Anti-Intellectualism and the "Dumbing Down" of America

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There is a growing anti-intellectual dumbing down of our culture

There is a growing and disturbing trend of anti-intellectual elitism in American culture. It’s the dismissal of science, the arts, and humanities and their replacement by entertainment, self-righteousness, ignorance, and deliberate gullibility.

Susan Jacoby, author of The Age of American Unreason, says in an article in the Washington Post, "Dumbness, to paraphrase the late senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, has been steadily defined downward for several decades, by a combination of heretofore irresistible forces. These include the triumph of video culture over print culture; a disjunction between Americans' rising level of formal education and their shaky grasp of basic geography, science and history; and the fusion of anti-rationalism with anti-intellectualism."

There has been a long tradition of anti-intellectualism in America, unlike most other Western countries. Richard Hofstadter, who won a Pulitzer Prize in 1964 for his book, Anti-Intellectualism In American Life, describes how the vast underlying foundations of anti-elite, anti-reason and anti-science have been infused into America’s political and social fabric. Famous science fiction writer Isaac Asimov once said: "There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge."

more at https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/wired-success/201407/anti-intellectualism-and-the-dumbing-down-america

PJ_Soul

Interesting topic. I definitely think it's a real phenomenon.... I've even noticed that there is a recent increase in actually shaming intellectualism and even education (we even see it here in the AMT sometimes).

PJfanwillneverleave1

PJ_Soul said:

Interesting topic. I definitely think it's a real phenomenon.... I've even noticed that is a recent increase in actually shaming intellectualism and even education (we even see it here in the AMT sometimes).

I know.
I get called an intellectual elitist all the time.

Interesting topic though.

jeffbr

We can see the results of this just by looking at our Republican presidential candidate. The only way Trump has any support is the rise of anti-intellectuals. But is isn't just conservatives, or Republicans. Progressives are protesting any kind of speech on campus that may slightly offend someone, creating safe rooms, talking about microaggression and trigger words, etc... This isolation and coddling of our kids/students will perpetuate and worsen this anti-intellectualism.

PJ_Soul

jeffbr said:

We can see the results of this just by looking at our Republican presidential candidate. The only way Trump has any support is the rise of anti-intellectuals. But is isn't just conservatives, or Republicans. Progressives are protesting any kind of speech on campus that may slightly offend someone, creating safe rooms, talking about microaggression and trigger words, etc... This isolation and coddling of our kids/students will perpetuate and worsen this anti-intellectualism.

I totally agree. This isn't a small problem. This is a BIG problem with consequences that will have a dramatically harmful impact on everyone. Something needs to be done to counteract it..... I'm just not sure what. They tide towards stupidity is just so strong now, it will take a very concerted force to turn it. It may actually already be beyond prevention.

jeffbr

PJ_Soul said:

jeffbr said:

We can see the results of this just by looking at our Republican presidential candidate. The only way Trump has any support is the rise of anti-intellectuals. But is isn't just conservatives, or Republicans. Progressives are protesting any kind of speech on campus that may slightly offend someone, creating safe rooms, talking about microaggression and trigger words, etc... This isolation and coddling of our kids/students will perpetuate and worsen this anti-intellectualism.

I totally agree. This isn't a small problem. This is a BIG problem with consequences that will have a dramatically harmful impact on everyone. Something needs to be done to counteract it..... I'm just not sure what. They tide towards stupidity is just so strong now, it will take a very concerted force to turn it. It may actually already be beyond prevention.

Exactly. I worry that we're too late at this point as well. What we take for granted on the AMT is something that is feared in schools, on social media, and in normal discussions. We post our opinions and thoughts here expecting to be challenged on them, and ready to defend those opinions. But anti-intellectuals want nothing to do with that, and get offended if challenged. They not only want to be free to believe what they will, facts/science/reason be damned, but they expect you to accept it without question.

HesCalledDyer

Respecting the English language and correcting people who make spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and other mistakes now makes one a "grammar nazi." I have no apologies for attempting to educate people so they don't look like dumb asses in their future commentary. The usual response is "It's just the internet, who cares?" Therein lies the problem - people just don't give a shit about learning.

PJ_Soul

HesCalledDyer said:

Respecting the English language and correcting people who make spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and other mistakes now makes one a "grammar nazi." I have no apologies for attempting to educate people so they don't look like dumb asses in their future commentary. The usual response is "It's just the internet, who cares?" Therein lies the problem - people just don't give a shit about learning.

That is true too! And forget about having a conversation online and trying to tell people about why you're qualified to comment. One would not dare to inform people that they actually have a degree in the subject being discussed because everyone will respond with a group attack, claiming that the person with the applicable education is a know it all.

hedonist

I like wordsmiths

From here, among various components, seems mostly about mental laziness and lack of common sense...basic education too. Learning how to get shit done right, caring about getting shit done right, then actually getting shit done right - whether speaking or writing or working through a situation...whatever.

Your personal ethics, accountability, self-respect.

Someone's moving out of my building (home). Movers laid down and taped protective carpeting, but there are rolls and bubbles all over the pathway. We have a couple of people in walkers and wheelchairs on my floor who could get seriously hurt. Even non-disabled people. How do you do a job like that, see the shit quality of your work, and walk away oblivious or just not caring?



Sidenote - it's interesting how anti-intellectualism seems like a nice way of calling someone an idiot. I'm going to try that next time.

"You fucking anti-intellectual!"

PJ_Soul

Lol, and their response just might proudly be, "Damn straight!"

josevolution

hedonist said:

I like wordsmiths

From here, among various components, seems mostly about mental laziness and lack of common sense...basic education too. Learning how to get shit done right, caring about getting shit done right, then actually getting shit done right - whether speaking or writing or working through a situation...whatever.

Your personal ethics, accountability, self-respect.

Someone's moving out of my building (home). Movers laid down and taped protective carpeting, but there are rolls and bubbles all over the pathway. We have a couple of people in walkers and wheelchairs on my floor who could get seriously hurt. Even non-disabled people. How do you do a job like that, see the shit quality of your work, and walk away oblivious or just not caring?



Sidenote - it's interesting how anti-intellectualism seems like a nice way of calling someone an idiot. I'm going to try that next time.

"You fucking anti-intellectual!"

Yeah love that lol

WhatYouTaughtMe

PJfanwillneverleave1 said:

PJ_Soul said:

Interesting topic. I definitely think it's a real phenomenon.... I've even noticed that is a recent increase in actually shaming intellectualism and even education (we even see it here in the AMT sometimes).

I know.
I get called an intellectual elitist all the time.

Interesting topic though.

That is hilarious. Seriously, bravo.

Merkin Baller

Our evening news is doing their part.

https://twitter.com/ABCWorldNews/status/745299999601340417

hedonist

Merkin Baller said:

Our evening news is doing their part.

https://twitter.com/ABCWorldNews/status/745299999601340417

Ugh - sad.

Malroth

Smart people need dumb people or they wouldn't be smart.
Love us dummies.

hedonist

And vice versa

Go Beavers

What would be dumb would be accepting that there's a "growing" anti-intellectualism in the country without scientific evidence to support the claim. This would include a valid definition of dumbing down as well as a valid measurement device/survey. This of course would have to be done longitudinally, over time, in order to see if there was a trend. Otherwise, all we have is someone with a Phd writing a Get Off My Lawn! article.

PJfanwillneverleave1

Go Beavers said:

What would be dumb would be accepting that there's a "growing" anti-intellectualism in the country without scientific evidence to support the claim. This would include a valid definition of dumbing down as well as a valid measurement device/survey. This of course would have to be done longitudinally, over time, in order to see if there was a trend. Otherwise, all we have is someone with a Phd writing a Get Off My Lawn! article.

A great sign to have on your lawn down under would be "I fought AMT and I won".

InHiding80

Its as if people, especially Trumphadists, believe that you can't be politically correct without being a nazi douchebag which is a bunch of crap.

Yet these are the same people who hate un PC philosophies like LGBT rights, atheism, abortion and Hollywood movies that don't star Kirk Cameron.

InHiding80

jeffbr said:

We can see the results of this just by looking at our Republican presidential candidate. The only way Trump has any support is the rise of anti-intellectuals. But is isn't just conservatives, or Republicans. Progressives are protesting any kind of speech on campus that may slightly offend someone, creating safe rooms, talking about microaggression and trigger words, etc... This isolation and coddling of our kids/students will perpetuate and worsen this anti-intellectualism.

Exactly what I mentioned in the post above about the progressives. Both sides need to realize you can be un PC without being an irrational jerk. This new breed of PC millennial liberals are just as bad as the Trump fans. They'd be too scared of comedians like Carlin and Lewis Black now.

InHiding80

Go Beavers said:

What would be dumb would be accepting that there's a "growing" anti-intellectualism in the country without scientific evidence to support the claim. This would include a valid definition of dumbing down as well as a valid measurement device/survey. This of course would have to be done longitudinally, over time, in order to see if there was a trend. Otherwise, all we have is someone with a Phd writing a Get Off My Lawn! article.

Trump being the front runner isn't scientific enough for you? If it quacks like anti intellectualism, it is. Spare me the Gran Torino crap.