[raganwald]

I think it's important to pick and choose how we conduct ourselves in life carefully. I have met many smart people. Some do alienate others around them, they are "intellectual bullies." Others are reserved and/or withdrawn, neither encouraging nor discouraging others. And yet others are encouraging to all they meet.

I'm not in the same category at all, but I think of people like Feynman, he was not shy about criticizing policies he disliked, but he also worked tirelessly to bring more people into science.