An Observation (3)
Be suspicious of anyone who claims to be an intellectual. Especially if they say anything to the effect of: ‘I like to think of myself as something of an intellectual…’1
Be suspicious of anyone who makes you feel stupid. You probably are stupid, but that’s not the point. The sort of person who makes you feel stupid is afraid that you might—on some small subject—know more than they do, while the sort of person who can actually teach you something will point you towards the things you need to know by encouraging your enthusiasm to learn them.†
This can be communicated through bearing, as well as words—be wary!
† Such people are often good at making you feel as though you are more intelligent than they are, though they will occasionally let the mask slip, just a bit, so they retain their credibility; after all, no one really wants to be taught by a complete idiot.
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