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Mon 22 Jan, 2007 05:50 pm
An intellectual is a person who uses his or her intellect to work, study, reflect, speculate on, or ask and answer questions with regard to a variety of different ideas.
There are, broadly, three modern definitions at work in discussions about intellectuals. Firstly, 'intellectuals' as those deeply involved in ideas, books, the life of the mind. Secondly, and here largely arising from Marxism, 'intellectuals' as that recognizable occupational class consisting of lecturers, teachers, doctors, lawyers, journalists, and suchlike. Thirdly, cultural "intellectuals" are those of notable expertise in culture and the arts, expertise which allows them some cultural authority, and who then use that authority to speak in public on other matters.
I regard the following as intellectuals;
timberland
thomas
Setanta.
no particular order but bastards they are.
BTW I just heard on the telly that what is wrong with america is too many "intellectuals" I'm sure it was not a statement fron either foxfyre or okie,
So, when do we line 'em up against the wall?
In the past, one could tell they were intellectuals because they wore glasses.
(Biafra)
Phoenix32890 wrote:dys wrote:Thirdly, cultural "intellectuals" are those of notable expertise in culture and the arts, expertise which allows them some cultural authority, and who then use that authority to speak in public on other matters.
That, m'dear is what is known as the "halo effect". Just because someone knows about the latest best sellers, and the mating rituals of the snow goose, doesn't mean that he/she knows **** from Shinola about anything else.
As for me, I know a little bit about a lot of stuff. I'm no authority on anything, but know just enough to open my mouth when the occasion arises!
so we have it that Phoenix is an anti-intellectual.
And furthermore ...
timberland
thomas
Setanta
can tell you why your reasoning is faulty.
I notice that there are no women in Dys's seditious triad.
how does one get on this list, do i have to say something all intelligent like or what
I noticed that too and bit my tongue (yet again), Noddy. Given the way that different brains work, along various spectra, I think intellectual has been an abused term of consequential eliteness.
(Oh, and Phoenix may wear contacts... who knows?)
I was once referred to as a sexual intellectual.
Well, it wasn't quite phrased that way, but that was what she meant, I think.
What she actually said, was that I was a "F**king know it all".
I always try to look for the positive.
Dys, what in tarnation did you eat tonight? Must have given you gas and made you cranky?
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