"he's actually smart"

Have you ever noticed, that when someone says something like "I am actually really smart" or "They are actually smart" you tend to believe them, no matter what you were first inclined to think about said person. Its a weird thing. People lie all the time and we don't believe them. They might say "I have a lot friends" and we could look at them and go "You know, i don't think really have many friends, and the fact that they are lying about this makes me wonder if they have any friends at all?" But something about proclaiming intelligence we accept hole heartedly.

Maybe this comes from our own insecurities. Everyone who is intelligent (and understand, its sad but true, not everyone is intelligent) usually has a specific way they are intelligent. This leads them to worry about the areas in which their brain just doesn't seem to work as well in. I mean, the fact is that being intelligent in one area automatically allows you to recognize were not intelligent. But then again, having intelligence usually allows you to have a basic understanding of this area to fake your way throw, or push your self to improve and eventually learn about and improve upon your week areas.

I myself have uttered this self affirmation to others. It has always been to strangers or new maybe friends, at a time when my intelligence might be in question, or when my self deprecating social anxiety thinks it is in question. It is followed by past experiences that proves my intelligence, my SAT score (1452) the fact that participated in a gifted youth competition (winning the north east chapter) or sometimes if i want to go deep enough, when i feel truly threaten, the fact that my grand father, two uncles and myself have all had to see specialist because of a mental break down that was caused by "hyper analyses" that is commonly found with people that have high IQs. I say none of this to brag, but to defend. The funny thing is that i here this from almost everyone, who doesn't want to defend their intelligence.

So just remember, people lie, a lot of people lie, and we don't have to believe them. The next time you here those fateful words "actually smart" stop and think about it, how are they smart? What do they have that proves this? Even if there is something to prove it, do they still have their intelligence? Because it easily diminishes.