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One of the first steps that dictators take is to eliminate the intelligentsia. The reason is obvious: Intellectuals will ask difficult questions that said dictators don't want to have to answer. It's much easier just wiping them out or sending them to a work camp.
Would you say that modern political parties are anti-intellectual? If so, why?
Isn't this a concerning trend?
It is concerning, but it's far from the whole story. Some intellectuals prostitute themselves for a piece of the pie under totalitarian rule. Others are open admirers of totalitarianism.
Furthermore, democracy is at least as congenial to anti-intellectualism as dictatorship. In terms of basic principles, it is more congenial. It's nearly always the elected legislatures that promote whatever popular idiocy is popular at the moment, and it's nearly always unelected jurists who reel it in (though not often enough).
Those who claim they are, I find seldom could figure their way out of a wet paper bag. Those who remain fairly calm and quiet, and can do things with machines, like build more machines and are in other ways wise, seem to me to be the ones who are really intellectuals.
Some left wing intellectual knockin down 150,000 a year standin their runnin his yap mean nothing to me. Why? Because he can't figure his way out of a wet paper bag.
One of the first steps that dictators take is to eliminate the intelligentsia. The reason is obvious: Intellectuals will ask difficult questions that said dictators don't want to have to answer. It's much easier just wiping them out or sending them to a work camp.
Would you say that modern political parties are anti-intellectual? If so, why?
Isn't this a concerning trend?
Are you talking about Iran or Syria? What dictatorship...?
It is concerning, but it's far from the whole story. Some intellectuals prostitute themselves for a piece of the pie under totalitarian rule. Others are open admirers of totalitarianism.
Furthermore, democracy is at least as congenial to anti-intellectualism as dictatorship. In terms of basic principles, it is more congenial. It's nearly always the elected legislatures that promote whatever popular idiocy is popular at the moment, and it's nearly always unelected jurists who reel it in (though not often enough).
Some intellectuals are self-serving weasels, so if they think they can benefit from a stupid system, they will often serve as its apologists. Witness Paul Ryan. Smart guy. Complete prostitute.
Those who claim I are, i find seldom could figure their way out of a wet paper bag. Those who remain fairly calm and quiet, and can do things with machines, like build more machines and are in other ways wise, seem to me to be the ones who are really intellectuals.
Some left wing intellectual knockin down 150,000 a year standin their runnin his yap mean nothing to me. Why? Because he can't figure his way out of a wet paper bag.
When the BS stops he can't walk.
What does "can't figure his way out of a wet paper bag" even mean?
I suppose that we should save judgment of who is and isn't an intellectual for a poster who uses eloquent phrasing such as "runnin his yap"?
Some intellectuals are self-serving weasels, so if they think they can benefit from a stupid system, they will often serve as its apologists. Witness Paul Ryan. Smart guy. Complete prostitute.
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