People Who Are Artificial Intellectuals Usually Say 9 Phrases In Everyday Conversation
Mona | Pexels Overconfident people are usually more unskilled, but society often pressures us to place trust in those claiming to be right without much evidence or empathy.
These kinds of artificial intellectuals usually use certain language that give them away almost immediately. They don't mirror the same curiosity as their truly smart peers, but instead operate from a place of superiority combined with some underlying insecurity.
9 phrases artificially intellectual people often say in casual conversations:
1. 'I'm obviously right'
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Intellectual humility is the key to learning, which is why it usually differentiates a true intellectual from a fake one. Fake intellectuals are overly arrogant and tend to only highlight their opinions and beliefs, trying to be right before anything else.
Actually smart people are less worried about correctness and are way more driven by understanding. You'll rarely hear a smart person trying to make everyone think they're definitely right, especially if they're interested in actually solving a problem or coming to some sort of agreement.
2. 'I know what I'm talking about'
If someone relies on "I know what I'm talking about" to build trust, instead of actually using evidence and knowledge to support a claim, there's a chance they're overconfident and not truly intelligent.
If you feel called out or even somewhat embarrassed for just asking questions when you're around them, chances are they're more worried about their own mental superiority than anything else.
3. 'You just won't get it'
If someone can't explain something in simpler terms and is trying to sound like they have all the answers, that's a huge sign of artificial intellect. They might know the highlights and have the complicated vocabulary to sound like an expert, but if nobody else understands them, it's clear something is falling short.
While not everything can be perfectly simplified and tied up with a nice bow, our brains do prefer the simplest, clearest explanations. That's why intelligent people, more interested in collaboration and understanding, always make an effort to simplify.
4. 'Why are you so against me?'
All people are born with a certain foundation of curiosity. It's a human instinct. But it's the most intelligent people who live by their curiosity and use it to accumulate knowledge, practicing it often in their social interactions.
You can spot a true intellectual from a fake one by their openness. So, if someone gets defensive when you ask them questions or avoids creating space for you when you disagree, they're probably not as smart as they're pretending to be.
5. 'I don't need to know that'
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Smart people are often more open-minded. They're not just interested in things they don't understand and expanding their knowledge, but they can indulge in hard conversations and challenges without shutting down.
But when an artificial intellectual is presented with a topic or challenge they don't understand, they immediately get defensive. That's part of why they often stay stuck in their overconfident state.
They never learn, because they're not interested in leaning into the discomfort we need to evolve. They talk around things and overemphasize their expertise, but clearly create no space for nuance.
6. 'I just have a complex vocabulary'
Clarity is how people judge competency, but it's also necessary for productive conversations and collective understanding. So, the smartest people are careful about simplifying complicated topics and using language that everyone can understand.
Using complicated language for the goal of sounding smart is a misguided tactic, at least according to a 2005 study. "I just have a complex vocabulary" is most often used by artificial intellectuals because they care more about sounding smart than actually being curious.
7. 'If you disagree, you're just wrong'
Disagreement often takes much more humility and cognitive effort to engage in thoughtfully. It's no wonder fake intellectuals tend to struggle when someone's asking a lot of questions or bringing a different perspective to the table.
Compared to true intellectuals who enjoy learning and empathy in their conversations, these fake people rely on condescending language to support their own correctness. "If you disagree, you're just wrong" is a stark difference and a huge warning sign compared to a truly smart person's "How can I better understand you?" or "Tell me more about that."
8. 'I know that's too much information for you'
The kinds of people trying to sound smart often use all kinds of hyperbole and exaggeration in conversations to shine a spotlight on their vast vocabulary. Because their sense of confidence comes from external perception, they're very clearly more interested in sounding and seeming smart than actually understanding.
They can also be pretty darn condescending. They may thrive when they feel superior, so they make others feel beneath them with phrases like "I know that's probably a lot for you," not always realizing that they're shutting the door on productive conversations.
9. 'It's profound'
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The most intelligent people simplify not only their language, but even the most complicated ideas as well. They can summarize big topics and make things easier for whoever is around them to understand without even trying that hard.
Overconfident, pseudo-intellectuals actually want to feel like they're the only person who understands something complicated. While they usually don't have the knowledge to back up their claims, they'll throw around phrases like "it's profound" or "don't worry, it's really complicated" to kinda bring other people down and reaffirm their own intellectual dominance.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
