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And difference between that and blowing smoke up your own ass on a job application? We all do it. Most of the time sincerely. What's the difference between somebody stating an honest fact that they have achieved just to make conversation and you judging them as some kind of asshole?
Some times people ask me what I'm writing my final paper on for this year and I give simple but pointlessly vague answer. I don't want to look like a douche by listing a bunch of Philosopher names who I've only just learned the significance of myself over the semester. It's the audience that makes the "one-upmanship" call. I could be talking to a resentful anti-intellectual, or a generally curious soul or a fellow philosophy student. I can answer al three with the same answer and appear completely different to all three. Am I a prententious one upper? Am I condescending? Am I adequately answering the question? The audience will pick me apart as they wish.
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