[MD] anti-intellectualism

[MarshaV]

While sustaining biological and social patterns
Kill all intellectual patterns.
Kill them completely
And then follow Dynamic Quality
And morality will be served.
    (RMP, LILA, Chapter 32)  
 
 


-----Original Message-----
From: moq_discuss-bounces at lists.moqtalk.org
[mailto:moq_discuss-bounces at lists.moqtalk.org] On Behalf Of X Acto
Sent: Tuesday, July 21, 2009 8:20 AM
To: moq_discuss at moqtalk.org
Subject: [MD] anti-intellectualism


Anti-intellectualism describes a sentiment of hostility towards, or mistrust
of, 
intellectuals and intellectual pursuits. This may be expressed in various
ways, 
such as attacks on the merits of science, education, art, or literature.
 
Political cartoonist Thomas Nast contrasts a scholar with a prize-fighter.
His 
caricature encapsulates the popular view that sees reading and study as
being 
in opposition to sport and athletic pursuits, although the bovine figure of 
the fighter is no less negative than that of the scholar. Note the different

sizes of the men's heads.Anti-intellectuals often perceive themselves as 
champions of the ordinary people and populism against elitism, especially 
academic elitism. These critics argue that highly educated people from an 
isolated social group tend to dominate political discourse and higher 
education (academia).
Anti-intellectualism will often be expressed within communities through 
declarations of Otherness, that is, intellectuals will be said to be 
'not one of us'. Those who mistrust intellectuals will represent them 
as a danger to normality, insisting that they are outsiders with little 
empathy for the common people. This has historically resulted in 
intellectuals being painted as arrogant members of a different social 
grouping. In rural communities, for example, intellectuals may be 
viewed as "city slickers" who know little of the country and its ways. 
It is also common for communities to typecast intellectuals as 
foreigners or members of ethnic minorities, for instance as Asians. 
Along with this, intellectuals will often be said to be prone to 
mental instability, their critics insisting there is a medically 
proven connection between genius and madness. Communities where religious 
faith is strong may endeavor to link intellectuals with the promotion 
of atheism, while the sexual mores of intellectuals can be also 
placed in doubt in some cultures where they can be suspected of 
high promiscuity, homosexual tendencies, or lack of interest in 
sex at all.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Intellectualism

 DMB ought to get a kick outta this, 
"The causes of anti-intellectualism are varied but include a belief 
in some forms of pragmatism, whereby the intellectual is seen as 
irrelevant, since truth can be determined more through doing than 
thinking abstractly or the memorization of a lot of recondite facts. 
Others see intellectuals as the embodiment of elitism, or as being 
opposed to the interests of the common people. Some combination of 
philistinism, populism, and belief in an elitist conspiracy might 
also help explain the phenomenon of anti-intellectualism."
http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/Anti-intellectualism

http://www.uwgb.edu/dutchs/PSEUDOSC/WhyAntiInt.htm

Ron:
What is really interesting is how Pirsig makes sense of the
anti-intellectualism
movement that threatens society even more than the objectivism which
initiated it
and is able to make the distinction between Pragmatism and anti
intellectualism.

MoQ really illuminates the problem in this case to make the distinction
between
objectivism and the backlash against it as the real problem of "SOM".
Lila chpters 22-24 go over this in detail.


      
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