"How, in ordinary social interactions, do you decide someone is smart?"?

We must have an interior set of criteria that we apply to everyone we meet, and for some of them we apply the label smart or very smart. I think it’s also referred to as “intelligent.” That is, that people use the terms somewhat interchangeably.

I’m also trying get a sense of what people mean when they think someone is intelligent or smart. Is it always a good thing? Is it an attractive thing? Can it also be a repellant thing?

Do you apply these adjectives to yourself? Why or why not? Do you think that people who straight out tell you they are smart are telling you anything useful? Do you think they are bragging? Do you question their motives for broadcasting this?

Go thou and speak intelligently of intelligence!