(Mods: If this is in the wrong forum, please move )

I don't mean to start any potentially inflammatory debates or arguments here, but I have seen the term "pseudo-intellectual" thrown around quite often online lately.

What constitutes "Pseudo-Intellectualism" and how does it differ from true Intellectualism? Moreover, is that term made up by people as a defense mechanism, or, worse, trolling?

The impression I get about "pseudo-intellectual" thinking is that many who partake in that type of behavior tend to talk about information without necessarily studying it or applying the proper research. I've seen it used when people often comment on stories with second-hand or improper knowledge of what they are researching.

However, I have also seen the term used when referring to something outside the realm of academia, such as song lyrics. In some cases, I have seen "pseudo-intellectual" applied to Bad Religion's Greg Graffin, despite the fact he holds a doctorate in zoology and is currently a professor at UCLA and Cornell.

In that case, could the term "pseudo-intellectual" be considered a pejorative, or a matter of opinion? Unless something meant to be "lowbrow" is covered in flowery language and holds no educational value apart from the surface, isn't "pseudo-intellectual" a matter of opinion?

Just trying to see what others have to say about it. Though I could be horribly off the mark in my own assumptions/definitions.