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- Gemfinder, on 10/03/2008, -9/+423This didn't happen overnight.
I remember four years ago, a lot of people I talked to didn't like Kerry because "he's too intellectual." "Intelligent" has been a term of derision for years now.
[shaking head] Sickening.
Don't let the Morlocks win. - ChessPieceFace, on 10/03/2008, -17/+309FTA: "Let me be clear- I don't care if politicians don't seem "fun" or "folksy"- I don't want to have a beer with them. I want them to lead. "Going with your gut" is not a viable option for this level of leadership. Quick sound bites or catch phrases don't make you a good leader. I don't care if you can hunt, were in the PTA, or wink at me- I want you to be educated about the issues facing our country.
Intellectualism is a quality we want in a leader. I would rather have someone who might be a bit dry and heavy on the facts than someone who is folksy and dead wrong any day.
But hey, what do I know? Maybe I'll just stick to eating my elitist arugula salad and reading."
How far we have fallen as a country?
Now is not the time for folksy platitudes, pandering and rash stunts.
Now is the time for intellectual honesty and measured, thoughtful response. Neither Palin nor McCain possess these qualities.
Obama/Biden '08 - Arishia, on 10/03/2008, -24/+217Don't forget that some on the right want to eliminate the public education system.
- ThsGuyRightHere, on 10/04/2008, -3/+194The leaders of America should not be everyday people. They should be extraordinary. Exceptional. I don't expect the president to be an expert on every facet of the operation of the federal government, but I do expect him/her to be able to walk into a meeting, summit, or event and be one of the smartest people in the room.
At the very least, can he at least not be one of the dumbest people in the room? Not mentioning any names or anything... - wherearemymeds, on 10/03/2008, -4/+117I think we've just come to another crux of learning how to find our balance again. Frankly, the idea that a higher education can be smeared into a negative is antithetical to progress of any kind.
What is really strange, is that in this day and age, higher education is less about exceeding the norms for a society--it's much closer to being a requirement. The world has expanded and connected in ways that simply weren't imaginable even 20 years ago--our education in every area should naturally keep pace.
I don't think that that's being 'elite'. I think it's just simple common sense. - mlwarrior, on 10/04/2008, -3/+111"This didn't happen overnight."
Idiots reproduce faster (more irresponsibly) than intelligent couples. - Tyrghast, on 10/04/2008, -4/+106On this topic I love the comment Bill Maher made when promoting Religulous. He said something along the lines of "In America there are two cultures: One that wants to be a intellectual, reasonable European-style minset, and another that wants to strangle that desire for freedom of thought and expression with dogmatic, Biblical opinion."
He also said "I know Obama has to tell the United Stupid of America that he's a religious person to get the job, but for the sake of America I hope he's lying." - Olon97, on 10/03/2008, -6/+103Don'tcha know? We make jobs by cutting taxes and waving a magic wand, not by educating new generations of researchers and entrepreneurs. Who needs those silly idea people anyhoo?
- JenniferInMO, on 10/03/2008, -11/+101All the more important to get Obama's education plan in place and educate our youth to crave learning, embrace curiosity and to admire thought.
- jedisushi, on 10/04/2008, -1/+89Reminds me of a very important episode of the Daily Show from back in April:
“I know ‘elite’ is a bad word in politics. You wanna go bowling and throw back a few beers. But the job you’re applying for - if you get it, and it goes well - they might carve your head into a mountain. If you don’t actually think you’re better than us, then what the ***** are you doing?! In fact not only do I want an elite president, I want someone who is embarassingly superior to me.”
http://www.comedycentral.com/videos/index.jhtml?vi ... - SaraLiberty, on 10/04/2008, -4/+82Society is being dumbed down by design.
- EarlOfLade, on 10/04/2008, -5/+79This is a result of the evangelical movement and it's literal reading of the bible. They have to put science in a bad light in order to push their bronze age mythology. Combine this with home schooling and the picture starts to form.
For many practical examples with links to the original context, see http://www.fstdt.com (Fundies Say The Darndest Thing) - JoeParanoid, on 10/03/2008, -7/+77This isn't new: it's the same tactic they used on Gore and Kerry, not to mention Adlai Stevenson. Clinton hid his brilliance behind the Bubba image, and that's how he managed to get elected. Instead of an "I Voted" sticker, we should all be issued t-shirts emblazoned with "I'm With Stupid -- And Proud of It!"
- logicalriot, on 10/04/2008, -0/+68It's a reference to the Time Machine by, H.G. Wells.
- saranac7, on 10/03/2008, -8/+73Hey, y dont the hockey moms and Joe Six-Packs go to the corner gas station for their next medical procedure? You betcha!
- solstice21, on 10/04/2008, -2/+62The war on intellectuals started when people with really low self-esteem realized that you can fix ugly, and you can fix fat, but you can't fix stupid.
- paintgrl, on 10/03/2008, -8/+64I blame T.V.
- b15fliptop, on 10/04/2008, -0/+55But Brawndo's got electrolytes...
- Pash1994, on 10/04/2008, -1/+55My roommate in college was an anthropology major. She once did a paper on how intelligence in this society was in decline. She based her hypothesis on the use of birth control. Her theory was that people on the higher end of the IQ spectrum were choosing to have fewer children or none at all. Over time, this would reduce the average intelligence of the population.
I've thought of her theory many times over the many intervening years, none more so than the last few months. - somnambulator, on 10/04/2008, -4/+57My dad, a staunch conservative, is incensed by the anti-intellectual, anti-elitism that pervades England. The labour party has led this insidious surge against intelligence. What really pisses him off though, is the fact that, even though intelligent excellence is sidelined, politicians fall over each other to get a photo op with David Beckam. He is treated like royalty - how is that not elitist.
Politicians moan and complain about elitism in schools and universities, but if you play soccer well, you've written your ticket to fame, wealth and joining the ranks of the country's 'new' elite.
I think my dad has a point. I hope Barack Obama values intelligence, and that he infuses that into his education policies.
And why is eating arugula(rocket) elitist? It used to be a weed that most gardeners pulled up and threw away. Isn't that the opposite of elitist, eating garbage? - eir574, on 10/04/2008, -1/+52" I do expect him/her to be able to walk into a meeting, summit, or event and be one of the smartest people in the room. "
Clearly, this would make him an elitist and/or an intellectual, and we can't have that, can we? - nerdherder, on 10/04/2008, -1/+51Idiocracy
- TunaFishGangsta, on 10/04/2008, -5/+53nukular Talabani maverick POWs in da house, boi!
I believe the war against intellectualism heated up when Gore lost to Bush. - Scira, on 10/04/2008, -4/+50If I don't know what a Morlock is, does that mean I am one?
- carbonetc, on 10/04/2008, -3/+46"Elitism is a feature, not a bug."
- FasterGun, on 10/04/2008, -1/+44It's clear which camp you belong to.
- desertDenizen, on 10/04/2008, -2/+43America has a choice: Embrace Intellectualism or embrace Mandarin.
- eliot2000, on 10/04/2008, -2/+43Pol Pot would be proud of us.
- BrandonWicks, on 10/04/2008, -2/+42I couldn't laugh that whole damn film, because it was too true.
- thereisnostate, on 10/04/2008, -2/+39Unfortunately the Morlocks are out breeding ten times more than intelligentsia. The best thing people with an IQ above room temperature can do is create a new society from scratch that prohibits the entrance of Morlocks.
- insllvn, on 10/04/2008, -0/+36Idiocracy is the most frightening horror movie I have ever seen.
- piratearggghhh, on 10/04/2008, -9/+44Stupid people: stop breeding so much. Use birth control, get your tubes tied, have less sex etc.. Your kids that you taught your overly religious, hypocritical, racist, homophobic values to are ruining the world.
- inactive, on 10/04/2008, -0/+34The guy above you summed up your comment with the Brawndo's got electrolytes statement.
- inactive, on 10/04/2008, -0/+33It takes quite the person to hate on education.
- netneutrality, on 10/04/2008, -2/+35New World Order: Multiply everybody's vote by the measure of their intelligence.
- Tr33fiddy, on 10/04/2008, -2/+34I think it goes back even further than that. I remember a news article in 1994 talking about how the films Forrest Gump, Dumb and Dumber, and some others, extol the "virtue" of stupidity.
Or perhaps "simplicity" would be the better term for it. Either way, they noted how there was a growing number of people actively acting "more stupid" because they perceived it as a positive attribute.
Things haven't changed much. Just look at the popularity of Will Ferrell and Adam Sandler movies. - OoO3xOoO, on 10/04/2008, -0/+31I guess up is down and black is white huh? I mean the last thing we want is intelligent people running the country, right? What a ridiculous position to take. We've had one of the dumbest presidents in history in office for 8 years and look how well he did! I wake up every morning thinking, "give me more of that!" What a joke
- inactive, on 10/04/2008, -1/+32Check out the book, "Age of American Unreason" by Susan Jacoby
- Tanze, on 10/04/2008, -0/+31noooo! you gave it away!
- mrsbrown333, on 10/04/2008, -1/+31My dad was a blue collar railroad engineer and we lived in a small town in Indiana. He never went to college and he raised 6 kids , sometimes working 3 jobs at a time during the tough years. Nonetheless, he read Mark Twain, and Shakespeare, and he was well versed in literature and history. Intellectualism can be attained by anyone who chooses to go to a local library and just read. When did the concept of 'culture' become elitist? At the turn of the century, many small towns in the US had opera houses. I find it disconcerting that the meme/propaganda by the right wing politicos is the need to drive a wedge between people by stating that anyone who reads or exhibits an interest in arts and literature is an enemy. My dad, a WW2 vet , hunter, father, and yes, artist, would have been appalled by such nonsense.
- thelif, on 10/04/2008, -1/+31Education leads to more scientific progress which leads to the very basis of civilization progress. I have never ever ever in the history of the world seen a country perform well when they do not believe in intelligence. The very notion that you think the past 50 years has provided nothing is incredible.
- ScienceDoc, on 10/04/2008, -3/+32This is exactly how the Nazi's did it.
- burningmanstan, on 10/04/2008, -0/+29I think all of you are underestimating how long this has been going on. The anti-intelligence movement goes back to the very beginning of the cold war. Even though incredibly smart people were essential for beating the commies, there was always the suspicion that they were out to get the common folk (McCarthyism, etc.). The GOP has always played off of this idea. For example, this is what Ayn Rand had to say in 1961. She says NEOCONSERVATIVE.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTf6NK0wsiA
Before you bury this because it is Ayn Rand you should really see what she has to say. She summarizes why the GOP will eventually fail because their ideology is based on faith, not reason. She may have been a selfish bitch, but she called this one 40+ years ago. - Misinformant, on 10/04/2008, -0/+28Oh pfft...whatever, ya silly liberal elitist!
*giggle & pose* - mattlohkamp, on 10/04/2008, -1/+29you might be an Eloi...
- grumluvr, on 10/04/2008, -9/+37It's gotten so bad, I'm surprised the Republican haven't put out campaign ads like:
Vote McCain, the only senile candidate for '08
Palin for VP, she says 'verbage' and 'folksie'
Be a Republican, we big smart think-a-lotters - panicbombs, on 10/04/2008, -6/+34People that live in cities suck even though most of the country live in. What are small town values aside from hating gays? The Daily Show bit at the GOP convention nailed it.
- Mesmascizer, on 10/04/2008, -0/+27It's what plants crave.
- lofispy, on 10/04/2008, -3/+29That's a mischaracterization of the facts.....while I might not necessarily agree with them, most of the right-wingers who most strongly support changing or abolishing the public-education system do so because they feel it is dumbing kids down....so, don't make the mistake of lumping everyone across the aisle from you into the same neo-con mindset, because that simply isn't true....
- kingmanic, on 10/04/2008, -4/+30Intellectuals are the university professors the doctors the pharmacists etc. . . The finance guys who ***** the economy are MBA's, otherwise known as the smart mans slackers. The goals of an MBA is to do as little as possible for as much money as possible. Which is a sound philosophy but they are hardly the "intellectual elite". That's more the physicists or biologists who went to school for 4-8 years just so they can make 40k a year doing research.
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