/lit/ - Literature

Hi /lit/, help a Norwegian brother out

My friend is a pseudo-intellectual. He follows some entry-level courses on philosophy and sociology and name drops a lot of writers and concepts without actually understanding what he is saying.

Of course you also encounter these kind of people, those who are more interested in appearing intellectual than actually being an intellectual. Putting yourself on 'interested' on Facebook for public lectures about interesting subjects but never actually going. Paraphrasing arguments from online articles and then acting like they're your own. You know it. Maybe you're even one of them (I hope not).

Anyway, my question is: HOW DO I DEAL WITH THESE KIND OF PEOPLE. This guy annoys me to death, much to the point I don't see him as my friend anymore. When I call him out on his bullshit he gets really salty and his ego is obviously injured (he loves himself so much). But when I try to have a serious conversation with this guy he just gives me an incoherent and superficial monologue about stuff that wasn't even relevant to the conversation but he just wants to say to appear smart. When I try to counter his thin non-arguments he feels really attacked and defends himself till the end by subtly shifting his argumentation until his view point is completely changed and not relevant to the argument anymore ("No... I meant... You did not understand me"). This guy literally has TWO books on book shelf outside manga and study books, which are: The Metamorphosis and Dead Souls (of course he constantly quotes these books to appear well-read).

Example of conversation between me and him

"What do you think about Scotland wanting to seperate from the UK? I think the fact is that..."
"There are no facts bro, just like Nietzsche says, there are only interpretations"
"But that is not what Nietzsche..."
"Haven't you read Derrida? You see in our post-truth world [incoherent monologue where he name drops some more French philosophers he never read and only heard in passing in Philosophy 101]... And that is why Foucault says that even when we walk on the sidewalk we're under the power of the state!"

I'm asking you (providing you're not one of them) how to handle with these people, because it's driving me fucking crazy. They do not have the ability to listen and do not have the self-reflection to see what they're doing is just acting smart instead of actually engaging with the subject. I especially rage when other friends say "Wow that guy sure knows what he is talking about, he improved a lot in intelligence!" The worst thing is that pseuds like this sometimes get really far in life, look at all the Youtube personalities talking about philosophy and politics without actually saying anything. So, should I try to make him see his vain life, or should I just walk away because people like this are unsavable?

Also, share similar pseud stories like this, green text or not.

Peace.

>babies first edgefaggotry
do you want to learn or do you want some edgy catchphrases to chant to your friends to play the pseudointellectual?

>>4308958
>>he studies at Yale
>>you genuinely think he's required to put his heart and soul into 4chan posts
>>he studies at Yale
>>you don't