Why Do People Think I'm Smart?

Why do people think I’m smart?

…is it because I talk in English often? Nah. Blame cable TV. I had an early jumpstart when it came to HBO, Cartoon Network and MTV when my mom decided that we’re going to be the first household on our street to ditch Filipino soap operas for foreign TV when I was 10. And when you get addicted to the tube at an earlier age, English slang gets imbued to your brain subconsciously. This plus working in a call center for 3 years talking to Americans 8 hours a day (or more) for 40 hours a week (or more),  it’s no wonder you even talk to stray dogs in English.

…is it because I love to read books? Not exactly. I love to read books only when there’s nothing good to watch on TV or there’s no new porn available on the net. Besides, I don’t have a cabinet chuck full of books, well not yet. It’s good to exercise your brain once in a while and expound your vocabulary beyond the conventional cuss words. Besides, my sister loves to reads books. Well pocket books that is, and I don't hear anyone calling her a rocket-scientist either.

…is it because I got good grades when I was studying? That’s because I did study, when absolutely necessary not, because I’m smart. I graduated with honors when I was in elementary and high school because there wasn’t enough people to choose from who didn’t drink and engage in premarital sex (I got started on those two way to late, but that’s a different story). And you should’ve seen my innumerable 4’s and 5’s when I was in college. See? I’m not smart.

…is it because I write in complete sentences? Shouldn’t we all? In this day and age where jejemon and textspeak is deemed normal and acceptable by today’s urban youth, someone’s got to preserve the foundations of basic, sane and normal communication. I want to uphold what the earliest homo sapiens fought hard to achieve; the use of a subject and a predicate in a sentence. Tell me, is that too much to ask?

…is it because I watch weird films? Do I really have a choice? Just because I prefer to watch Kurosawa and other Asian art films or prefer watching “Schlindler’s List” over “Dude, Where’s My Car?” or “One More Chance” does not mean I’m smart; it means I have good taste in films. I know better than to waste my already impaired vision on poor cinematography or abuse my hearing with bad cliché lines.  My time is better spent analyzing the significance of Spielberg’s chrome choice in his films rather than wondering if Richard Gutierrez will end up with Rhian Ramos or Lovi Poe. “You had me at my best, she had me at my worst…” gosh, I’d rather gargle liquid nitrogen.  

…is it because I’m not athletic? Heck no.  Why do people automatically assume that just because I know nothing in handling a ball nor do I know who Blake Griffin is, I’m suddenly a geek or math wiz? People should realize that geeks can be athletes too and vice-versa. Look at Craig Breslow, a football player who has a degree in molecular biophysics from Yale under his belt. The line drawing nerds and jocks apart is slowly becoming blurred. I’m not athletic because I’m physically thin, I’m afraid of the sun and I’m lazy. Period.

…is it because I love techy stuff? In the modern century everybody should embrace technology. Let’s face it; these gadgets will ultimately dictate the course of humanity in the next few decades. It’s important for everyone and I mean everyone, smart and not-so-smart alike to be fully aware on how to harness the technological prowess of today’s modern inventions. Besides, you don’t see me lining at the Apple® store to get my latest Steve Jobs fix now do you? I don’t consider myself techy smart, just technologically up-to-date.

…is it because I look like a nerd? Okay, just because I don’t have the looks of the latest Korean boyband members and just because I don’t moisturize or comb my hair (often), some would automatically assume that I’m smart. I’m indifferent. I don’t care how I look like as long as I’m wearing clean underwear. Society has this definition that people who don’t comb their hair, has socks that don’t match their shoes or wear glasses are introverts who have an IQ of 300. Hello? How about Natalie Portman who’s a Harvard graduate or James Franco who attended graduate school at Columbia? They don’t look like smart but they are. As for me, I ain’t smart; it’s just that my fashion sense is totally non-existent.

…is it because I ask people…a lot? I ask people a lot because I’m curious and is just naturally nosey not because I’m smart. I want to know what’s going on in their lives or if they have a problem that they’re willing to share. I ask a lot because I want to learn all sorts of things. I ask a lot if in case they have a hearing problem and they don’t hear the first time around I ask them and just because I’m naturally makulit.

…is it because I talk to myself? I have this sick habit of talking to myself when I’m thinking out loud. I think this does not make me smart, just borderline schizophrenic. Right Al? Right! Wait what are we talking about again? I’m just saying that at times you talk to yourself. I don’t talk to myself. Yeah you do! No I don’t, I’m just thinking out loud. See?

Why do people think I’m smart? Or are they just plain stupid?LOL

I'm not smart, and yes i'm not kidding.