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What a lot of people don't understand is that the "anti-intellectual mentality" is not brand new.
It was alive and well when I went to elementary school in the 1960's. The biggest heroes in the school were "jocks". Not the kids who read better than anyone else, nor the kid who could write the best essay. If you showed that you knew more than average kids about a particular subject by asking questions or responding well to the teacher's questions, you'd end up being ridiculed for that. Teachers even joined in. What I observed during both my elementary and junior high years was that a handful of kids--usually those with great athletic ability--were singled out by the teachers for praise and most of the other kids were ignored.
I do think the problem is worse today than it was 45 years ago though. I primarily blame t.v. and the mass media for it getting this bad. Here are some examples of how mass media is making things worse:
1. Proliferation of programs like "cop-shows", "soap operas", and programs that glorify everything from teen motherhood to one's dancing style.
2. Advertisements which market to the "lowest common denominator".
3. The lack of news programs which provide any depth to their coverage. Sure, we know someone is getting killed in the Middle East. What we never see is any program that attempts to explain the historical reasons for the violence.
4. News channels like MSNBC and FOX that appeal to exactly one political point of view and never challenge their viewers to explore the convictions and stereotypes that they hold.
5. Radio hosts like Rush Limbaugh or Glen Beck which promote one point of view for a couple of hours and hold the attention of listeners by making shocking (and often totally untrue statements).
6. Taking up long blocks of media time with silly quiz shows like "Let's Make a Deal".
7. Features that focus on the reverence in which professional football players, baseball players, and basketball players are held.
8. Stories that play to the obsession some have with misfit famous people like Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, or the Kardashians. "Personality journalism" in general is a huge waste of everyone's time, yet it is remarkably good at finding viewers or readers among the general public.
9. Giving some people who really have no legitimate point of view, substantial media time to promote ridiculous viewpoints. I would include people like Jenny McCarthy who mindlessly rant about "the evils of vaccination" a forum to spout her nonsense. Another would be, all the people who claim global warming is "made up" when 90% or more of scientists know that it is not.
10. The relegation of any programs about science to special educational television stations. Only PBS has a program like "NOVA" and a relatively small group watches that.
The first step towards fixing this problem would be a media that voluntarily stopped promoting anti-intellectualism. I doubt it will happen in my lifetime.
Last edited by markg91359; 05-10-2014 at 09:34 AM..
True -- nothing brand new about it. The terms "egg-heads", "ivory-tower" have been around for a long time. There will always be at least some anti-intellectualism because of the way the university world is cut off from the real-life world. There are those who never leave the universities -- they study and study and study but cannot hold down jobs outside the university. They can be viewed in a certain way by those who deal in the more practical world.
Anti-intellectualism has a long history in American life, and is rooted in the myth that academically accomplished people cannot possibly possess any practical, "real world" intelligence. The classic treatment of this subject is Richard Hofstadter's Anti-Intellectualism in American Life.
Anti-intellectualism has a long history in American life, and is rooted in the myth that academically accomplished people cannot possibly possess any practical, "real world" intelligence. The classic treatment of this subject is Richard Hofstadter's Anti-Intellectualism in American Life.
Unfortunately, America's practical culture has never embraced intellectuals. The intellectuals' education and expertise are viewed as a form of power or privilege. Intellectuals are seen as a small arrogant elite who are pretentious, conceited, snobbish.
I think anti-elitism is a strong part of American culture and is the basis for the great success of this country.
Put a physics or math professor at a pool table against a pool-shark --- the professor can preach about vectors, angles, and forces but can he beat the pool-shark when it comes to reality and applying them? Most Americans would put their money on the pool-shark.
Put a physics or math professor at a pool table against a pool-shark --- the professor can preach about vectors, angles, and forces but can he beat the pool-shark when it comes to reality and applying them? Most Americans would put their money on the pool-shark.
I bet Usain Bolt could beat any biophysicist in a sprint too.
What a lot of people don't understand is that the "anti-intellectual mentality" is not brand new.
It was alive and well when I went to elementary school in the 1960's. The biggest heroes in the school were "jocks". Not the kids who read better than anyone else, nor the kid who could write the best essay. If you showed that you knew more than average kids about a particular subject by asking questions or responding well to the teacher's questions, you'd end up being ridiculed for that. Teachers even joined in. What I observed during both my elementary and junior high years was that a handful of kids--usually those with great athletic ability--were singled out by the teachers for praise and most of the other kids were ignored.
I do think the problem is worse today than it was 45 years ago though. I primarily blame t.v. and the mass media for it getting this bad. Here are some examples of how mass media is making things worse:
1. Proliferation of programs like "cop-shows", "soap operas", and programs that glorify everything from teen motherhood to one's dancing style.
2. Advertisements which market to the "lowest common denominator".
3. The lack of news programs which provide any depth to their coverage. Sure, we know someone is getting killed in the Middle East. What we never see is any program that attempts to explain the historical reasons for the violence.
4. News channels like MSNBC and FOX that appeal to exactly one political point of view and never challenge their viewers to explore the convictions and stereotypes that they hold.
5. Radio hosts like Rush Limbaugh or Glen Beck which promote one point of view for a couple of hours and hold the attention of listeners by making shocking (and often totally untrue statements).
6. Taking up long blocks of media time with silly quiz shows like "Let's Make a Deal".
7. Features that focus on the reverence in which professional football players, baseball players, and basketball players are held.
8. Stories that play to the obsession some have with misfit famous people like Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, or the Kardashians. "Personality journalism" in general is a huge waste of everyone's time, yet it is remarkably good at finding viewers or readers among the general public.
9. Giving some people who really have no legitimate point of view, substantial media time to promote ridiculous viewpoints. I would include people like Jenny McCarthy who mindlessly rant about "the evils of vaccination" a forum to spout her nonsense. Another would be, all the people who claim global warming is "made up" when 90% or more of scientists know that it is not.
10. The relegation of any programs about science to special educational television stations. Only PBS has a program like "NOVA" and a relatively small group watches that.
The first step towards fixing this problem would be a media that voluntarily stopped promoting anti-intellectualism. I doubt it will happen in my lifetime.
I agree with your first statement, but disagree with your third paragraph. Most of your examples are the same today as they were in the 1960s. The only ones that have changed since the 60s are #4 and #5 with the growth of conservative radio and the Fox network.
We have more television channels today than the three networks and PBS in the 60s but the game shows, sitcoms and police dramas are similar. I do miss the westerns from the 60s.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RogersParkGuy
Anti-intellectualism has a long history in American life, and is rooted in the myth that academically accomplished people cannot possibly possess any practical, "real world" intelligence. The classic treatment of this subject is Richard Hofstadter's Anti-Intellectualism in American Life.
I agree. I have a brother who is convinced that intelligence is mutually exclusive with common sense, and practical skills such as plumbing, electrical and carpentry.
A recent example of anti-intellectualism in America's universities is the shunning of Condoleeza Rice, well-known intellectual and "war criminal" according to the loudest voices at Rutgers. When the loudest voice wins, intellectualism loses.
If the intellectuals aren't even running the universities anymore, is intellectualism dead?
Edit: FWIW one of the young protesters at Rutgers said Barack Obama wouldn't be welcome either, because drone strikes make him a "war criminal", too.
I'm not sure how either of those choices would be called "anti-intellectual".
It is very thoughtful choice of the part of the students. Rejection of the status quo usually correlates with intellectualism.
I think there has been a decline in intellectualism, particularly on college campuses of late, also.
But this move by the students of Rutgers gives me hope.
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What has caused the anti intellectualism in our American Culture?
