Anti Intellectualism in American Life

[MJW]

By Richard Hofstadter.

I have read the first 100 pages , and so far it is riveting! Hofstadter explains in detail how evangelical (emotion based) religion in America and made a big contribution to the dumbing down of the clergy , and as a result in American life

any comments?

[Dissent Is Patriotic]

1. not to be snarky...but "riviting"...um it's r-i-v-e-t-i-n-g...n/t

on edit: only bothered to post this because your thread is about anti-intellectualism.

[MJW]

4. Busted!

[david13]

11. Whut

Intilecktualism is not spell check.

[niceypoo]

2. I just 'Debated' a Republican online in a chatroom....

He tried to claim that oil magically comes up from the center of the earth, among other boneheaded 'scientific' claims. I can see why the GOP is against higher learning. Their rank and file are basically illiterate and they believe that science is just a futile attempt at explaining magic.

[CrispyQ]

6. My husband works with someone who believes that oil claim.

They guy says that peak oil is a scam just like the Y2K thing was. :eyes:

You can't reason with unreasonable people.

[scholarsOrAcademics]

8. Thomas Gold

was not a part of the On Magic new spiritualism.
Sorry, there is heavy science in back of the assertion that oil and coal are not fossil fuels.

[saltpoint]

3. I wish you goddurned librulls would shut up already about

all these issues ya got.

Bunch a'smarty-pants know-it-alls from back east.

Them librul media types will stop at nothin to heap scorn upon us common folks' heds.

- - -

You've put yourself in the pages of a magnificent book.

I predict you will set it down after the last page and go out and join every volunteer organization within 50 miles.

Bravo to ya.

[eppur_se_muova]

5. Thanks for the rec, I'll be looking for it.

Be interesting to compare to "The Closing of the Westen Mind".

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D06EED8133BF936A25751C0A9629C8B63

[Sequoia]

7. Thanks for the tip. My library has a copy.

[Captain Hilts]

9. Louis Howe, the political coach for FDR and ER told them both...

never to act like a know-it-all. Don't be the smartest one in the room because everybody hates the smart guy.

[codjh9]

10. Oh yeah - my dad was a pol. sci. professor, and he talked about it frequently - hence

the liking of a dumb-ass like W, 'cuz I feel like I could just set down an' have a beer with him'. Well what a GOOD REASON to choose a president, you effing moron!

[david13]

12. I read this one and loved it back

in the early 70's or so, when it came out.
dc

[RoyGBiv]

13. It's an excellent book ...

Enjoy the journey.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

14. I have a very old paperback copy.

Probably original. The pages are brown.


Adlai Stevenson was campaigning for president. One day a woman shook his hand and gushed, "Why Mr. Stevenson, you've got the vote of every thinking American!!".

Mr. Stevenson: "Sorry, ma'am, I need a majority". :D :D

:bounce: :toast:

They attacked him for being smart, only they called him an "egghead".

Bastards.

[david13]

15. And probably still the case today.

Egghead is not popularity in the good ole usa. Being a regular joe is. It may explain why Bush the younger passed himself off as nice and dumb, just like so many other good ole 'mer'cans.
Which is the basic reason perhaps why Stevenson did not win. And it had me worried about Barack Obama as well. They don't all want an intelligent guy like Pres. Obama; a lot of them want a nice dumb guy, more like theyselves.
dc