A few years ago I was on a lunch break at work when my co-worker Jason walked in and darted in my direction without making eye contact or greeting anybody. He sat down abruptly and looked as if he couldn’t restrain himself. Like he’d been pondering the mysteries of the Universe and had an “Eureka!” moment.

“I just realized something about you,” he said. “You’re not stupid.”

“Well, hello to you too.” I responded,

“I have been trying to figure it out for weeks. When I have a conversation with you it is rational and interesting, but the moment we are working I can’t help but realize you act like a dumbass,” he said.

“You have been trying to figure out if I’m stupid or not?” I said, acting mildly confused at his assertions.

“You walk around here like you should be wearing a helmet, you do idiotic things, you seem as if you barely have the mental capability to function. At first I thought you were just either high or drunk all the time, but your pupils are never dilated”

“You have been paying that much attention to my behavior?” As I leaned back, staring at him.

“I can’t help it, I just can’t believe anybody could really be that stupid.” He said, now doubting if he was wrong in his assumptions and wondering if he had just insulted me.

He was right and I couldn’t help messing with him. This conversation went on for my whole break until I finally admitted to him that I was playing dumb. I started playing the role of the idiot at work when I realized nobody takes you seriously until you are at least 30 years old and I do not work in academia where it is essential to my job to convince others I am smart. I admit it is a fun role to play and it has become a survival technique at work.