# So you're suddenly an expert - Gaaah! is there a name for this sort of behaviour? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 6, 2001, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-suddenly-an-expert-gaaah-is-there-a-name-for-this-sort-of-behaviour/85844 "2001-10-06T23:15:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2001, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-suddenly-an-expert-gaaah-is-there-a-name-for-this-sort-of-behaviour/85844/1 "2001-10-06T23:15:50Z")
My first Pit thread, and possibly too mild to be pit-worthy, but something annoying keeps happening. Somebody will post a question (we’re talking GQ here, it’s facts they are after). Somebody (sometimes me) will answer it (or try to) The Orignal poster then either: [li]Disagrees with the answer they were given.[/li][li]Turns out to know the answer anyway, but just wanted to belittle anyone who gave a simplistic answer.[/li] So you asked a question, but now your an expert eh? \ Look, I try to answer questions, sometimes I get it wrong, _I don’t mind_ if somebody corrects me, I might even learn something, but it seriously pisses me off if the person correcting me is the one who asked the bloody question. What’s with this bloody pretence business?, does this behaviour have a name? [sup](it’s not quite the same as trolling, is it?)[/sup] ---
**Author:** ![Waverly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/57b2e6/32.png) [@Waverly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waverly)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-suddenly-an-expert-gaaah-is-there-a-name-for-this-sort-of-behaviour/85844/2 "2001-10-07T00:12:58Z")
Happened to me just yesterday. Several people, including myself, answered the question correctly. The OP then came back and disagreed, now intent on believing the exact opposite. It would have been different if he had made an argument or introduced new information… but no, he just wanted the other answer. I’ll not link the thread and embarrass the newbie OP. I hopefully I set him straight. This phenomenon is worthy of a term. How about Dissenting Revelation or Contrary Savant? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-suddenly-an-expert-gaaah-is-there-a-name-for-this-sort-of-behaviour/85844/3 "2001-10-07T01:35:14Z")
I have always been a fan of “intentionally obtuse.” ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-suddenly-an-expert-gaaah-is-there-a-name-for-this-sort-of-behaviour/85844/4 "2001-10-07T02:17:12Z")
How about **Satanism** [sym] **y** [/sym] ??? \<—turns off SarcasMeter. ---
**Author:** ![aseymayo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e57/32.png) [@aseymayo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aseymayo)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-suddenly-an-expert-gaaah-is-there-a-name-for-this-sort-of-behaviour/85844/5 "2001-10-07T02:49:09Z")
Show-oafs? Or (stealing a gag from Clive Anderson) we could call them Mr. Spooner’s Shining Wits. ---
**Author:** ![whistlepig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/73ab20/32.png) [@whistlepig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whistlepig)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-suddenly-an-expert-gaaah-is-there-a-name-for-this-sort-of-behaviour/85844/6 "2001-10-07T02:49:59Z")
Could it be a sub-version of Male Answer Syndrome? MAS = The inability of a male to NOT answer any question. Just try asking a male if he knows how much candy was imported by Poland last year. He can’t say, “Nope, no idea.”, he will have to try and answer. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-suddenly-an-expert-gaaah-is-there-a-name-for-this-sort-of-behaviour/85844/7 "2001-10-07T03:17:07Z")
> [@](#): > > What’s with this bloody pretence business?, does this behaviour have a name? > (it’s not quite the same as trolling, is it?) Not QUITE the same, but it is annoying, and it might be jerkism. I don’t believe that we have a specific name for this behavior (I’m American, no U in there) but if I see it, I’ll call the OP on it. Lynn ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-suddenly-an-expert-gaaah-is-there-a-name-for-this-sort-of-behaviour/85844/8 "2001-10-07T14:20:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Waverly \* > \*\*This phenomenon is worthy of a term. How about Dissenting Revelation or Contrary Savant? \*\* How about a Vos Savant? ---
**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-suddenly-an-expert-gaaah-is-there-a-name-for-this-sort-of-behaviour/85844/9 "2001-10-07T18:07:08Z")
> [@](#): > > So you’re suddenly an expert - Gaaah! is there a name for this sort of behaviour? Why, so you can be Mr. Smarty-Pants and call people complex names? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Bluesman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@Bluesman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bluesman)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-suddenly-an-expert-gaaah-is-there-a-name-for-this-sort-of-behaviour/85844/10 "2001-10-07T18:44:17Z")
“Invincible Ignorance.” ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-suddenly-an-expert-gaaah-is-there-a-name-for-this-sort-of-behaviour/85844/11 "2001-10-07T19:12:41Z")
In the field of ethics (and I believe also theology), it’s called _feigned ignorance_. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-suddenly-an-expert-gaaah-is-there-a-name-for-this-sort-of-behaviour/85844/12 "2001-10-07T20:42:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by erislover \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > So you’re suddenly an expert - Gaaah! is there a name for this sort of behaviour? > > Why, so you can be Mr. Smarty-Pants and call people complex names? > 😛 \*\* no, just so I can say “aha, another case of XYZ” and leave it at that. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-suddenly-an-expert-gaaah-is-there-a-name-for-this-sort-of-behaviour/85844/13 "2001-10-07T20:44:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Libertarian \* > \*\*In the field of ethics (and I believe also theology), it’s called _feigned ignorance_. \*\* I think I’ll go with that. thanks Lib. ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2001, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-suddenly-an-expert-gaaah-is-there-a-name-for-this-sort-of-behaviour/85844/14 "2001-10-08T07:48:06Z")
how about “85” it fits ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2001, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-suddenly-an-expert-gaaah-is-there-a-name-for-this-sort-of-behaviour/85844/15 "2001-10-08T08:23:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Critical1 \* > \*\*how about “85” > > it fits \*\* eh? ---
**Author:** ![heresiarch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/278dde/32.png) [@heresiarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heresiarch)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-suddenly-an-expert-gaaah-is-there-a-name-for-this-sort-of-behaviour/85844/16 "2001-10-09T08:13:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mangetout \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Libertarian \* > > \*\*In the field of ethics (and I believe also theology), it’s called _feigned ignorance_. \*\* > > I think I’ll go with that. thanks Lib. \*\* ::sigh:: **Mangetout** , you should have shouted “ **WRONG!** ” and gone on to belittle **Libertarian’s** vocabulary and knowledge of ethics. 😃 Well, it woulda made _me_ laugh… ---
**Author:** ![urban\_gorilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/7c8e57/32.png) [@urban\_gorilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/urban_gorilla)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-suddenly-an-expert-gaaah-is-there-a-name-for-this-sort-of-behaviour/85844/17 "2001-10-09T09:10:11Z")
i believe **“The Deeper Meaning of Liff” by Douglas Adams & John Lloyd** (yes, that IS the correct spelling) holds the answer to your question. > [@](#): > > PRAGUE (verb) - To declaim loudly and pompously upon any subject about which the speaker has less knowledge than at least one other person at the table. ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-suddenly-an-expert-gaaah-is-there-a-name-for-this-sort-of-behaviour/85844/18 "2001-10-10T00:45:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mangetout \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Critical1 \* > > \*\*how about “85” > > > > it fits \*\* > > eh? \*\* from one of the alien flicks, there was a dumb prison guard whos nickname was 85, turned out it was his iq. nice obscure you can say like its an insult and get the eh? in response. ---
**Author:** ![rushtopher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e47774/32.png) [@rushtopher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rushtopher)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-suddenly-an-expert-gaaah-is-there-a-name-for-this-sort-of-behaviour/85844/19 "2001-10-10T04:29:34Z")
How serendipitous, as I look right now the above is your 85th post. Why Uri Geller would think that was amazing.