ANSWERS: 14
  • If you mean "we" as in America, that's a very broad generalization. I don't think that the entire culture of America is anti-intellectual. In fact, America got to the power it is now through ingenuity.
  • Not as much as the fact the the anti-intellectual part of our society gets to vote.
  • There are lots of intellectuals around. They just aren't as interesting to the media as the hot-tempered, emotional speakers. And it does concern me, because too many folks have no depth of thought. Their world view is limited to the brief stories on the TV and radio. They "parrot" these comments. React emotionally to stories, and close their minds to objective reasoning.
  • no. we need people to work at the McDonald's
  • Humm..... I dont know how many of us are "anti-intellectual"......but we are a society of mostly self centered people. When in Ireland I was suprised at how much they know about America. Some people even teased my cousin caus the govenor of her home state was Jessie Ventura. Some of then know about the Green Bay Packers and that my home town is at the tip of Lake Superior. How many of us even know that the President of Ireland is a Woman?? Let alone her name.
  • I don't think we are an anti-intellectual society as much as we are an intellectually *stratified* society, and apparently becoming more so as time goes on. This may have had some practical validity back when a large majority of Americans worked on farms or in small rural villages. I can understand how the intellecutual life of cities and universities would seem distant and unimportant to such rural dwellers. Today, however, even farming involves genetically-engineered crops, satellite weather data, various chemicals and computerized machinery. Meanwhile, the majority of Americans work in 'symbol manipulation' jobs that require a fair amount of education. Even appearing on Answerbag implies (some) ability with language and computer skills....:-D... Furthermore, in our globally-interconnected world, the need to know and understand history, economics, etc. has grown immensely. Unfortunately, far more people seem interested in "American Idol" than, for example, the implications of the FBI's abuse of the Patriot Act 'security letters'. . . .
  • How much do we know about ANY country other than what we hear in the "News". The point I am trying to make is we feel "self important" like what is going on with our country is of the only importance. They knew our Govoner!! Can you even name govenors from others states(the "Govinator dont count)?
  • When you say "anti-intellectual society," who are you referring to: the drive by media? The so called intellects who are currently influencing public policy in regards to our environment? Liberals-think-tanks who tell pseudo-intellects how to think? Or are you talking about the many uninspired future decision makers that our colleges are putting out today? I think that perhaps you are not referring to any of the aforementioned but are instead referring to those who hold conservative beliefs that are different than your own. But than again I do not know: please tell.
  • I am not sure why you say that. Children are spending more and more time in school - esp. here in VA. And for what? There are plenty of intellectuals and educated individuals in the USA. I grew up in France, where I see the results of an "intellectual" based society... I don't like what I see nor what I hear most of the time. I believe that what counts is how productive, healthy and happy a society is. Well balanced individuals of all types who take pride in a job well-done is what society needs. So.. No I am not upset, for now.
  • Can defining our society as anti-intellectual be stated as a fact? Just because a majority of our governing society are not intelligent, doesn't mean they don't want to be intelligent some day...
  • Not to boast, but I consider myself to be one. I am angered by the sheer mass of ignorance which can be demonstrated in most all the lyrics of popular music, the inanity of sit-coms, and the focus which schools place upon achievement tests as opposed to learning. We have one of the highest drop-out rates for high school students that I can remember. Politicians like Bush are able to win because he can appeal to this manufactured anti-intellectual class which sadly constitutes a staggering proportion of my dear country's population.
  • Yes. I think, since the dot-com bust, the U.S. has turned on computer nerds, scientists, intellectuals, and anyone whose identity may somehow be linked with using the intellect. This bothers me mostly because the U.S. is losing ground to other nations that continue to embrace the intellect. We need to worry about American competitiveness against countries like China and India. The most important thing is to remove the stigma associated with the intellect. Start in corporate america. Get corporations to understand that encouraging curiosity, and inquiry are important ends in themselves, and get them to fund such activity. That will attract more people to pursue these activities. Then we nee to fix self-help/pop-psychology. I mean, Dr. Phil, is it really a choice between "being happy or being right"? We need to stop notions like "analysis paralysis" and "living in their heads". Such notions are awfully detremental to people who may want to pursue intellectually challenging things. If we have the guts, we could try and get hyper-religious/spiritual people to accept the intellect as well. But the intellect is often explicitly considered bad in spirituality and religion, so I am not holding my breath.
  • Yes, it concerns me that the most powerful country on earth has a very strong anti-intellectual bias. That's probably a good reason why, environmentally, we're all fucked.
  • Where is that written?

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