"Intellectual" is a dirty word.

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I noticed this morning that Foxfyre used "intellectual" as if it were a very negative label. I looked up "intellectual' and the first definition I came to was;

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An intellectual is one who tries to use his or her intellect to work, study, reflect, speculate, or ask and answer questions about a wide variety of different ideas.

There are, broadly, three modern definitions at work in discussions about intellectuals. First, "intellectuals" as those deeply involved in ideas, books, and the life of the mind. Second, "intellectuals" as a recognizable occupational class consisting of lecturers, professors, lawyers, doctors, engineers, scientists, etc. Third, "cultural intellectuals" are those of notable expertise in culture and the arts, expertise which allows them some cultural authority, which they then use to speak in public on other matters.

When pondering the concept of "intellectual" and associating the word with persons on A2k I first thought of Georgeob and Thomas. Just what is it about "intellectuals' that so frightens posters such as foxfyre and okie and others? For meself, I don't consider political point of view, religion or life-style as a related consideration to intellectualism. rather I consider that the person demonstrate rational and critical reasoning based on knowledge rather than inherent bias.
Are you an "intellectual"? If you are, do you feel a need to apologize?

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An intellectual is someone whose mind watches itself. (Albert Camus)

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not an intellectual but a verygoodfriendfromchicago comes to mind. I doubt he would feel the need to apologize.

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Depending on if you just go with Posner's lists of intellectuals or see this a bid broader, your verygoodfriendfromchicago certainly is an intellectual.

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BBB
I will get back to this when my intellectural capability returns, may be a while.

BBB

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Re: "Intellectual" is a dirty word.

dyslexia wrote:

Are you an "intellectual"?

Can poopity heads apply?

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I, for one, am opposed to intellectual marriage. There should be a law.

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Re: "Intellectual" is a dirty word.

dyslexia wrote:

I noticed this morning that Foxfyre used "intellectual" as if it were a very negative label. I looked up "intellectual' and the first definition I came to was;

Quote:
An intellectual is one who tries to use his or her intellect to work, study, reflect, speculate, or ask and answer questions about a wide variety of different ideas.

There are, broadly, three modern definitions at work in discussions about intellectuals. First, “intellectuals” as those deeply involved in ideas, books, and the life of the mind. Second, “intellectuals” as a recognizable occupational class consisting of lecturers, professors, lawyers, doctors, engineers, scientists, etc. Third, “cultural intellectuals” are those of notable expertise in culture and the arts, expertise which allows them some cultural authority, which they then use to speak in public on other matters.

When pondering the concept of "intellectual" and associating the word with persons on A2k I first thought of Georgeob and Thomas. Just what is it about "intellectuals' that so frightens posters such as foxfyre and okie and others? For meself, I don't consider political point of view, religion or life-style as a related consideration to intellectualism. rather I consider that the person demonstrate rational and critical reasoning based on knowledge rather than inherent bias.
Are you an "intellectual"? If you are, do you feel a need to apologize?

Seems to be a right wing thing.

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Int- e -lexyool
Hell, I cain't even say it.

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Susan Jacoby has a new book:The Age of American Unreason

"During the past four decades," Jacoby asserts in her introduction, "America's endemic anti-intellectual tendencies have been grievously exacerbated by a new species of semiconscious anti-rationalism, feeding on and fed by an ignorant popular culture of video images and unremitting noise that leaves no room for contemplation or logic.

"This new form of anti-rationalism, at odds not only with the nation's heritage of eighteenth-century Enlightenment reason but with modern scientific knowledge, has propelled a surge of anti-intellectualism capable of inflicting vastly greater damage than its historical predecessors inflicted on American culture and politics."

Joe(One reviewer thinks she should spend more time at universities. Really? Isn't that where the real battle is being lost?)Nation

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O.K., here's my two cents. Anti-intellectualism is part of the popular culture in the U.S. I believe it was put there on purpose to allow popular culture beliefs to be accepted, which otherwise an intellectual analysis would dispel.

It was put into the popular culture to keep portions of society divided and antagonistic against each other. In this way a ruling class can continue to rule a divided populace.

And, those who identify with an intellectual class also may use the identity to distance themselves from those that are happy to believe the popular culture expounds basic truths.

I am not an intellectual. Nor do I subscribe to the popular culture. It's getting very deep. I'm over my head in thought.

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Eh, Meh, Feh... you're in over my head, too.

I've nothing to add, obviously!

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For the past five years, I have slept with an intellectual, although he doesn't make the claim of being an intellectual. I can say from experience, this particular intellectual is a very endearing, educated and knowledgeble, interesting. Most important, he has a thorough understanding of his education. That is, surprisingly, quite rare. To me, that is what makes an intellectual. He is also the sweetest man in the world or, at least, New Mexico.

Some who claim to be intellectual act more like arrogant gods with lots of education or book learning, but very little actual understanding. I've known a few of those also, but not (ugh) intimately.

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This is the umpteenth clue I have to look at this book. Y'know me, I'll look around elsewhere, though I was mildly interested on first take.

I just finished reading Bitter Lemons by Lawrence Durrell. There's a better bet, not that I don't want to argue with him at times, but I get his view in time and place. Man could write.

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This insight, which expresses itself by what is called Imagination, is a very high sort of seeing, which does not come by study, but by the intellect being where and what it sees; by sharing the path or circuit of things through forms, and so making them translucid to others.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

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ossobuco wrote:

This is the umpteenth clue I have to look at this book. Y'know me, I'll look around elsewhere, though I was mildly interested on first take.

I just finished reading Bitter Lemons by Lawrence Durrell. There's a better bet, not that I don't want to argue with him at times, but I get his view in time and place. Man could write.

This was meant for the 'What are you reading now' thread isn't it?

I agree with Deb that it seems to be a right wing tendency to disparage 'intellectuals'. I suspect that's because right wing=conservative=preserve the current orthodoxy. Intellectuals, by their nature, tend (or should) question things (particularly their own motivations and biases). Having someone asking difficult questions about things you accept on faith must get annoying, if not threatening.

Intellectual is one of those labels you should never apply to yourself, it can only be thrust on you by others. A bit like 'sex god'.

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Probably was, Hinge, as my intellectual light bulb has burnt out. It was about the Jacoby book, which I keep hearing about and was interested in at first read but maybe not the fifth or sixth notice... and then I apparently morphed. Surely a sign of intellectual jump taking.

Or else it was an inter-thread screw up.

There was a very early thread at a2k about who is or is not an intellectual, and I remember conclusively ruling myself out into left field, something of a relief.

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Re: "Intellectual" is a dirty word.

dyslexia wrote:

I Are you an "intellectual"? If you are, do you feel a need to apologize?

I never thought of myself as an intellectual, but some other people think I am. Let 'em think what they want. I ain't apologizing for nuttin'.

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Foofie wrote:

O.K., here's my two cents. Anti-intellectualism is part of the popular culture in the U.S. I believe it was put there on purpose . . .

As soon as you had gotten that far, you slipped off the edge into unreasoning conspiracy theory. "Put there" by whom? Are you suggesting that someone, prior to the existence of our contemporary culture, foresaw that culture with sufficient accuracy to implant this anti-intellectual strain, but specifically tailored to appeal to the devotees of an era of mass electronic communications? Not to put to fine a point on it--bullshit.

I haven't the least doubt that right-wing and fundamentalist religious rabble-rousers are delighted with such attitudes, and encourage them where they find them. It is more than a little simple-minded, however, to paint some picture of deep-dyed conspiracy spanning the centuries (and an anti-intellectual streak has been in our society since the beginning) the purpose of which was to dumb-down the populace, and which was so cunningly wrought that it functions as intended in an electronic age, having been cobbled together in a quill, ink and parchment age.

In short, get a grip, will ya?

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Setanta wrote:

Foofie wrote:
O.K., here's my two cents. Anti-intellectualism is part of the popular culture in the U.S. I believe it was put there on purpose . . .

As soon as you had gotten that far, you slipped off the edge into unreasoning conspiracy theory. "Put there" by whom? Are you suggesting that someone, prior to the existence of our contemporary culture, foresaw that culture with sufficient accuracy to implant this anti-intellectual strain, but specifically tailored to appeal to the devotees of an era of mass electronic communications? Not to put to fine a point on it--bullshit.

I haven't the least doubt that right-wing and fundamentalist religious rabble-rousers are delighted with such attitudes, and encourage them where they find them. It is more than a little simple-minded, however, to paint some picture of deep-dyed conspiracy spanning the centuries (and an anti-intellectual streak has been in our society since the beginning) the purpose of which was to dumb-down the populace, and which was so cunningly wrought that it functions as intended in an electronic age, having been cobbled together in a quill, ink and parchment age.

In short, get a grip, will ya?

It's passed down through the centuries with a "wink and a nod," or perhaps just a mild "clearing of one's throat, or a subtle smirk." But, for those that the generalizations of the popular culture serve, they know it must be passed down to the next generation, and it is. The dinner table historically was the medium, before the electronic age (remember the sitcom with Archie Bunker, and all the popular culture generalizations he passed down at the dinner table).

Only from the vantage point of old history can one see it was premeditated, as for example, how feudalism relied on many generalizations of the popular culture to keep the peasants "in their place."

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