Why is anti-intellectualism so rampant?

yturie47

Wow, I really enjoyed reading all of this! . Also one can appear intelligent occasionally but actually be ignorant or vice versa. H'mmmmmm.

BigVeggieDream

Being a nerd has nothing to do with being intelligent, well educated , or well informed.....

Being a geek has nothing to do with being intelligent, well educated or well informed. A nerd is Intelligent, well educated or well informed

Since I am a non-native speaker of English I just checked eight internet dictionaries and none of the definitions came even close to what you say. The common definition seems to imply that a nerd is rigid, anti- or non-social, single minded and only interested in the subject they are interested in and in nothing more.
Could you lead me ( in the interest of improving my English ) to the source of your definition, please ?

The dictionary is behind the curve. Society (particularly geeks and nerds themselves) have defined the terms. Geeks are into what are considered geek things, like comic books, sci-fi, etc. The definition of nerd is partly right. Many nerds are socially awkward, but they can be interested in many things. The common example is the smart kids who aren't popular. It's not unusual that some people are both geeks and nerds.

TadaGanIarracht

If you recognize there is a difference between educated and intelligent, we can be friends.

the_great_beyond_

tl;dr: let's measure our brain****s

BigVeggieDream

Being a nerd has nothing to do with being intelligent, well educated , or well informed.....

Being a geek has nothing to do with being intelligent, well educated or well informed. A nerd is Intelligent, well educated or well informed

Since I am a non-native speaker of English I just checked eight internet dictionaries and none of the definitions came even close to what you say. The common definition seems to imply that a nerd is rigid, anti- or non-social, single minded and only interested in the subject they are interested in and in nothing more.
Could you lead me ( in the interest of improving my English ) to the source of your definition, please ?

I think the definitions of both are socially driven. I've always been a "nerd" - I'm a bookworm, quiet, introverted and smart. That's what a nerd was when I was a kid (and it was a bad thing), now it's the "in" thing and the definition is evolving - same with geek. And pretty much same as any term used to describe a subset of people as people change. Make sense?

Even though I identify as a nerd myself, to some people I may not be (I don't care either way).

LOL! You posted while I was still writing my reply. We both kinda said the same thing.

rollng_thundr

If you recognize there is a difference between educated and intelligent, we can be friends.

*whew*

Glad we got that out of the way....

AglaeaC

If you recognize there is a difference between educated and intelligent, we can be friends.

I had to teach a booksmart med student in the lab and it was a frickin disaster. She could barf theory like nobody's business, but common sense such as don't do this or you'll set yourself on fire, that or you'll poison yourself and the rest of us, was like trying to move an adult to a parallel universe. Groan.

TheVirgoddess

If you recognize there is a difference between educated and intelligent, we can be friends.

I have a friend that has her Masters and I tried for over an hour to explain how the seconds between thunder and lightening can be used to roughly gauge how far away the storm is.

So yeah, I feel you.

TheVirgoddess

I feel like I just did the forum equivalent of a really loud fart and everyone ran away.

Ang108

Being a nerd has nothing to do with being intelligent, well educated , or well informed.....

Being a geek has nothing to do with being intelligent, well educated or well informed. A nerd is Intelligent, well educated or well informed

Since I am a non-native speaker of English I just checked eight internet dictionaries and none of the definitions came even close to what you say. The common definition seems to imply that a nerd is rigid, anti- or non-social, single minded and only interested in the subject they are interested in and in nothing more.
Could you lead me ( in the interest of improving my English ) to the source of your definition, please ?

I think the definitions of both are socially driven. I've always been a "nerd" - I'm a bookworm, quiet, introverted and smart. That's what a nerd was when I was a kid (and it was a bad thing), now it's the "in" thing and the definition is evolving - same with geek. And pretty much same as any term used to describe a subset of people as people change. Make sense?

Even though I identify as a nerd myself, to some people I may not be (I don't care either way).

Two people in the Chit Chat forum described themselves independently as nerds once because they loved video games and " Big Bang Theory ".
I was and still am also a bookworm, socially uneasy, reserved, quiet, and introvert and really good at what I do, be it professionally or in the areas of personal interest. I also had the luck to go to some good schools inmy home home country as well as abroad ( all scholarships ) but have no idea what I would have called myself , because when I started university in the mid-60's there was no label for it. The word " weird " was mentioned a few times....lol.

rollng_thundr

I feel like I just did the forum equivalent of a really loud fart and everyone ran away.

Uh.. thought that was me....

AglaeaC

I feel like I just did the forum equivalent of a really loud fart and everyone ran away.

I'll let you to it then and crown you thread killer.

Guns_N_Buns

Anti-intellectualism serves capitalism, keeps us living in fear, keeps the little man from figuring out he's just living in indentured servitude. There, I said it. *waits for hate mail*

^I've read this somewhere before...

Maybe read Brave New World to get a better perspective where all this could go. Written 20 years before 1984 and maybe scarier in how it seems to playing out. The willingness to sacrifice reason and curiosity and intellectualism will only accelerate the world depicted in that book.

:flowerforyou:

Also watch the movie Idiocracy, it's humorous and scary.

Leave me alone, I'm 'batin'!

_Stardust_

I know that chicks dig nerds.

As long as they look rich in their leased beemers

Nerds rule the world now. Tesla is way more my Nerd style.

Anti-intellectualism serves capitalism, keeps us living in fear, keeps the little man from figuring out he's just living in indentured servitude. There, I said it. *waits for hate mail*

1. Tesla is a very capitalist company... in fact, it is not just capitalist, it is a company with a discretionary consumerist (often satirized as the worst part of capitalism) agenda.
2. Capitalism thrives when there are markets that quickly adapt and adjust for new information. Ill informed or ill educated people make that hard and, consequently, are against the needs of a capitalist economy
3. Well regulated (not necessarily highly regulated) capitalism eliminates the distinction between "capital" and "labor." In our modern, mixed economy, most "labor" are also "capitalists."

1. Tesla is a very capitalist company... in fact, it is not just capitalist, it is a company with a discretionary consumerist (often satirized as the worst part of capitalism) agenda.

I was responding to the assertion that only Nerds with BMWs attract the attention of women. All I was saying is that I prefer Teslas to BMWs. But in all reality, BMW is producing quite a nice electric vehicle, so not really a valid comment on my preferences.

2. Capitalism thrives when there are markets that quickly adapt and adjust for new information. Ill informed or ill educated people make that hard and, consequently, are against the needs of a capitalist economy

Yes, I agree. Would you say that the Capitolism in the US is thriving? Does it serve us well? I didn't think so. I believe this to be directly linked to anti-intellectualism.

3. Well regulated (not necessarily highly regulated) capitalism eliminates the distinction between "capital" and "labor." In our modern, mixed economy, most "labor" are also "capitalists."

I have to admit I'm not completely sure what you're talking about here. Although, in the US (my experience of capitolism "free market") capitolism, labor nor our practices in economics are well regulated. Again, something I think intellectuals would argue is leading to our rapid downfall.

SunofaBeach14

If you recognize there is a difference between educated and intelligent, we can be friends.

I have a friend that has her Masters and I tried for over an hour to explain how the seconds between thunder and lightening can be used to roughly gauge how far away the storm is.

So yeah, I feel you.

I work in a highly educated profession with plenty of egos and I can tell you than the variance in raw intelligence is every bit as great as I saw in high school. In fact, a friend of mine from high school who never went beyond that is far more intelligent, in my opinion, than a few former colleagues. Degrees =/= intelligence

Guns_N_Buns

I work in a highly educated profession with plenty of egos and I can tell you than the variance in raw intelligence is every bit as great as I saw in high school. In fact, a friend of mine from high school who never went beyond that is far more intelligent, in my opinion, than a few former colleagues. Degrees =/= intelligence

DITTO -QFT

rollng_thundr

.02

There's no reward (beyond personal satisfaction) in becoming smart, and expanding intelligence. Many are mocked for being smart, and ridiculed for it. I see it every day. I see it in my job, on TV, movies... society has an apathetic attitude about furthering themselves.. it's easier to feel entitled and "somebody else will pick up the bill", than to actually work at it. So the dregs of society pull others down to their level, and keep them there because they are too damn insecure to go it alone.

Signed,

The ramblings of a man who has been up for 24 hours.

BigVeggieDream

Anti-intellectualism serves capitalism, keeps us living in fear, keeps the little man from figuring out he's just living in indentured servitude. There, I said it. *waits for hate mail*

^I've read this somewhere before...

Maybe read Brave New World to get a better perspective where all this could go. Written 20 years before 1984 and maybe scarier in how it seems to playing out. The willingness to sacrifice reason and curiosity and intellectualism will only accelerate the world depicted in that book.

:flowerforyou:

Also watch the movie Idiocracy, it's humorous and scary.

Leave me alone, I'm 'batin'!

LOL!

occupysmithmachine

salembambi

If you recognize there is a difference between educated and intelligent, we can be friends.

ahhh yeaah I am making le friends