Anti-IntellectualismAnti-IntellectualismIn AmericaIn America

DefinitionDefinition Hostility towards, or mistrust of, intellectuals and Hostility towards, or mistrust of, intellectuals and

intellectual pursuits often expressed as an attack intellectual pursuits often expressed as an attack on the merits of science, education, or literature.on the merits of science, education, or literature.

Reflects the attitudes of “ordinary people” who Reflects the attitudes of “ordinary people” who take academic elitism and the pretensions of take academic elitism and the pretensions of academics with a grain of salt.academics with a grain of salt.

Used to criticize an educational system’s placing Used to criticize an educational system’s placing little emphasis on academic and intellectual little emphasis on academic and intellectual accomplishment, or a government’s tendency to accomplishment, or a government’s tendency to formulate policies without consultation with formulate policies without consultation with authoritative scholarly study on the issues in authoritative scholarly study on the issues in question.question.

Sources of Anti-Sources of Anti-IntellectualismIntellectualism

Anti-intellectual beliefs can come from a variety of Anti-intellectual beliefs can come from a variety of factors.factors.

These include:These include:

ReligionReligion Corporate CultureCorporate Culture Educational SystemEducational System Youth CultureYouth Culture PopulismPopulism

ReligionReligion

Although most religions have rich Although most religions have rich intellectual traditions, many rely on intellectual traditions, many rely on arguments from authority and reject arguments from authority and reject secular critical traditions.secular critical traditions.

Evangelical or Fundamentalist forms Evangelical or Fundamentalist forms of religion are a frequent source of of religion are a frequent source of anti-intellectual statements.anti-intellectual statements.

Corporate CultureCorporate Culture Corporate culture is an occasional source of Corporate culture is an occasional source of

hostility towards learning with the belief that hostility towards learning with the belief that education is a costly and useless distraction from education is a costly and useless distraction from the more important business of making money.the more important business of making money.

It is also one of their concerns that intellectuals It is also one of their concerns that intellectuals may acquire ethical and political ideas that may may acquire ethical and political ideas that may obstruct business.obstruct business.

Scientific and technological learning may be Scientific and technological learning may be accepted, but the arts, literature and philosophy accepted, but the arts, literature and philosophy are all seen as wastes of time.are all seen as wastes of time.

Educational SystemEducational System

The schools and universities have The schools and universities have often been criticized for being often been criticized for being overtaken by overtly anti-intellectual overtaken by overtly anti-intellectual trends.trends.

Accused of not preparing the students Accused of not preparing the students properly to be members of society properly to be members of society who would be cultured, prepared for who would be cultured, prepared for challenging jobs, and capable of challenging jobs, and capable of independent thought.independent thought.

Youth CultureYouth Culture

A major source of anti-intellectualism in A major source of anti-intellectualism in America today is the youth culture that is America today is the youth culture that is often associated with those students who often associated with those students who are more interested in social life and are more interested in social life and athletics than in their studies. athletics than in their studies.

Youth culture is full of fads, and keeping Youth culture is full of fads, and keeping up with the commercial trends is difficult. up with the commercial trends is difficult. Their content is frequently criticized for Their content is frequently criticized for being simple-minded and pandering to being simple-minded and pandering to unsophisticated appetites.unsophisticated appetites.

PopulismPopulism

Intellectuals are portrayed as elitists and Intellectuals are portrayed as elitists and tricksters whose knowledge and rhetorical tricksters whose knowledge and rhetorical skills are feared because they may be skills are feared because they may be used to deceive ordinary people.used to deceive ordinary people.

The curiosity and objectivity of The curiosity and objectivity of intellectuals about foreign countries and intellectuals about foreign countries and beliefs is perceived by populists as a lack beliefs is perceived by populists as a lack of patriotism, and intellectuals are often of patriotism, and intellectuals are often suspect of holding dangerous opinions.suspect of holding dangerous opinions.

Anti-Intellectualism in the Anti-Intellectualism in the U.S.U.S.

Historically, anti-intellectualism has played a prominent role in Historically, anti-intellectualism has played a prominent role in American culture. Some of it originated from the views of conservative American culture. Some of it originated from the views of conservative Christians that education corrupts morality and religious belief. This Christians that education corrupts morality and religious belief. This view was validated by the spread of atheism and Deism among the view was validated by the spread of atheism and Deism among the educated during the 18th century intellectual movement in Europe, educated during the 18th century intellectual movement in Europe, called the Age of Enlightenment.called the Age of Enlightenment.

A more important historical source of anti-intellectualism has been the A more important historical source of anti-intellectualism has been the 19th century pop-culture. At that time, a majority of the population 19th century pop-culture. At that time, a majority of the population was involved in manual labor, and an education which at that time was involved in manual labor, and an education which at that time focused on the classics, was seen to have little value. Back then, the focused on the classics, was seen to have little value. Back then, the self-reliant and self-made man, educated by society and by self-reliant and self-made man, educated by society and by experience, was valued over the intellectual who was schooled experience, was valued over the intellectual who was schooled through books and formal study. However, the once plentiful industrial through books and formal study. However, the once plentiful industrial jobs have disappeared and have been replaced with low-wage service jobs have disappeared and have been replaced with low-wage service and specialty jobs, which at most require a high school diploma.and specialty jobs, which at most require a high school diploma.

The American educational system also promotes anti-intellectualism in The American educational system also promotes anti-intellectualism in its presumed failure to impart the necessary knowledge and skills to its presumed failure to impart the necessary knowledge and skills to make informed decisions about the world to its students.make informed decisions about the world to its students.

Abuse of the term by Abuse of the term by PoliticiansPoliticians

Accusations of anti-intellectualism are often made Accusations of anti-intellectualism are often made between political opponents. Liberals may claim between political opponents. Liberals may claim that conservative beliefs about foreign affairs that conservative beliefs about foreign affairs stem from ignorance, poor education and lack of stem from ignorance, poor education and lack of awareness of the issues involved – and as such awareness of the issues involved – and as such are anti-intellectual. The conservatives generally are anti-intellectual. The conservatives generally counter by claiming the exactly the same thing counter by claiming the exactly the same thing about liberals.about liberals.

It may have been George W. Bush’s anti-It may have been George W. Bush’s anti-intellectual style that got him elected, largely in intellectual style that got him elected, largely in part to the large amount of the population that part to the large amount of the population that believed he was more of a regular guy.believed he was more of a regular guy.

Skepticism of AuthoritySkepticism of Authority For the most part, our skepticism of For the most part, our skepticism of

“experts” is derived from the idea that “experts” is derived from the idea that they may be an expert but can the claim they may be an expert but can the claim be made without being subjective. After be made without being subjective. After all, who’s to say someone else’s opinion is all, who’s to say someone else’s opinion is better than our own? better than our own?

Experience is not the same as expertise.Experience is not the same as expertise.

Other times, the opinion of an expert is Other times, the opinion of an expert is not only irrelevant, but useless for matters not only irrelevant, but useless for matters than cannot be known.than cannot be known.

Why are we skepticalWhy are we skeptical

The resistance to expertise comes The resistance to expertise comes partly from our ideas of democracy, partly from our ideas of democracy, that all voices are heard and that all voices are heard and therefore must all have equal value.therefore must all have equal value.

Despite all of this we still trust the Despite all of this we still trust the expertexpert

Perhaps this is because we want to Perhaps this is because we want to be told what to do; to have that be told what to do; to have that guidance that relieves us of the guidance that relieves us of the burden of being all knowing.burden of being all knowing.