The Bane of Anti-Intellectualism
Link: Anti-Intellectualism and the Dumbing Down of America
While reading this article, I was shocked with how true this is...while I'm in pain from a surgery, I'm kind of shaking my head. I'm starting to really hate the US's desire to get rid of people like myself who sits reading. I love books and movies that are intellectual or at least interesting, we are seeing people who are denying that history happened.
While working at my job, I see it all the time, I am very intelligent and suddenly I get asked a question of "why bother learning this crap, it is worthless?" I stare in shock at the person asking me the question and think to myself, why both talking to someone who can't even read a novel without complaining about it.
In the article it speaks of the dumbing down, well...we are seeing it in cultural changes, religious groups whining that nonChristians are attacking them. We don't attack them, we challenge them with the idea that we have to do the pledge and say something that we don't believe in. I believe that it is OK to not say, "Under God," it is just not suitable for something that doesn't help us.
I'm a writer and I suddenly see this horrible trend first hand, I love Japanese Anime, Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror and suddenly, I just see the drop in the conventions I go to. I have seen people who believe that it is bad to actually read a book. We have clowns like Christine Weick or other religious fundies causing problems.
Though we are still living with the stereotypes now still in the block if you read below.
In American schools, the culture exalts the athlete and good-looking cheerleader. Well-educated and intellectual students are commonly referred to in public schools and the media as "nerds," "dweebs," "dorks," and "geeks," and are relentlessly harassed and even assaulted by the more popular "jocks" for openly displaying any intellect. These anti-intellectual attitudes are not reflected in students in most European or Asian countries, whose educational levels have now equaled and and will surpass that of the U.S. And most TV shows or movies such as The Big Bang Theory depict intellectuals as being geeks if not effeminate. (Article)
This is from the article and yeah, its true, we are going back to that kind of mentality and that's why i do not support Big Bang Theory. I actually did tell someone once, "I'm a human, not a sterotype!" When he called me a Sheldon, I was offended and not only that I was also showing an extensive disapproval of the show and its idea of making fun of us of the classes of the intellectuals.
Bill Keller, writing in the New York Times argues that the anti-intellectual elitism is not an elitism of wisdom, education, experience or knowledge. The new elite are the angry social media posters, those who can shout loudest and more often, a clique of bullies and malcontents baying together like dogs cornering a fox. Too often it’s a combined elite of the anti-intellectuals and the conspiracy followers – not those who can voice the most cogent, most coherent response. Together they foment a rabid culture of anti-rationalism where every fact is suspect; every shadow holds a secret conspiracy. (Article)
I am going to point out that I agree with this guy, Bill Keller writes that half the problem is now that the social media is being used to bully others into the role of making people like myself miserable. I'm a nerdy person, but honestly, I'm creeped out by the idea of not finding other intellectuals out there...and it hurts my brain to notice that people are going to go into the dumb factor, I already see it and usually mentally think, "How stupid can you get?" or "Who would think this is entertaining?" I'm sorry, but people who think I'm going to be a fan of The Big Bang Theory much realize that not all intellectuals are like this.
I'm also of the opinion that if you are too damn stupid to not understand what I'm saying or can't understand this article, then you don't need to be my friend. I believe all religions are bad, in fact I think that intelligence needs to omit all religion from it. The world would be better off that there is a segregation of religion from public view.
As you continue to read this, I agree with the writer who believes that it is the fault of the fundamentalist Christians that we are losing the intelligence of the world. We should have the right ot say it, but also the point out that we need to point out the culture is almost dying thanks to religion.
Also when I commented at one time, "Why don't you read a damn book?" I actually got a comment by some guy who was angry that I attacked his lack of knowledge. I suddenly sat on the bus saying, "WEll...I doubt you know that...considering if you READ the book you would know." I was tearing into this illiterate who had no idea that I was attempting to read a book. I even tore into a guy who thought I was an underaged prostitute on a bus too, I am sitting there and he's asking if I was coming home from school or something. When I suddenly just said rudely, "I'm trying to read a book, can't you see that?" He said I was acting like a snob, i didn't want to converse with an ignorant person who thought I was just something to screw.
I reported this sicko to the bus and also had security escorting him off the train who was acting like I was the criminal. I honestly didn't realize how bad it was to show my intelligence to the world. I realized that by being smart meant that I was not part of the culture of ignorance in which I'm forced to be part of. I don't want to be that..I want to be a reader, a researcher, someone who doesn't want to be part of the normality of the world.
While reading this article, I was shocked with how true this is...while I'm in pain from a surgery, I'm kind of shaking my head. I'm starting to really hate the US's desire to get rid of people like myself who sits reading. I love books and movies that are intellectual or at least interesting, we are seeing people who are denying that history happened.
While working at my job, I see it all the time, I am very intelligent and suddenly I get asked a question of "why bother learning this crap, it is worthless?" I stare in shock at the person asking me the question and think to myself, why both talking to someone who can't even read a novel without complaining about it.
In the article it speaks of the dumbing down, well...we are seeing it in cultural changes, religious groups whining that nonChristians are attacking them. We don't attack them, we challenge them with the idea that we have to do the pledge and say something that we don't believe in. I believe that it is OK to not say, "Under God," it is just not suitable for something that doesn't help us.
I'm a writer and I suddenly see this horrible trend first hand, I love Japanese Anime, Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror and suddenly, I just see the drop in the conventions I go to. I have seen people who believe that it is bad to actually read a book. We have clowns like Christine Weick or other religious fundies causing problems.
Though we are still living with the stereotypes now still in the block if you read below.
In American schools, the culture exalts the athlete and good-looking cheerleader. Well-educated and intellectual students are commonly referred to in public schools and the media as "nerds," "dweebs," "dorks," and "geeks," and are relentlessly harassed and even assaulted by the more popular "jocks" for openly displaying any intellect. These anti-intellectual attitudes are not reflected in students in most European or Asian countries, whose educational levels have now equaled and and will surpass that of the U.S. And most TV shows or movies such as The Big Bang Theory depict intellectuals as being geeks if not effeminate. (Article)
This is from the article and yeah, its true, we are going back to that kind of mentality and that's why i do not support Big Bang Theory. I actually did tell someone once, "I'm a human, not a sterotype!" When he called me a Sheldon, I was offended and not only that I was also showing an extensive disapproval of the show and its idea of making fun of us of the classes of the intellectuals.
Bill Keller, writing in the New York Times argues that the anti-intellectual elitism is not an elitism of wisdom, education, experience or knowledge. The new elite are the angry social media posters, those who can shout loudest and more often, a clique of bullies and malcontents baying together like dogs cornering a fox. Too often it’s a combined elite of the anti-intellectuals and the conspiracy followers – not those who can voice the most cogent, most coherent response. Together they foment a rabid culture of anti-rationalism where every fact is suspect; every shadow holds a secret conspiracy. (Article)
I am going to point out that I agree with this guy, Bill Keller writes that half the problem is now that the social media is being used to bully others into the role of making people like myself miserable. I'm a nerdy person, but honestly, I'm creeped out by the idea of not finding other intellectuals out there...and it hurts my brain to notice that people are going to go into the dumb factor, I already see it and usually mentally think, "How stupid can you get?" or "Who would think this is entertaining?" I'm sorry, but people who think I'm going to be a fan of The Big Bang Theory much realize that not all intellectuals are like this.
I'm also of the opinion that if you are too damn stupid to not understand what I'm saying or can't understand this article, then you don't need to be my friend. I believe all religions are bad, in fact I think that intelligence needs to omit all religion from it. The world would be better off that there is a segregation of religion from public view.
As you continue to read this, I agree with the writer who believes that it is the fault of the fundamentalist Christians that we are losing the intelligence of the world. We should have the right ot say it, but also the point out that we need to point out the culture is almost dying thanks to religion.
Also when I commented at one time, "Why don't you read a damn book?" I actually got a comment by some guy who was angry that I attacked his lack of knowledge. I suddenly sat on the bus saying, "WEll...I doubt you know that...considering if you READ the book you would know." I was tearing into this illiterate who had no idea that I was attempting to read a book. I even tore into a guy who thought I was an underaged prostitute on a bus too, I am sitting there and he's asking if I was coming home from school or something. When I suddenly just said rudely, "I'm trying to read a book, can't you see that?" He said I was acting like a snob, i didn't want to converse with an ignorant person who thought I was just something to screw.
I reported this sicko to the bus and also had security escorting him off the train who was acting like I was the criminal. I honestly didn't realize how bad it was to show my intelligence to the world. I realized that by being smart meant that I was not part of the culture of ignorance in which I'm forced to be part of. I don't want to be that..I want to be a reader, a researcher, someone who doesn't want to be part of the normality of the world.
Comments
Post a Comment