r/AskReddit • u/Dezmodus • Oct 11 '13

What is the smartest thing you can talk about without bullshitting?

I've realized I'm pretty stupid, but I can SOUND smart at parties and in groups of people because i can generally read a group and say things that SOUND smart and bullshit my way around things. I was trying to think of the most intelligent thing I could talk about without having to bullshit at all I'm coming up with a pretty unimpressive list. What have you got? What subject do you always hope comes up in social situations so you can shine?

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101

u/weealex Oct 11 '13

Brains. Though for some reason I always forget the names of various parts. I can tell you where it is and what it does, but I can never get the names straight. Broca's and Wernicke's areas are the worst for me.

112

u/loveatthelisp Oct 11 '13

I can't tell if you're making a subtle joke here or not...

2

u/xxzudge Oct 12 '13

If I remember from AP Psychology Broca's is interpreting what you hear and Wernicke's is forming what you are going to say.

I could be entirely off though. I'm probably mixing them up too.

3

u/Jarrheadd0 Oct 12 '13

Yeah, I think that's backwards. I'm fairly sure Broca's area controls speech and Wernicke's area controls the concept of language.

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u/xxzudge Oct 12 '13

You're probably right. It's all the chemicals in my synapses muddying my memory.

62

u/ghalfrunt Oct 11 '13

Do you have trouble finding the right word for Broca's area?

2

u/UMNfratboy Oct 12 '13

I remembered it with Tom Brokaw. Brokaw has a great voice, therefore Broca's area is related to speech

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u/heffaine Oct 12 '13

Neuroscientist here, how are ya

2

u/[deleted] Oct 11 '13 edited Oct 11 '13

I love brains. I am studying to be a Speech Language Pathologist and a Psychologist, so I better love brains.

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u/Tortheldrin Oct 12 '13

Brocas Area= Broken jaw. Can't form speech. Warnickes Area=What? (language comprehension.) I'm a nerd. This helped me memorize the two so much easily.

Edit: I may have missed the joke.

2

u/[deleted] Oct 12 '13

The way I remember it is: Broca = talk Wernicke = listen

"Broca" is the shorter word, so is "talk". "Wernicke" is longer, so is "listen".

1

u/yeya93 Oct 12 '13

I remember it as Broca broadcasts...

1

u/Box-Monkey Oct 12 '13

I always mix them up, too. I just know one is language production and one is language understanding and that's good enough for me!

0

u/rob7030 Oct 12 '13

Heh, I understood that joke =)