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Sat 25 Feb, 2006 04:53 am
Quote:What is an intellectual life?
Good question. Is it the life of one posessing all the mental facilities without using them to their full extent? Or is it the life of a more primitive being that has focused all of it's energy into evolving, perhaps one day accuire the gift/curse of thought?
I am inclined to say that most humans don't lead intellectual lives, while most animals do. It is very strange. It seems all efforts of the western world revolves around suppressing intellect.
cyracuz
"I am inclined to say that most humans don't lead intellectual lives, while most animals do. It is very strange. It seems all efforts of the western world revolves around suppressing intellect."
I think you are correct. I never thought about it that way, non human animals use their brain power to its maximum while humans use it to 5%of capacity.
In the US we have a very great amount of anti-intellectualism. Is this true in other Western nations? Is this because of capitalism? Is this true because of religion?
What is an intellectual life?
It's more fun to define it by what it is not, such as ditch digging or brick laying.
Quote:In the US we have a very great amount of anti-intellectualism. Is this true in other Western nations? Is this because of capitalism? Is this true because of religion?
Hard to say here in Canada. I mean, sure in the media, you might see it, and some people just don't like thinking too much, but I think there are also plenty of people that like knowledge, or deep stuff as well.
I would say the latter, but that's where Americans and French differ.
In matters like the one you refer to, we are not that different, Gus. Sorry for the typo...
Coberst,
It is a fact of history that saturated and unchallenged people are easier to rule than hungry and opinionated ones. The romans knew, and a term has survived right up to our age. "Bread and circus".
It is very disturbing that a term such as this, a term practically taken from the dictator's manual, should be so easily applickable to our western democracies.
The entire consumer trend we're entangled in has one goal, keep us happy, amused, fat and busy. It is not good that we're working to diminish our horizon rather than increase it. It is the exact oposite of an intellectual existence. We're at the mercy of our senses reeling.
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