keeping up appearances
This thing reminds me of this thing. It also makes me wonder if perhaps it isn't a little problematic to view the Harvard kid as an exceptional case, constitutionally a criminal whereas all the rest of us are perfectly normal, with all our ethical integrity intact. Certainly, it's probably not a bad idea to try to "seem smart" in addition to actually being smart if there's time and energy for it, since people seem to like it, part of seeming smart involves skillful navigation of social protocol, etc. I just wonder how much information from social appearances -- which can be manipulated perhaps to the point of criminality (e.g. Harvard kid above), and are surely heavily influenced by cultural associations (e.g. preferences for attractive/white/thin/rich/male) -- do play into things like academic success. These are things that we like to think of as totally "rational" processes (which obviously are not, even just by virtue of being carried out by human beings), and that we therefore actually use to judge people for... well, everything: jobs, salaries, character, suitability as a mate, etc. I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions.
ETA: Update on the Harvard kid, for the curious.
ETA: Update on the Harvard kid, for the curious.