Pretending to be dumb to fit in is the most expensive costume there is.

Playing down what you know buys a smoother lunch table and charges interest later. The habit stops being a performance faster than you expect, because you also stop asking, stop putting your hand up, stop reading the thing you were curious about. After a couple of years the costume has taken over the wardrobe.

Pick one class this week where you answer honestly instead of strategically. Say what you actually think, at normal volume. A few people will find it annoying, and some of the others were waiting for permission to do the same.