are you anti-intellectual? (guys, separate, restaurant, serious)

[Fat Freddy]

Originally Posted by cpg35223

Um, Fat, that was supposed to be a joke. You know, as in an ironic twist.

So was my comment.

I was misunderstood as an Intellectual.

I was misunderstood as a Pseudo-intellectual.

And I expect to be misunderstood as an Anti-intellectual.

When people start to understand my humor and value it's intrinsic wisdom, I'll know I have lost my edge.

[TabulaRasa]

Originally Posted by TKramar

Knowing just for the sake of knowing isn't enough--you have to know how to DO something useful with that knowledge.

Or share it. Sharing your knowledge IS doing something. Of course, then you're a know-it-all snob.

[gwynedd1]

True intellectualism in the US like most good things in the US is a sub culture. The mainstream culture is obviously not. Simply look at the heros who are usually, on balance, physically superior to the villain who is, on balance, intellectually superior. The mad scientist is the prototypical villain. Isn't it obvious?
The typical US main stream culture is a wasteland of day time TV, Hollywood glamor and junk food. If anyone wants to get anything out of it they need to tap some of the very good sub cultures that exist here.
The American mainstream typically reacts favorably to organic intelligence not necessarily accompanied by prepared study. The hero is usually intelligent, though still never absent physical brawn. In fact, it seems that physical training is seen as the ideal while innate intelligence is best in its wild form. The ultimate coup is when someone with raw intelligence overcomes the one with the prepared study. Possibly the appeal is to an emphasis on practical inventiveness of the moment which is viewed as progressive while intellectual attitudes seem stodgy and orthodox.
A classic comic book scenario is two intelligent people in conflict. The protagonist engages in athleticism while the antagonist "schemes" in intellectual pursuits. The resolution is the protagonist overcomes the schemes of the antagonist. The victory is certainly aided by an unspoiled intelligence but it is usually a physical athleticism that bridges the gap to victory. Wasn't Unbreakable a movie about comic book archetypes? The bad one was a genius who's bones would shatter and the good one was too slow witted to know he was indestructible yet had a native intelligence to detect evil? The message? Don't read.


YouTube - ABSOLUTELY.UNBREAKABLE.TRAILER

[TKramar]

Unless you're going to appear on Jeopardy!, knowing a bunch of inapplicable trivia isn't very "useful".

[Coolhand68]

Originally Posted by TKramar

Unless you're going to appear on Jeopardy!, knowing a bunch of inapplicable trivia isn't very "useful".

I can go along with that. Ever have a conversation with someone who keeps dropping random factoids on you to show how smart they are? That can get annoying pretty fast. Like hanging out with Cliff Claven. Now if someone uses that degree of intellect to start up a conversation or keep it going that's different.

[thepinksquid]

I kind of over-enunciate when I speak...just the way I talk... and, I KID YOU NOT, had someone at my previous job tell me that I "talk too fancy."

[8palmtrees]

INTELLECTUAL IS A MUST, I must have stimulating conversations with the guy. One condition that the guy understands that I am dyslexic (I have been diagnosed with that) so English was not my strongest subject math was so some words (not many) I may ask what that means and I HOPE that the guy does NOT think I am some air head cause of this. That is when I call the guy a "smart snob". Anyway, I like to have thought provoking conversations. I don't mind talking about sports and stuff, sports is cool but I can not stand when I am trying to discuss a very interesting topic and all I get from the guy is "yeah...naa...uh huh...and I dunno., then after that the guy just sits there says nothing about anything and there is "dead air" BORING!!!!

[Chowhound]

Originally Posted by thepinksquid

I kind of over-enunciate when I speak...just the way I talk... and, I KID YOU NOT, had someone at my previous job tell me that I "talk too fancy."

As long as you don't over-enunciate like this guy here.






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[TKramar]

Originally Posted by thepinksquid

I kind of over-enunciate when I speak...just the way I talk... and, I KID YOU NOT, had someone at my previous job tell me that I "talk too fancy."

I got asked the other day what kind of accent I had--I said, "well, being an American, I guess that's an American accent".

[Hoarfrost]

Originally Posted by cpg35223

See, having done my fair share of traveling overseas, I would reject this categorically. I've never visited a country that didn't have its own unique brand of chauvinism, and to single out Americans for this just is nonsense.

What's more, I would argue that Americans instinctually adhere to their own philosophy. Williams James, Pierce, and Santayana defined it as "Pragmatism," and it is as true to the culture of this country as Existentialism would be to the French. And, quite frankly, the political debate is absolutely one of ideas, chiefly the nature and duty of the state in everyday life. So, on that level, I would argue that the current political debate in this country is very much one of the mind, rather than that of the enlightened vs. the unenlightened, which seems to be how you want to frame matters.

It doesn't bother me that Africans or Middle Easterners are hoodwinked into believing some very far out things. Americans are among the wealthiest people in the world and are born with the most opportunity in the world. That certain aspects of this country's culture continue to exist in spite of this is troubling.

America is also an interesting example in that the same people who reject idealism and abstract thought in favour of practicality also reject empiricism in favour of superstition whenever it suits them.