Anti Intellectualism

Think Again: The Conservative War on Knowledge

Eric Alterman | Posted 05.24.2012

Read More: Anti-Science., Anti-Intelectuals, War on Science, Conservatives, War on Knowledge, Anti-Intellectualism, Republicans, Politics News
Eric Alterman

The United States finds itself in an odd political predicament. One of its two major political parties is increasingly dominated by a faction of people that simply denies those aspects of reality it finds to be inconvenient.

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My Struggles With Anti-Intellectualism

Paul Stoller | Posted 05.08.2012

Read More: Philosophy, Critical Thinking, Education, College, Pragmatism, Anti-Intellectualism, Anthropology, Elitism, Higher Education, College News
Paul Stoller

"Can do" pragmatism was the fuel of America prosperity. But that pragmatism was reinforced with an abiding respect for knowledge and critical thinking. It's hard to do anything in a place devoid of new ideas, a place where dreamers are discouraged from dreaming.

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Romney on the Charles: Anti-Intellectualism Should Have No Place in Politics

The Harvard Crimson | Posted 04.16.2012

Read More: Mitt Romney Harvard, Republican Party, Mitt Romney Campaign, Republican Primary, Barack Obama, Mitt Romney, 2012 Election, Anti-Intellectualism, President Obama, Harvard University, Academia, Obama Harvard, College News
The Harvard Crimson

Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney attributed President Barack Obama's alleged ineptitude to his having "spent too much time at Harvard, perhaps." Romney has not one, but two advanced degrees from this institution.

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The Rise of the Anti-Intellectual Movement

Erin White | Posted 04.09.2012

Read More: 2012 Presidential Election, Anti Intellectual Movement, Anti-Intellectualism, Santorum College, 2012 Primary, Rick Santorum, Rick Santorum 2012, Higher Education, Gop Primary, 2012 Gop Primary, Santorum Snob, College News
Erin White

Why would a potential president of the United States want Americans to be less educated?

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If They Only Had A Brain: Republicans and Anti-Intellectualism

Harvard Kennedy School Democrats | Posted 01.01.2012

Read More: Politics News, Elizabeth Warren, Republican Presidential Candidates, Anti-Intellectualism, Herman Cain, Mitt Romney, Rick Perry, Republicans, Politics News
Harvard Kennedy School Democrats

Highly visible candidates like Mr. Cain and Mr. Perry, with their open disdain for academic rigor and nuanced policy, are ushering the Republican Party further and further into the intellectual wilderness.

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Teens Rejoice as Perry Vows to Abolish Science and Reason From States' Curricula (Satire)

Brock Cohen | Posted 11.07.2011

Read More: Gun Rights, The GOP, The Tea Party, Rick Perry, High School, Anti-Intellectualism, Climate Change, Right-Wing Republicans, Evolution, Comedy News
Brock Cohen

"First, they said human beings shared genes with monkeys," said Perry to a restive audience of more than 400 teenagers. "Then it was dogs, then rats, then bugs. But apparently, that's no longer demeaning enough."

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Finding Meaning In The Death Of A Teacher

Haroon Moghul | Posted 08.09.2011

Read More: Religion and Politics, Religion, Celebrity, America, Culture, Anti-Intellectualism, Math Teacher, Religion News
Haroon Moghul

He and I were instantly linked the moment I received word of his passing. How could my end be any different -- and was there anything in that life, seen from its beginning to its end, which I should feel unfulfilled by, were it my own?

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Is Accepting Evolution 'Optional' For Christians?

Karl Giberson, Ph.D | Posted 08.03.2011

Read More: Intelligent Design, Evolution, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, Creation, The Anointed, Anti-Intellectualism, Religion and Science, Religion Science, Religion News
Karl Giberson, Ph.D

To expose high school students to fringe perspectives, presented as genuine alternatives, and then encourage them to "choose" the one they like best is to send the message that there is no such thing as knowledge.

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The Palin Problem (It's Not What You Think...)

Erica Payne | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Andrew Breitbart, Dick Armey, Tea Party, Koch Brothers, Conservative Political Action Committee Conference, Not a Witch, Freedom Works, Ann Coulter, Agenda Project, Rick Santorum, Conservatism, Jim Demint, Russell Kirk, Sarah Palin, Christine D'Donnell, American Politics, Erica Payne, Richard Hofstadter, Climate Science, Corporate-Ocracy, Anti-Intellectualism, Irving Kristol, William F. Buckley, Gabrielle Giffords, Glenn Beck, Leo Strauss, Conservative Ideology, Vitriol, Anti-Intellectualism in American Life, Rhetoric, Politics News
Erica Payne

The real crisis in American politics isn't about one tragic shooting, its about a cultural phenomenon -- the celebration of stupidity -- that has taken over this country.

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Sputnik II: Relearn the Love of Learning -- Now

Carla Seaquist | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: President Obama, Importance of Reading, Arne Duncan, Dumbing Down, College-Board-Report-US-College-Graduation-Rate, Sputnik, Sputnik Moment, PISA Test, Pop Culture, Culture, Education, Public Education Reform, College Board, Anti-Intellectualism, Foreign Language, Education Reform, Reading, Learning, Mind, PISA Testing, Education News
Carla Seaquist

Not so long ago -- in that 1959-'69 span of the U.S.-Soviet space race -- the love of learning held sway.

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2011: The Year of Living Unapologetically

Mark Olmsted | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Tea Party, Pakistan, Ignorance, Anti-Intellectualism, Afghanistan, Defense Spending, Keith Olbermann, Rush Limbaugh, Rachel Maddow, Politics News
Mark Olmsted

For a blogger who's been posting about everything under the political sun in 2010, this year brings with it a particular challenge embodied in the que...

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Waiting for Superman or Godot?

Jonathan R. Cole | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Education News, Public Schools, Test Scores, Education, Waiting for Superman, Education Reform, Anti-Intellectualism, Education News
Jonathan R. Cole

It's not news to say that our educational system is at risk. The problem is that things are getting worse rather than better.

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Dancing With the Palins: The Right-Wing Attack on Reason, Expertise, and Science

Bob Samuels | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Ignorance, Sarah Palin, Anti-Intellectualism, Dancing With the Stars, Bristol Palin, Global Warming, Rush Limbaugh, Politics News
Bob Samuels

As the power of science increases, certain segments of the population cling to religion and popular myths in order to defend against reason and expertise. They are now quickly becoming corporate pawns.

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The Anti-Intellectualization of America and Commensurate Candidates

Rizwan A. Rahmani | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Abortion, Minimum Wage, Education, Math, Rand Paul, Joe Miller, Anti-Intellectualism, Science, Christine O'donnell, Undergraduate Education, Sharron Angle, Graduate School, Tea Party, Global Warming, Politics News
Rizwan A. Rahmani

I suspect there is a direct correlation between the 'dumbing down' of America through a crumbling education system and the increase in kooky candidates.

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The Unbearable Whiteness of Anti-Intellectualism

John Ridley | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Christine O'donnell, Newt Gingrich, Race, Tea Party, Race Relations, Sarah Palin, Anti-Intellectualism, Politics News
John Ridley

Our nation was originally founded on the aspirations of higher achievement. The dream that each generation would attain more than the last. Now striving to be the best is in fact the worst of attributes.

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Conservatives' Network Moment

Daniel Cluchey | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Polls, Fear, Glenn Beck, Conservatives, Barack Obama, Daily Kos, Anti-Intellectualism, Politics News
Daniel Cluchey

The sad truth is that the Republican party has been commandeered by those who would rather dumb their fellow citizens down than take part in an honest discussion about what policies best serve the American people.

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How to Think

Terrance Heath | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Ignorance, Far Right, President Obama, Right Wing, Conservatism, Barack Obama, Education, Critical Thinking, Intelligence, Obama Speech, Conservatives, Obama Education, Anti-Intellectualism, Republican Party, Free Market Ideology, Republicans, Politics News
Terrance Heath

One of our political parties now embraces that what one believes is more important than what one knows, and is where critical thought has been banished and"facts" are founded in belief.

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Sarah Palin and Anti-Intellectualism in American Life

Ariel Gonzalez | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Anti-Intellectualism, Richard Hofstadter, Todd Purdum, Palin Quitting, Palin Resignation, Sarah Palin, Vanity Fair, Politics News
Ariel Gonzalez

Like George W. Bush, Sarah Palin fears self-evaluation and contemplation. They both prefer to be ruled by their gut instincts. Of course, they're too arrogant and insecure to acknowledge when these instincts lead them astray.

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Teabagging: Redux Anti-Intellectualism

Stuart Whatley | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Teabagging, Tea Party Protests, Rush Limbaugh, Boston Tea Party, Tea Parties, Barack Obama, Teabag, Teabag Party, Teabags, Tax Day Tea Party, GOP Budget, Gop, Teabagging Party, Teabagger, Tea Party, Republican Party, Tea, Republicans, John McCain, McCain Palin, 2008 Election, Anti-Intellectual, Anti-Intelectuals, Anti-Intellectualism, Sarah Palin, Video, Stuart Whatley, Politics News
Stuart Whatley

Why the hell is this populist, boastful ignorance being actively encouraged and exploited by conservative corporate lobbyists, Fox News and, indeed, the Republican Party?

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Promoting the Pornography of Creationism

Bill Allen | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Religion, Theory of Evolution, Intelligent Design, Education, Anti-Intellectualism, Textbook Adoption, Life on Earth, Biology, Texas, Steven Weinberg, Darwin, California, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Textbook Publishers, Textbooks, Creationism, Students, Institute for Creation Research, Online Education, Creation Science, Texas State Board of Education, Anti-Science, Evolution, Politics News
Bill Allen

I proposed in jest the idea of an online degree in "creationism." I never imagined that anyone could seriously put forward such an outlandish idea. Boy, was I ever wrong.

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Ending the Pornography of Creation

Bill Allen | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: George Bush, Life on Earth, Biology, President Obama, Theory of Evolution, Obama, Myths, Barack Obama, Scientific Theory, Mysticism, Religion, Intelligent Design, Education, Creationism, Stevie Wonder, Anti-Intellectualism, Anti-Science, President Bush, Evolution, Politics News
Bill Allen

Now is the time to confront one of the major myths perpetuated by the previous anti-intellectual, anti-science regime. Now is the time to keep science in science class and keep religion out.

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Science is Back in the House

Bill Allen | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Education, Arne Duncan, TIMMS Report, President Obama, Inaugural Address, Competitiveness, Secretary of Education, Teacher Education, Anti-Intellectualism, Science, Anti-Science, Mathematics, Barack Obama Inaugural Address, Science Education, Barack Obama, Taiwan, Yemen, England, Netherlands, Hong Kong, Borat, Kazakhstan, Singapore, Education Reform, Schools, Japan, Teaching, Learning, Politics News
Bill Allen

A worldwide study of education in science and math contains a mixed report card for the U.S. The good news: We did manage to beat Yemen soundly.

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The Science of 44

Marty Kaplan | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Obama Inauguration Coverage, Atheism, Obama's Inauguration, Obama Inauguration, Science, Barack Obama Inauguration, Barack Obama, Religion, Obama Inaugural Address, Inauguration, Obama Inaugural Speech, Obama Inaugural, Anti-Intellectualism, Faith, Politics News
Marty Kaplan

Now, finally, we have a President unafraid to declare that skepticism and rationalism have just as legitimate a claim on the public sphere as any other approach to the mysteries of the cosmos.

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By Way of Clarification

Jayne Lyn Stahl | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Social Conservatives, Hate Crimes, Matthew Shepherd, Proposition 8, Prop 8, No on Prop 8, Prop 8 Protests, Intellectual Freedom, Moral Ambiguity, Progressive Ideology, Ideology, Marriage Equality, Prop 8 Rally, Gay Rights, Larry King, Freedom of Thought, Marriage Equality in CA, Anti-Intellectualism, Bush Administration Intellectualism, Gay Civil Rights, Conservative Ideology, Gay Marriage, California Proposition 8, Politics News
Jayne Lyn Stahl

Ultimately, no one wins when ideology, whether progressive or reactionary, is allowed to prevail over diversity of ideas, and human will.

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How Nice Is It to Finally Have a Smart President?

Mitchell Bard | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: President-Elect Barack Obama, Michael Brown, Valerie Jarrett, Bill Maher, Harriet Miers, US Auto Industry, Monica Goodling, Obama Press Conference, Anti-Intellectualism, George Monbiot, George W. Bush, Oil, Alberto Gonzales, Barack Obama, President Obama, Politics News
Mitchell Bard

At Obama's press conference, the tone and thoughts on the problems facing the country were of a level we haven't seen since the Bush brood took over the White House.

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