Anti-intellectualism Is Killing America

a reply to: WeAreAWAKE

Don't imply that I insinuated the other was the case. That is putting words in my mouth. There are people of all intelligences for both street smarts and book smarts.

Also, if you think that street smarts are more important than book smarts then you are part of the problem. For one, society is moving towards a more intellectual ideal instead of one based on instinct and reaction. This means intelligence is becoming more and more important every day. For two, book smarts and street smarts are equally important for different things. A good leader should have a good balance of both and know how to use them and when to use them. Too lop-sided in either direction and we'll have problems.

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
a reply to: WeAreAWAKE

Don't imply that I insinuated the other was the case. That is putting words in my mouth. There are people of all intelligences for both street smarts and book smarts.

Also, if you think that street smarts are more important than book smarts then you are part of the problem. For one, society is moving towards a more intellectual ideal instead of one based on instinct and reaction. This means intelligence is becoming more and more important every day. For two, book smarts and street smarts are equally important for different things. A good leader should have a good balance of both and know how to use them and when to use them. Too lop-sided in either direction and we'll have problems.

I wasn't implying that. And you are right that book & street is important. I believe that there are too many book-smart people that think street-smarts is old, vulgar and out-dated. And I really hope we are moving toward logic cause we don't seem to have much around today.

a reply to: WeAreAWAKE

Society is a game of give and take. Sometimes overly emotional people get in charge and make a lot of regressionary policies then sometimes logical people get involved and make many unemotional responses that seem callous and cruel. Other times, a brilliant person is put in charge and retracts the regressionary policies. You never know. Society isn't perfect and we have a long way to go until we are.

a reply to: Asktheanimals

If you think that's when it started ... Revenge of the Nerds never made nerds popular and it's always been a theme of marketing, media and advertising that kids should hate to go back to school, even in my day. If that's not consistently anti-intellectual, I don't know what is.

We have also been trained that if someone is labeled "scientist" or "expert" by the media, then we should blindly accept whatever they say as absolutely factual and true without thinking about it or even questioning it.

Alexis de Tocqueville, (1805-1859) the French social philosopher visited America to discover the reasons for our incredible success. "Democracy in America" (1838)

"Upon my arrival in the United States the religious aspect of the country was the first thing that struck my attention; and the longer I stayed there, the more I perceived the great political consequences resulting from this new state of things.

In France, I had almost always seen the spirit of religion and the spirit of freedom marching in opposite directions. But in America I found they were intimately united and that they reigned in common over the same country.

Religion in America...must be regarded as the foremost of the political institutions of that country; for if it does not impart a taste for freedom, it facilitates the use of it. Indeed, it is in this same point of view that the inhabitants of the United States themselves look upon religious belief.

I do not know whether all Americans have a sincere faith in their religion -- for who can search the human heart? But I am certain that they hold it to be indispensable to the maintenance of republican institutions. This opinion is not peculiar to a class of citizens or a party, but it belongs to the whole nation and to every rank of society.

In the United States, the sovereign authority is religious...there is no country in the world where the Christian religion retains a greater influence over the souls of men than in America, and there can be no greater proof of its utility and of its conformity to human nature than that its influence is powerfully felt over the most enlightened and free nation of the earth.

In the United States, the influence of religion is not confined to the manners, but it extends to the intelligence of the people...

Christianity, therefore, reigns without obstacle, by universal consent...

I sought for the key to the greatness and genius of America in her harbors...; in her fertile fields and boundless forests; in her rich mines and vast world commerce; in her public school system and institutions of learning. I sought for it in her democratic Congress and in her matchless Constitution.

Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power.

America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.

The safeguard of morality is religion, and morality is the best security of law as well as the surest pledge of freedom.

The Americans combine the notions of Christianity and of liberty so intimately in their minds, that it is impossible to make them conceive the one without the other

Christianity is the companion of liberty in all its conflicts -- the cradle of its infancy, and the divine source of its claims."

Schools are teaching kids how to look things up rather than how to think critically about the subject matter they're learning about.

TPTB don't want today's children to realize that it's ok to have an opposing view to the one being taught.

If I had kids, I would not trust the public education system, they would be completely home schooled.

Public education isn't about teaching anymore, it's about making sure modern day kids tow the line and learn only how to look something up on Google, without teaching them to think about what they're actually reading.

Schools aren't even teaching kids how to do math correctly and precisely, Teachers are being told that "just showing a basic understanding is good enough".

We'll be getting a generation of kids who won't question what people tell them, won't learn anything for themselves other than the acceptable viewpoints, and won't be able to question if something's right or not cause they won't be able to figure out that it isn't, cause they won't be able to do the math.

My daughter got into management with a fast food chain recently and lasted for a few months. She said the employees are clueless these days on how to think clearly. She quit.

originally posted by: babybunnies
Schools are teaching kids how to look things up rather than how to think critically about the subject matter they're learning about.

Isn't this what they've always done? When I went to HS in the mid to late 90's, every day involved taking a bus trip to the public library and sitting in there for hours on end doing research in order to write papers for my history and government classes. Then it involved reading others opinions on the books we would read in English class and seeing where we agreed and disagreed with what others took away from a reading. All of this involved looking up what others had already written and learned, rather than deriving my own information.

TPTB don't want today's children to realize that it's ok to have an opposing view to the one being taught.

If I had kids, I would not trust the public education system, they would be completely home schooled.

There's a big difference between having an opposing viewpoint and ignoring the opposing viewpoint. Maybe this is where schools are failing, or perhaps it's a lesson their parents never learned. We live in a society where by definition we are never going to get what we want politically. The best social lesson I ever learned was from my dad, and it was pretty simple. Do what you believe is right, until it gets to the point that you're harming others, or that you're breaking the law. That came up while he was encouraging my sister to vote for the candidate she liked despite the fact it was completely opposite to his own choices.

The other good lesson is that a lot of people simply try their best to improve society as they see it. At some point you have to accept that people, even those who have completely contrary political views to your own are still just like you and simply want to make the world a better place. Would you really prefer to live in a world where people don't try to improve society and instead only tear it down?

Schools aren't even teaching kids how to do math correctly and precisely, Teachers are being told that "just showing a basic understanding is good enough".

Common core very much does teach correct and precise methods to do math.

originally posted by: redtic
Hear, hear! This is why it all starts with education. We need to teach children *how* to think, how to reason, the importance of rational thought, and the importance of *understanding*. I've always thought that the key to life is understanding. If people would take the time to understand other people, situations, events, and stop with the knee-jerk reactions on both sides (the instigators and the reactionaries, both on a large scale (political leaders, countries) and small scale (hate crimes, street crimes, etc)), life would be much better.

They're taught this all the time, it's my experience though that when they arrive to their own destination point their teachers and their parents both tell them they're wrong.

a reply to: Krazysh0t

Society will never be perfect. We are imperfect souls inhabiting imperfect bodies with imperfect brains. There is this need to always be right even in the face of insurmountable evidence to the contrary. Many arguments result from an abundance of arrogance and leads to irrational thoughts, which in turn cause most to have an anti-intellectual breakdown regardless of their intelligence and the resulting reaction further exacerbates already inflamed and volatile situations.

This is not an argument or debate about brains, this is a breakdown of intellect at the deepest levels. It has roots in all facets of societal norms. Religion, politics, sex, drugs, money, etc. No matter what the subject the passion for a belief of any kind throws the intellect out and that desire rules.

Being educated at the finest schools does not make you intelligent, being involved in politics does not make you intellectually superior, being a preacher does not give you wisdom beyond others, they do have one thing in common though, they all think they are always right and that passion leads to arrogance.

a reply to: Aazadan

Education is only one small part of the equation and does not fix the underlying problem. The greatest facilitator is environment, home life, religious practices, it starts with the parents and how they were raised by their parents and so on. Intellect is not education, intellect is not brains, intellect is observation and thought by individuals first, the response to things not understood is often met with anti-intellect.

I cannot help but wonder if such anti-intellectualism and ignorance has been encouraged.

Are there social forces that encourage superstition and ignorance? Are deliberate efforts made to condition humans to embrace fantasy and superstition while simultaneously rejecting reason and analytical processes?

a reply to: Verum1quaere

It's a shame that a system of the few fast leading the many slow through superstition and threat of imaginary reward and punishment has succeeded so well. I understand that law enforcement can't be everywhere at once, so people are told Santa is watching them at all times. The scheme is perversely brilliant. However, it is unfair to not only hide the truth, but to promote a lie to the less mentally endowed. Dishonesty creates neurosis. The institution is disingenuous and dangerous.

Slow people believe the tabloids. They don't need logic, evidence, or proof. They just need a fast person to tell them it's truth. There doesn't even have to be a phenomenon in need of an explanation.

a reply to: ketsuko

Mark Twain takes some chops to understand the humor.

Indeed. You should definitely check out his book "Letters from the Earth".

And then think it over, very carefully.

a reply to: Salander

Are there social forces that encourage superstition and ignorance? Are deliberate efforts made to condition humans to embrace fantasy and superstition while simultaneously rejecting reason and analytical processes?

Yes.
YEP!!

It starts when they're babies.....

a reply to: Salander

I cannot help but wonder if such anti-intellectualism and ignorance has been encouraged.

Are there social forces that encourage superstition and ignorance? Are deliberate efforts made to condition humans to embrace fantasy and superstition while simultaneously rejecting reason and analytical processes?

Cognitive dissonance - the ultimate censorship, as it always has to be applied by the 'patient' himself.

Leon Festinger's theory of cognitive dissonance focuses on how humans strive for internal consistency. An individual who experiences inconsistency (dissonance) tends to become psychologically uncomfortable, and is motivated to try to reduce this dissonance—as well as actively avoid situations and information likely to increase it

en.wikipedia.org...

But this process is not, and never has been, 'anti-intellectual' after all. I've seen very intelligent forms of ignorance and I think this obfuscating reduction of the matter in the article from the OP (that anti-intellectualism would be the case) is part of the play. Ask any good carpenter in case of doubt.

...


a reply to: searcherfortruth

Social dysfunction can be traced to the abandonment of reason.

... as it could be traced to the abandonment of love as well. Polemic.

Recognize Ignorance for what It Is! I think I know what they are saying when they say deny it, but it seems to give ammunition to those that are ignorant to continue to be so. In other words, "how dare you deny me the right to be ignorant". I think maybe the better way to phrase it would be, "Ignore Ignorance"!

You would only spread the hate you hate so much while doing so, there are other ways to achieve your goal without running into deadlocks.
I chose to make fun about our little haters, very entertaining at least.




Cheers!

a reply to: PublicOpinion

IMO, cognitive dissonance is an involuntary reaction, a defense mechanism of the mind. Can it be overcome, or is a person with CD going to be that way for the rest of his life?

In a vacuum or a rural setting without television or other media, I suspect that question would be answered differently. But in the presence of TV and the media today, humans are thoroughly and constantly bombarded with propaganda. I think it encourages CD.

The "Know Nothings" of days gone by were people proud of their anti-intellectualism.

originally posted by: searcherfortruth
Social dysfunction can be traced to the abandonment of reason.

I like reason. I do. Thank you Gallileo, and Thomas Paine and a whole bunch of people with bigger brains and proverbial balls than I will ever have.

In the spirit of that... I would like to point out that plenty of societies have functioned just fine before the age of reason. In fact, in terms of longevity and accomplishment the most successful one was a theocracy, which isn't very reasonable. Just a thought.

originally posted by: beezzer
So how do we improve our school/educational system?[/quote
On the elementary level, you fire the administrators who have built this dysfunctional system. Next, test the teachers. Some are woefully deficient in their subject areas especially in the inter-city schools. Many teachers don't teach students to think but what to think. Remove the politics from the classroom...just teach don't indoctrinate.

My grandchildren can recite the reasons behind global warming but have had nothing but elementary science. They are too young to understand the pros or cons of this subject. They are just indoctrinated not educated.

Last year, a student from the same school system was arrested for planning an attack on Washington, DC. On its' face, you could say he was a troubled kid until my granddaughter had the same art teacher. She came home with a art assignment showing a US soldier, with his hands up, being held by a small girl with a M-16 to his back...passive brainwashing no?

When confronted, the president of the board of education said, it was artistic interpretation. This response is very troubling after they had already generated one terrorist.

Is this anti-intellectual or just plain stupid? The true problem is common sense is no longer common regardless of your education.

edit on 4-7-2015 by buddah6 because: lobotomized through superior pain meds.

edit on 4-7-2015 by buddah6 because: (no reason given)

a reply to: babybunnies


The educational system has always been about providing false doctrines and creating agendas. It is not relegated to just public schools, it is religious schools, private schools even home schooled.

At some point it is up to the individual to arrive at a critical mindset and recognize what is real and what is manufactured.

I do have a child in public school and I have always told him to study and make good grades so that he can be productive in his adult life, but that does not mean he has to believe everything he is taught.

It is the society we are raised in and intellect can overcome stupidity, but it has to play the same game by the same rules in order to progress.

For this to change there would have to be a polarizing world wide event, which maybe forthcoming, but right now, this is the way the education system is and this did not happen over night, in our lifetime, it has been transpiring for centuries.