General Discussion

mpreorder

(51 posts) Sun Feb 23, 2020, 10:10 AM Feb 2020

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This explains a lot about our current situation.... [View all]

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.
Isaac Asimov

68 replies

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This explains a lot about our current situation.... [View all] mpreorder Feb 2020 OP

For more detail, see book by Charles Pierce - Idiot America MH1 Feb 2020 #1

And the original book on the subject, "Anti-intellectualism in American Life" by Nay Feb 2020 #12

I read that years ago. murielm99 Feb 2020 #55

I haven't read it for quite a while, but I do remember it as being generally very Nay Feb 2020 #56

Does Putin shit in a Kremlin restroom? JHB Feb 2020 #58

I wonder if my socks are dry yet? BBL rzemanfl Feb 2020 #2

I guess my only question is... Sloumeau Feb 2020 #10

I will die eventually. n/t rzemanfl Feb 2020 #11

nope. never. pansypoo53219 Feb 2020 #45

Mid-19th Century... safeinOhio Feb 2020 #3

attributed to Jefferson handmade34 Feb 2020 #4

Ignorance is bliss. Butterflylady Feb 2020 #8

Christianity - faith without wisdom rickyhall Feb 2020 #9

Yeah there's that. mountain grammy Feb 2020 #15

If ignorance is bliss, why aren't there more happy people? cos dem Feb 2020 #24

I love it! zanana1 Feb 2020 #67

Educated... Whatthe_Firetruck Feb 2020 #66

Look to Rwanda for examples WhiteTara Feb 2020 #5

that was radio, and it is exactly the same problem here. it is the only unique advantage they have certainot Feb 2020 #37

Otherism kills TexasBushwhacker Feb 2020 #59

You're right and that is one chilling WhiteTara Feb 2020 #60

Stir in some religious fanaticism mountain grammy Feb 2020 #6

I think Asimov missed an important ingredient. Where do the benefits from intellect go? Farmer-Rick Feb 2020 #7

But there are many of us who came from the poor side of the tracks who worked our way thru college iluvtennis Feb 2020 #16

Yeah, back when I was young you could afford college tuition, rent and food on a waitress salary. Farmer-Rick Feb 2020 #22

+ agree that college costs need to be reduced - no reason for the high costs. And college loans iluvtennis Feb 2020 #30

for 30 years 1500 radio stations have been used to attac public ed, teachers, 'intellectualism', etc certainot Feb 2020 #36

Yeah, they certainly made anti intellectualism popular. Farmer-Rick Feb 2020 #38

Yup Joinfortmill Feb 2020 #48

well said. nt iluvtennis Feb 2020 #39

I worked my way through school at a job where I earned union wages. rzemanfl Feb 2020 #52

So, the filthy rich reap the fruits of high intellect, but instead of hating the filthy rich Xipe Totec Feb 2020 #18

Yeah, you are right. Farmer-Rick Feb 2020 #25

yes he totally misses some of the most momentous changes Locrian Feb 2020 #19

Here's an essay he wrote TexasBushwhacker Feb 2020 #43

yeah I amost posted that.... Locrian Feb 2020 #44

nice try there .. but I think that's lipstick on a pig stopdiggin Feb 2020 #41

And yet they vote for Republicans Caliman73 Feb 2020 #42

Wow, that is spot on! nt iluvtennis Feb 2020 #13

And Fox News exploits this to the max. n/t SleeplessinSoCal Feb 2020 #14

it's not fox. fox is a decoy and symptom, the cartoon cliff notes for republican talk radio certainot Feb 2020 #32

Its splintered past talk radio Cosmocat Feb 2020 #64

internet is part of the free speech spectrum. it starts with radio and it's never been certainot Feb 2020 #68

Americans followed Ronald Reagan BECAUSE he had the alpha waves of a turnip.... lastlib Feb 2020 #17

The Shallow State (ten miles wide and an inch deep) DemoTex Feb 2020 #20

"I love the poorly educated" Mendocino Feb 2020 #21

Yep. The low-information voters. calimary Feb 2020 #23

It's a pretty darn big cult. patphil Feb 2020 #26

Cicero, 2 millenniums ago... Pluvious Feb 2020 #27

Cicero would have felt at home in 21st Century America. gordianot Feb 2020 #33

Gives me the shivers. Joinfortmill Feb 2020 #49

Good old Cicero, I have his book in Latin, it is falling apart, as am I burrowowl Feb 2020 #57

Good Quote! Newest Reality Feb 2020 #28

I blame fox news for mega brainwashing. Chipper Chat Feb 2020 #29

Idioiocracy Mendocino Feb 2020 #31

i love that bad movie. pansypoo53219 Feb 2020 #47

Thank you. Hard to believe the movie wasn't promoted much so as rzemanfl Feb 2020 #53

Isaac Asimov and Carl Sagan sadly predicted these times Dukkha Feb 2020 #34

And that is where we are now Joinfortmill Feb 2020 #50

Excellent quote. rec, nt. Mc Mike Feb 2020 #35

Looks like you struck a good nerve! defacto7 Feb 2020 #40

True, I remember this phrase from my childhood, "Educated idiot" Joinfortmill Feb 2020 #46

Never more true than it is right now. Different Drummer Feb 2020 #51

Especially in my region the South redstateblues Feb 2020 #54

Trump cultists 'know' better than all the climate change scientists, right? n/t Prof.Higgins Feb 2020 #61

Rather than creating life long learners, we create consumers. YOHABLO Feb 2020 #62

Carl Sagan from 1995 (15 years later - same theme) whopis01 Feb 2020 #63

I Ingersollman Feb 2020 #65