<p>I agree with pretty much everything sanjenferrer has said. Especially about name dropping not equaling intellectualism. If you know the philosophies of 20 different Ancient Greeks, that makes you learned and well-read, which in my opinion does not imply pure intellectualism. Obviously, it’s difficult to say what constitutes “original thought” as opposed to the regurgitated thoughts of dead intellectuals or connections between them. But when I think about the few people I consider intellectuals, I’m pretty sure they’re acquainted with Marx, Aristotle, Kant, and Plato, but I don’t hear them name-drop … pretty much ever. </p>
<p>I don’t know what it is, but something about name dropping, and making lots of references to movies like Hitchhiker’s Guide or Monty Python… stuff like that really gets on my nerves. Yes, it does seem sorta pretentious. Unalove, from reading your posts, I get the feeling that you’re not that kind of person. But I know kids who do that kind of thing, and they’re (as HS seniors) all very attracted to UChicago - which isn’t a bad thing, but is one of the reasons I never applied there.</p>
<p>I would never say this sort of UC student is an “affected intellectual.” I don’t think most people name drop or make ‘intellectual’ references to moves/books/philosophies in order to appear learned. I think these people really just are speaking their mind. However, I also think that something about doing this makes people who are “in the know” feel like they share a special bond that “normal kids” wouldn’t understand, and so the Monty Python and the Kant. Nevertheless, I find it annoying, sort of like - why can’t we just talk normally, without cross referencing the ideas of others?</p>
<p>This isn’t really a rant against UC, because I think all of the tech-y schools have lots of kids like this, although it might be especially prominent at UC and a small number of other schools. It just happens that this thread is on the UC board. This has just always gotten on my nerves. It’s the one aspect of “dork culture” that really irks me.</p>