The Republican shutdown is simply the next logical step in the march of American anti-intellectualism. This anti-intellectualism is our single greatest long-term national security threat.
Don’t get me wrong: if the Republican shutdown continues, millions of families will be hurt, some permanently. State and local economies stand to lose millions of dollars from repressed economic activity, lost tourism dollars, and other consequences. These are real injuries to real people. They cannot be dismissed as temporary inconveniences.
But the Republican shutdown is a symptom of a larger problem. It is the spot on the skin, the pervasive cough, the lump beneath the breast. The actual cancer – American Anti-intellectualism – goes much deeper and is much more deadly.
American anti-intellectualism may be defined as a cultural suspicion and resentment of intelligent people. We may not like to admit it, but Americans have historically liked people like Sarah Palin more than they like nerdy geeks like Barak Obama. This is not a uniquely American trait – fundamentalist Muslim societies, for example, suffer from similar anti-intellectual tendencies – but it is a defining American characteristic that has become all too prominent. This trait is especially strong among American Conservatives. It’s a false egalitarianism which, as Isaac Asimov said, “is nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge’.”
People like Ted Cruz believe that if you don't like a fact - if some inconvenient truth gets in the way of your argument - then you simply ignore it. Lies and inaccuracies are validated by the number of times they are repeated, not by any research or comparisons with actual facts. Misinformation that could be refuted with nothing more than a Google search is accepted as truth.
Anti-intellectualism gives the same weight to the opinions of the uninformed and the untruthful as it does to actual fact. We are under no intellectual obligation to give credence to those who argue that the earth is only six or seven thousand years old, yet our corporate media outlets give such people a seat on panels with credible scientists, implying (if not saying outright) that both views have scientific merit.
Anti-intellectualism allows members of Congress who barely understand the interaction between baking soda and vinegar to overrule studies about the effects of human activity on climate change.
Most recently, anti-intellectualism has allowed a small minority of political ideologues to ignore the Constitution and shut down the government. They contend that they are justified in doing so. In this, just as in matters of science, math, and virtually any other fact-based discipline, they are wrong. Yet our media insists that both sides have a point. We are expected to act as if this is a reasonable argument that is being made by reasonable people.
It isn’t – and they are not.
Holding the American people hostage over healthcare is just the beginning. These ignorant ideologues will not stop until they have forced each of us to live within their narrow view of what America is supposed to be, according to their religious beliefs, their interpretations of history, and their negligible understanding of the real world.
This is how the Tea Party came into power. By encouraging and relying upon ignorance and fear.
Couldn't agree more! Also seems some are afraid they might be labeled un-American if they don't agree with Faux News or "God" forbid, not go to a place called heaven.
ReplyDeleteA wonderful piece, Bob. I really enjoyed it. Thank you.
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