What do you call someone who is mediocre at best on a variety of fields but likes to pose as a polished and cultured person?
I’m not sure if I’m explaining this well. This person has a “I’m better than you” or “I know better and say it best” attitude, likes to pass as sensible and intellectual but when you contrast how they try to come across with what they actually do, how indifferent they are to others, and the quality of the skills they like to boast about it doesn’t add up. It’s all superficial, there is no substance to them, and no apparent self awareness ever of any of these shortcomings.
It’s like a special brand of “full of it”. Is there a word for it?
Dilettante is the word you want here, I think.
I think you nailed this one. Poser was my first thought, but a poser is someone who fakes an interest to fit in. Dilettante has that gatekeeping aspect to it, which seems important to OP’s description.
Exactly yes thanks. Gatekeeping is one of those words I tend to forget it exists
Yesss yes yes yes I think you’ve nailed it thank you! I didn’t know this word, I’ve read the definition and it suits quite well.
I agree with this, but it lacks the ‘pretentious air’ about the individual. A charlatan or poser equally partially describes this. This actually seems to be a missing term.