I agree, Ermitonto. It's not a recent problem, although I feel it's getting worse. I'm going to university soon, and I'm hoping that I'll be able to find people willing to have some kind of intellectual conversation. Most of the people I meet in social situations bore me (and alot of my friends) to death. I've been insulted for being reasonably intelligent, laughed at, chastised for having an interest in things other than television or getting wasted all the time. My response is always just "fuck you", and then I move on. :P