Oh and they're clever, of course

"Well, intelligence in the abstract has no value. If your intelligence hasn't been noted by your fellow man, perhaps the question to ask yourself is why you have failed to deploy it in a more striking way...."

"Fundamentally, being underrated is a failure of presentation. I have always flattered myself that I am overrated. Perhaps you agree. If so, please don't feel obliged to leave a comment saying so."

I relate to this. I have a hypothesis that pleasing word choice is the key to being perceived as intelligent. David Mitchell strings words together like a regular PG Wodehouse. I also attribute my own overrating to the word usements that I structure. Even when a lot of it is actually memory that allows me to recycle Steve Martin quotes.

I also expect sounding smarter than you are may have something to do with speaking with a nuance of annoyance. Cynics just sound smarter. Nothing like a rant to make people think you're just brimming with intellect.