The Toxicity of Smart-Shaming

By Herman M. Lagon

Over time, smart-shaming has infiltrated our educational system, transforming classrooms that ought to foster intellectual curiosity into places that stifle it. Making fun of students’ intelligence or sarcastically calling them “too smart” has become a common form of bullying in classrooms, hallways, and even faculty lounges. It’s not merely a fad but a sign of a larger social problem that devalues genius and elevates mediocrity. Unchecked smart-shaming can turn into gaslighting, in which students are tricked into questioning their intelligence and losing confidence in themselves.

In its most basic form, smart-shaming can take many different forms. Students who perform well in class are called “teacher’s pet” or “know-it-all,” while those who appreciate in-depth discussions are sneeringly remarked upon with remarks such as “Ikaw na ang magaling!” or “Pabibo!” You are the greatest, aren’t you? Especially when teachers engage in this behavior, what begins as a joke can swiftly escalate into something much more harmful. Teachers and administrators can do long-term harm when they engage in this type of bullying. Students may shut down, cease participating, and doubt their capacity to succeed academically due to the emotional toll of being made fun of by an authority figure.

This type of bullying is similar to gaslighting, which manipulates victims by making them doubt reality. When a student is smart shamed, their capacity, skill, or talent is being questioned. Phrases like “Eh di ikaw na” are used to minimize and dismiss, making students feel bad about their smarts. This can eventually skew a student’s view of themselves, making them think that their intelligence is a weakness rather than a strength. This slow loss of trust is consistent with the traditional gaslighting patterns, in which the victim starts to doubt their worth and contributions.

Academic confidence can be negatively impacted by smart-shaming. According to studies, students’ willingness to participate completely in their education is affected when they feel ashamed about what they know or can do. According to James M. Kilgour’s research in 2015, shame in medical education can have serious emotional repercussions and cause students to disengage. Similar to this, Guy J. Curtis’s 2023 research entitled “Guilt, Shame, and Academic Misconduct” highlights how emotions of shame and guilt can affect behavior, frequently leading students to engage in academic dishonesty rather than succeed. These emotional effects may limit students’ potential, which can persist throughout their academic careers.

In addition to being toxic, a culture that rewards mediocrity while penalizing academic excellence is also highly detrimental. Ironically, education is meant to be the great equalizer—the rung on the ladder that lifts people out of poverty and into better lives. Smart-shaming, however, teaches students that it is preferable to fit in than to stand out. This sorry practice appears tragically ironic in our country, where education is highly valued for upward mobility. We encourage students to perform well but also discourage or drag them when they do well.

In schools, the normalization of anti-intellectualism fosters an atmosphere where intellectual curiosity is viewed as elitism rather than a worthy endeavor. Filipino culture strongly emphasizes conformity, frequently at the expense of individuality, according to Dr. Virgilio Enriquez’s concept of pakikisama, or getting along with others. This can result in disliking students who perform exceptionally well in school, which feeds the vicious cycle of smart-shaming. In addition to stifling academic potential, this cultural pressure to fit in also stunts the growth of critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills, which are vital in today’s society.

Smart-shaming has consequences outside of the classroom. Constantly being made fun of for their intelligence can cause students to doubt their objectives, reduce their academic expectations, and, in the worst situations, quit school entirely. Joel Pablo Salud’s article tells the tale of Tony Dizon, a teacher made fun of on national television for providing the incorrect response. Despite his remarkable academic credentials, the smart-shaming Dizon endured demonstrated how public humiliation can undermine confidence in even the most educated people. Imagine the effect on a student still figuring out if this can happen to a teacher with years of experience.

The subtlety of smart-shaming is what makes it even more pernicious. It frequently passes for friendly banter or harmless teasing, but its true meaning is more harmful: intelligence poses a threat. This aligns with the larger cultural trend of anti-intellectualism, which views people who question accepted wisdom or offer unconventional viewpoints as outsiders. According to Jeannine E. Turner’s 2018 research on emotional and cognitive self-regulation vis-a-vis academic shame, students who felt ashamed of their academic performance were less likely to participate in subsequent assignments. This suggests that smart-shaming deters students from realizing their full potential.

The answer to smart-shaming is to foster a school culture that values intellectual achievement rather than mocking it. Students, teachers, and administrators all need to understand the negative consequences of this behavior and take action to foster a more welcoming environment. This entails educating teachers on spotting the warning signs of smart-shaming, whether from staff members or students and ensuring that intellectual curiosity is welcomed rather than scorned. It also fosters an environment where challenging concepts and posing queries are respected rather than mocked.

We cannot afford to silence people who want to think critically and participate deeply in a world where superficiality and false information are frequently the norm. “Restlessness is discontent, and discontent is the first necessity of progress,” Thomas Edison famously stated. Even when it contradicts the status quo, we must create environments that promote inquiry and intellectual exploration to advance. We must stop smart-shaming and begin recognizing the genius that every young mind possesses to benefit our students and society.

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Doc H fondly describes himself as a “student of and for life” who, like many others, aspires to a life-giving and why-driven world grounded in social justice and the pursuit of happiness. His views do not necessarily reflect those of the institutions he is employed or connected with.