there.

    Voted for by Beena.
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  • If they are negative who cares

    If they are negative it makes no difference if they are intellectuals or bullies just avoid them. They clearly have nothing to offer you so why waste your time. Here’s a couple of my favorite positive intellectuals that may renew your spirit. Noam Chomsky and Alan Watts one is a political intellectual and one is my favorite spiritual intellectual.

    Voted for by Happy 420.
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  • distortion
    aren't they gay?

    wow, some of ya'll really miss the concept. which is kinda ironic for the question. distorted reality. if i hear 'this person is my favorite intellectual' again in this thread i will be disturbed myself. building other people up is just as bad if not worse than putting them down. this person fits the same description, just in reverse. think for yourself. that's really weird... i can't stand the word intellectual or calling other people intellectual. that false ego does not go hand in hand.

    ever heard of aquired narcissism? YOUR thinking gets other people's ego's out of control. people need to get out more and learn about other people. gain some experience.
    Voted for by slush.
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  • Simply because
    They are, or they perceive them to be. Yet intelligence is one mere aspect of man's (and woman's) ability; as would many sporty or popular people, eccentric or religious, upper class or racially different, determine that they are superior in some way to their nearby counterparts.

    Does superiority demean power? Most likely, yes. Does it demean the abuse of power and the gratification of self? Doesn't have to.
    Voted for by TeChNoWC.
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  • RIGHT ANSWER
    It's because they're pissed at the world for giving them no one to relate to. And the fact that humans have potential and choose not to use it is incredibly depressing and they then resort to changing that depression into anger and hatred for the world not being made for them.
    Voted for by irrelevantfears.
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  • Intellegence is not Wisdom
    I believe that what Conilius said might very well be true, however I believe that some people who say that they are intelegent treat people wrongly for another reason. They try to convince themselves of their intelegence just as hard as they try and convince others. Also they might very well get tired of explaining away what is obvious to them but if they were wise they would strive to do so any way. I believe in wisdom over intelegence. Intelegence is when you can answer a mans questions, wisdom is when you can teach a man how to answer his own questions. Where intelegence says something is impossible, wisdom looks at what the past says was impossible and what is now. Just my humble opinion.
    Voted for by ForsakenAnimaForAng.
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  • Pride
    Pride comes before the fall. If they have more pride in themselves than they really deserve, or if they "lift themselves up", they will have a tendosy to be cruel.
    Voted for by Doom Pickels.
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  • Go figure...
    Anyone that needs to "claim" and "broadcast" their intellectuality is merely extrenalizing their aggressions. In some way, shape or form, they feel insecure (probably even dim witted). To reinforce their own self esteem they are driven to proving to anyone that they are not what they fear they may be.

    To me, the first indication of an insecure, closed minded person is their insistence that they are intellectually sound. I figure, if someone needs to tell others that they are intelligent or be condecending to prove some point, then they are best left alone with themselves (since they have issues nobody else can help them with).

    School setting suck, becuase it is what happens. Sadly, it is the "adult" emerging in teens. Unfortunately, they are only acting out what they see in adult behaviors. Just like most other foul realities in this world, it's a cycle that won't be broken until someone can see what they are doing as a pathetic, subconcious program that they picked up and intergrated into their personality.

    It's not new, superiority complexes have been a reality since the beginning or recorded human history. To consider something I heard...

    even in the worst prisons where we put rejects of our society there is a superiority complex... even among thieves and killers, some believe themselves above others.

    Go figure...
    Voted for by JM Kenyon.
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