Reply #31: There's a positive side to anti-intellectualism, too. [View All]

[Stirk]

Though it's largely evaporated.

Anti-intellectualism can also mean rejecting the official "truth" espoused by the people our society annoints as intellectuals, and searching for your own answers. Doing your own thinking.

When it comes to science, medicine, engineering... that sort of thing- of course you want to defer to the experts. But philosohpy? Literature? Political science? What makes them any more expert on these subjects than someone digging ditches or trimming trees?

My dad spent 40 years of his life filling pot holes, and his views on geopolitical issues were a hell of alot more reasoned and consistent that those of David Fineman or Ben Stein (two so-called intellectuals). He would call guys like that what they are: idea salesmen for the powers-that-be. I think there's a place for that kind of anti-intellectualism.