What is causing anti-intellectualism in the US?

GeorgeOb wrote:

Let us all hope that this anti intellectualism continues.

I feel dismayed by by this kind of pro domo pleading.

Your comparisons are off topic and you know that, George.

You are being specious as the subject here is not how Americans feel towards European intellectuals but the current trend among Americans towards education and knowledge.

But, what else should I expect from your jesuit casuistic in the light of your pet peeve? Mr. Green

1 Reply

Usually when people accuse Americans of "anti-intellectualism" they mean "lagging" in accepting Darwinism and the theory of evolution.

What causes that? It isn't complicated. We have a more competitive market here and Americans are generally said to be the world's best consumers, and that includes being the world's best at rejecting inferior products.

That includes every sort of inferior product and not just inferior ideological doctrines. You don't see Americans driving around in renaults or peugeots either.

1 Reply

@gungasnake,

Obviously, you don't know what the car market problem is between the US and France, nor am I going to enlighten you.

As a matter of fact, we don't live in cheap wood houses either, though I acknowledge that some of them can be beautiful..

0 Replies

In regards to either the REnault or the Puegeot,Do you have some good points about these cars that you can share with us? Maybe I missed them .

1 Reply

In fact, it isn't like French cars got driven out of the US by the stricter pollution standards; attempts to market French cars in America never made it to that point in time (mid 70s). VW, Mercedes, and BMW all had to deal with that reality and dealt with it.

0 Replies

@farmerman,

Time went by but the gripes about French cars remain.

As everything, like in the evolution theory, things most of the time get better.

Currently, French cars are adapted to the markets in general.

They have a good deal of comfort and are among the best when it comes to reliability.

Their mileage is far better than American cars. Also they are smaller in general.

One should ask why they sell good around the world, except in the USA..

2 Replies

@Francis,

In defence of the french: they are not anti intellectual. They go to cafes and discuss foreplay. Even the erotic films, have hours of discussing the theories around desire and the politics of passion. Its not "ooo aaa big boy"
French people discuss things intimately over lunch, which is a 3 hour seduction of sensual flavours. I love France, their is a poetry and depth to the culture. Americans go to Mcdonalds. Garbage in garbage out.

0 Replies

FOW wrote:

Americans go to Mcdonalds

That's not so simple.

Most of the time, to have reasonably priced food, they have no other choice.

I know Americans that readily avoid going there, but are sometimes compelled by necessity.

I've been myself to a McDonalds, though only a few times, in the US.

On the other hand, one can have nice conversations about philosophy or even eroticism (well, much less frequently) in a McDonalds.

I've met many Americans that are well educated and open-minded.

However, their common point is that they have been abroad..

3 Replies

@Francis,

Francis wrote:

I've met many Americans that are well educated and open-minded.

However, their common point is that they have been abroad.

Did they travel abroad because they were open minded (and had the money/time to travel), or become open minded because they went abroad?

Or is it possible that you simply meet more americans who have been abroad because you don't live in the US?

0 Replies

Ros wrote:

Did they travel abroad because they were open minded (and had the money/time to travel), or become open minded because they went abroad?

Very good questions, Ros. Food for thought.

Hmm, I'll tend to say the latter, but what do I know?

and wrote:

Or is it possible that you simply meet more americans who have been abroad because you don't live in the US?

I meet few Americans when in Europe.

Maybe the reason is because of my job..

0 Replies

@Francis,

I am making a cultural point: Americans have food that is designed to be eaten without interrupting work. French have food that encourages intimacy and discussion: I have French (Basque) relatives: the McDonalds in their town closed, thru lack of interest. They couldn't understand why anyone would want fast food. They preferred it cooked properly and with love.
A culture that doesn't understand the importance of food. Of Relaxation. Of Lunchtime. Is not thinking straight. Phillosophers and poets may have felt hunger: but they discuss how bad it is over lunch.

0 Replies

FOW wrote:

A culture that doesn't understand the importance of food.

I wouldn't blame them for that, though.

They are just missing something, given the reaction of those who have enjoyed it, when visiting in here..

0 Replies

I have been to USA several times, even lived there and the food served at home and food I have had in restaurants was very good often deliciuos.
OK in restaurants people don´t sit long time over a meal, but at home they sure do - if it is their tradition.
In many European countries people also sit a long time over meals, but also this tradition disappears, children eat at school or more or less alone when they come back from school. Many families don´t need to cook in the evenings. Some countries people don´t go out for lunch but take lunch along from home and just have a lunchbreak at work.
Germans eat very fast - the main course at a dinner can be eaten within 10-15 minutes and I am talking about big portions that takes me about 20-30 minutes to eat.

1 Reply

@Francis,

Francis wrote:

GeorgeOb wrote:
Let us all hope that this anti intellectualism continues.

I feel dismayed by by this kind of pro domo pleading.

Your comparisons are off topic and you know that, George.

You are being specious as the subject here is not how Americans feel towards European intellectuals but the current trend among Americans towards education and knowledge.

But, what else should I expect from your jesuit casuistic in the light of your pet peeve?

Typical, almost Jansenist, Frankophile retort. Wink

You have narrowly (and arbitrarily) defined the topic and then ignored the implicit point I made about the typical alignment of self-styled "intellectuals" in this country with prevailing European conventions of thought.

But you are correct that a pet peeve of mine is involved here. However, I bear no hostility or anger towards anyone.

Incidentally, I have eaten at a MacDonald's exactly once in my life. Ugh ! Last night however, I and family enjoyed a delightful and leisurely meal at 'Quince' in Pacific heights (San Francisco) - nouvelle French & Piedmontese cuisine.

0 Replies

GeorgeOb wrote:

...enjoyed a delightful and leisurely meal at 'Quince' in Pacific heights (San Francisco) - nouvelle French & Piedmontese cuisine.

Would you oppose repeating this placid experience, with me as your host, within the next few months?

1 Reply

@Francis,

Francis wrote:

GeorgeOb wrote:
...enjoyed a delightful and leisurely meal at 'Quince' in Pacific heights (San Francisco) - nouvelle French & Piedmontese cuisine.

Would you oppose repeating this placid experience, with me as your host, within the next few months?

I would be delighted, my friend. How long will you be here? Please give me the opportunity to reciprocate. (use [email protected])

0 Replies

GeorgeOb wrote:

I would be delighted, my friend. How long will you be here?

Sufficiently long to have more than one meeting with you, if the occasion arises (or is provoked).

Kind of Jesuitic answer, don't you find?

1 Reply

@Francis,

Francis wrote:

Sufficiently long to have more than one meeting with you, if the occasion arises (or is provoked).

Kind of Jesuitic answer, don't you find?

Yes it was - a refreshing change from the overtones of Gallic Jansenism that too often infect your posts. Moreover it was sufficient !

0 Replies

@saab,

Actually Germany has some funny customs. It has portions labelled kinderplatz for children fur damen :
Womans size and then mans size. The biggy is baronplatz or king size.
I like Germany: it is a well run country: However things tend to be functional rather than passionate. German workers work the hours they are paid to do. They don't do unpaid overtime.
Places that you have to reverse park into are marked nicht fur damen, "Not for women" that was in Baden Baden. I have been to the Karls Marx museum in Trier: I was hoping to buy cheap commercial tat: An ironic statement that would have the author of the Communist manifesto turning in his grave. I expected a Disneyland. There wasnt. It had a study centre and pretty dry museum explaining the concepts involved.
How many great philosophers have been American?

1 Reply

@Fountofwisdom,

Fountofwisdom wrote:

Actually Germany has some funny customs. It has portions labelled kinderplatz for children fur damen :
Womans size and then mans size. The biggy is baronplatz or king size.
I like Germany: it is a well run country: However things tend to be functional rather than passionate. German workers work the hours they are paid to do. They don't do unpaid overtime.
Places that you have to reverse park into are marked nicht fur damen, "Not for women" that was in Baden Baden.

Since I only live about 60 years in Germany it's not surpring that I've missed all that. ("Not for women" in Baden-Baden must have been in an US-facility.)

1 Reply

What is causing anti-intellectualism in the US?

Related Topics

Quick Links

My Account

able2know