Does acting pretentious actually mean you have any intellectual value? My opinion: no, it usually means the opposite.

There's this old dude at work who talks like someone on the history channel, does that contemplative folded hands thing when he swings his chair around (think Dr. Evil), and if you hand him something while he's working, he won't bother to look away. He also tells really dry jokes and laughs like he should be having tea and crumpets.

Don't forget to stick up your pinky, you want them to know you're classy.