What qualities can make a person appear intelligent, even if they are not highly educated or knowledgeable? What are some common characteristics of these individuals?

Highly educated, to me, means nothing.

Here are a few that I know influence me.

Look attractive. There is a chimp brain in me that links attractiveness with intelligence. A less attractive person looks dumber. But not “professionally” attractive. Too attractive, and it starts to feel that they are using it as a crutch in their life.

Treat people well. People who treat people poorly and are unaware of how they come across just seem dumber. Like they cannot see the bigger picture of what is going on.

Be open-minded and slow to speak. Not because you have “low self-esteem”. On the contrary, it is because you have exceedingly high self-esteem. The quick to speak and the closed-minded seem to have an inferiority complex to protect.

Now, there are fun fast talkers that are still very open-minded. So open-mindedness is more fitting.

Be positive. The light in a positive person’s eyes gleams intelligence. The negative person just looks dumber.

You don’t have to do any of these things actively. They are more a way of being and a mindset than an action.

If you feel positive, open-minded, and generous to people, then you instantly go up 50 IQ points in my mind.

And… this is best done as a personal understanding and attitude.

When this is done in a transactional way, it loses all meaning.

When someone has grasped why this is true and lives it, it is inspiring.