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Will the world ever stop being anti-intellectual? (discuss.online)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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One of the most aggravating things to me in this world has to be the absolutely rampant anti-intellectualism that dominates so many conversations and debates, and its influence just seems to be expanding. Do you think there will ever actually be a time when this ends? I'd hope so once people become more educated and cultural changes eventually happen, but as of now it honestly infuriates me like few things ever have.

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

If you think OP is just being arrogant, will you listen to Isaac Asimov instead?

There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.

Also, there's a big difference between mere ignorance, or even lack of intelligence, and active hostility to knowledge and intelligence, which is what anti-intellectualism is. Ignorance can be fixed with knowledge, but willful ignorance is a character flaw that's very hard to change.