<p>paro, I know what you mean. Not to sound arrogant (haha, kind of ironic), but for most of my school career, I’ve been the smartest person in the room (granted, I go to crappy public schools). When you answer a question and ever the TEACHER stares at you with glazed eyes and slack jaw, you have to deal. You’re right, that kind of cocky intellectual elitism IS a defense mechanism. I suppose it CAN be helped, but it developed for a reason.</p>
<p>yup, me too abt the public schools. even in IB.
mebbe it can be helped… mebbe thats why we need to go to these elite colleges just to find ppl on our wavelength so that equally stimulating conversation leads to dissipating that arrogance. </p>
<p>at least i hope so =) gluck to ya.</p>
<p>Exactly. I’m hoping to go to college somewhere that will humble me intellectually. Put me in the position of being the idiot in the discussion on occasion, but more often in a group of peers. I want someone to challenge my ideas, not agree dumbly. I was someone to question me, argue with me, make me defend my statements. I’m sick of winning all the arguments :P</p>
<p>How does one become less arrogant? Look up “Terence Tao” on Wikipedia.</p>