a thoughtful web.
Good ideas and conversation. No ads, no tracking.   Login or Take a Tour!
comment
kleinbl00  ·  3568 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Oklahoma Lawmakers Vote Overwhelmingly To Ban Advanced Placement U.S. History

I think where we quibble is that I'm unconvinced anti-intellectualism has any more native traction than anti-elitism, anti-immoralism or any other anti-ism. If your opponent is smart, make smart a bad thing. If your opponent is agnostic, make agnosticism a bad thing. If your opponent is wealthy, make success a bad thing. If your opponent is famous, make charisma a bad thing.

Put another way - I think anti-intellectualism is one of many expressions of tribalism, not its own special breed of hatred. The book-burners of Islam aren't against "learning" after all, they're against "learning that doesn't come from the Koran or mullahs."