Wanting to look smart keeps your hand down. Wanting to get smart puts it up.

Those two goals sound similar and pull in opposite directions. Protecting an image means avoiding every situation where you might be visibly wrong, which is the same list as every situation where you might learn something. Asking costs you a moment of looking behind and buys you the thing you were missing. People who seem to know the most usually gave up on looking clever years ago.

Ask the question you almost asked this week. Say plainly that you do not follow. Notice how many people quietly needed the same answer.