i think i'm becoming stupid

noreally.
i'm no saint. i'd like to fit in. its bad enough when you have to talk slowly so people understand you. its worse when you have to slow down your brain so people understand you. know what i mean?

last night someone said "i think i'd like to be a Spartan" and i laughed out loud.
me: i think you'd be more of an Epicurean. I don't see you as a Spartan.
s: why not. look at him (leonidas in 300). i'd like to be like that.
me: you're just looking at him from the brave warrior point-of-view. you couldn't live a Spartan lifestyle.
s (scoffs): Spartan lifestyle? You talk like you know all about it.
me: well. not all about it but i do know what their basic philosophy was and i know a Spartan wouldn't make a movie about himself.
s: oh come on. this is just hypothetical (he had ask me for the word.. "you know that word..where you're just imagining something...you know...")
me: yes. and again you couldn't be a Spartan. you're more of an Epicurean.
s: no i'm not.
me: do you even know what an Epicurean is?
s: no
me: hmm..
s: what is it? is it something good?
me: if you think so
s: huh?
me: (explain in gist what the Epicurean philosophy is)
s: hmm. how do you know so much? and why would you want to know it? its such a waste of time...but i guess that's what comes out of going to uni.
me: umm...its not a waste of time and i didn't learn this at uni and i don't know how i know this. maybe because i've always had intelligent friends before this.
s: (not very happy with me)
me: i think this country is making me stupid. when i say something smart, people think i'm deranged.. and i'm not even remotely as smart as most people i know back home. imagine?
when i say words like "pejorative" or "despot" or "bigot", people look at me and then just ignore it thinking they just didn't understand my accent again.
when i have a conversation with someone it is not even remotely intellectually stimulating and most of the time i'm quiet because i think if i open my mouth, my lack of stupidity will be revealed and i will be ostracised.
i am currently practising dumbing myself down.
not so easy if you have a brain.

(of course the last part was said in my head)

me: sorry. forget it. you'd make a good Spartan if you want to be one. lets talk about cricket. (thinking it to be a safe topic)
s: yea. its stupid isn't it. i wonder why he would call Symonds a monkey. just because he's aboriginal?
me: umm...no. i doubt people outside Australia know too much about the Aboriginal community and there could be another reason as well.
s: what's that?
me: that Symonds isn't Aboriginal.
s: what? of course he is.
me: nope. he's of West Indian origin.
s: really. how do you know that?
me: (here we go again...!!!)