Anti-Rationalism and "The Dumbing Of America"

[housewolf]

"The Dumbing Of America" by Susan Jacoby

Really good article from 2008

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/15/AR2008021502901.html

Excerpt from Page 2

According to a 2006 survey by National Geographic-Roper, nearly half of Americans between ages 18 and 24 do not think it necessary to know the location of other countries in which important news is being made. More than a third consider it "not at all important" to know a foreign language, and only 14 percent consider it "very important."

That leads us to the third and final factor behind the new American dumbness: not lack of knowledge per se but arrogance about that lack of knowledge. The problem is not just the things we do not know (consider the one in five American adults who, according to the National Science Foundation, thinks the sun revolves around the Earth); it's the alarming number of Americans who have smugly concluded that they do not need to know such things in the first place. Call this anti-rationalism -- a syndrome that is particularly dangerous to our public institutions and discourse. Not knowing a foreign language or the location of an important country is a manifestation of ignorance; denying that such knowledge matters is pure anti-rationalism. The toxic brew of anti-rationalism and ignorance hurts discussions of U.S. public policy on topics from health care to taxation.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

1. Americans will shoot themselves in the head while saying, "And for that, take this!" and blow their

brains out.

That's exactly what's been happening for 31 years. The CHURCHES are #1 complicit in making people STOOPID.

[valerief]

2. I call them the foot shooters. And it's been the job of organized religion

for centuries to keep people stupid and magic thinkers. The clergy is, after all, the first estate.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

3. Yes. Right wingers have made me hate churches. nt

[abq e streeter]

4. Gotta nominate the corporate "news" media as # 1.

Other than that, yep, was just having a conversation earlier this evening about the sources of the astounding level of dumbing down in this country. And your pointing to the year of ascendancy of St. Ronnie is right on the money too. Maybe not the start of it all, but at the very least, really kicked it into high gear.

[certainot]

5. 1000 coordinated radio stations get it started IMO

repeating and repeating, reading the same coordinated think tank talking points from the loudest stations in the country, with talkers chosen for their ability to beat the lie detector with certitude, protected from real calls by call screeners who have screening software that lets them bump paid callers to the top of the line.

beats the left and truth and common sense every time because the left ignores it and no one gets in their face. after a while, with no challenge, that makes it true.

[abq e streeter]

7. Absolutely, but I also think the "respectable/mainstream" news media is even more insidious

in some ways, because among other sins, they propagate the lie of their false equivalencies between the right and left . At least the right wing talkers and Fox "News" are still somewhat of a fringe thing. Millions who know that that stuff is BS will still believe the more moderate sounding crap they hear on CNN , ABC etc (and more importantly , IMO, the sin of omission; i.e. what they DON'T tell you). But yes, your point is well-taken. The failure of our sides' "leadership" to vigorously stand up to the big lies has cost us dearly; maybe to the point where it's gone beyond reclaiming any general sense of truth or sanity any more... Hope I'm wrong on that last bit of pessimism.

[certainot]

13. i agree, the mainstream is more significant for what they ignore but, i think

the radio is unique in its ability to create that alternate reality on such a large scale it becomes acceptable

the lmbaughs and hannitys are the biggest PC cops and censors-by-threat in the country, deciding what is and isn't acceptable and enabling the MSm preferred perception of where corporate america wants to political center to be

[valerief]

18. Charter schools are catching up! nt

[rpannier]

6. Great article Thanks K/R

[ashling]

8. The Age of American Unreason

the Introduction to the above work by Jacoby contains this:

"During the past four decades, America's endemic anti-intellectual tendencies have been grievously exacerbated by a new species of semi-conscious anti-rationalism, feeding on and fed by an ignorant popular culture of video images and unremitting noise that leaves no room for contemplation or logic. This new form of anti-rationalism, at odd's not only with the nation's heritage of eighteenth-century Enlightenment reason but with modern scientific knowledge, has propelled a surge of anti--intellectualism capable of inflicting vastly greater damage than its historical predecessors inflicted upon American culture and politics.

***

America is now ill with a powerful mutant strain of intertwined ignorance, anti-rationalism, and anti-intellectualism -- as opposed to the recognizable cyclical strains of the past -- the virulence of the current outbreak is inseperable from an unmidfulness that is, paradoxically, both aggressive and passive."

=========================

[Blue_Tires]

25. I think a few decades from now historians will have fun examining

why we had so many happily moronic people in so many positions of power during our so-called "Information Age"

[no_hypocrisy]

9. I had a co-worker who used to condemn being "book smart" and extol being

"people smart", meaning her version of conventional wisdom/common sense. It was her way of compensating for her lack of basic education. Her wisdom was derived from television. It was nearly impossible to discuss anything with her.

[hatrack]

10. "It was nearly impossible to discuss anything with her" - HAH!

Now there's irony redefined for your "people-smart' colleague - not that she'd get the joke . . .

:rofl:

[COLGATE4]

20. Yep. I had co-workers at a foundry who used to call college students

"educated fools".

[MedicalAdmin]

28. They are not necessarily wrong. n/t

[dissidentboomer]

11. There has always been some anti-intellectualism in the U.S. but

it hasn't always necessarily been a bad thing, as it was intertwined with a sort of common sense populism and anti-elitism. At times, those were good trends in the U.S. However, during the past 25 to 30 years, that anti-intellectual strain has completely lost common sense. It has been fused with rotten, false, dark ages theology screamed from televisions and shopping mall churches across the nation.

I don't know who to blame. Well, ok, I have my suspects - major corporations (who used it to make money), the very wealthy (who used it cynically to gain power), the corporate media (Murdoch - who really IS a fascist), entertainment industry types (who used it without reservation to make easy money), and either cynical or really stupid "ministers" who believe the fantasies or get wealthy spewing them.

They've made quite a fine stew for the rest of us.

I'm reading Chris Hedges' "Empire of Illusion". I'm still in chapter 1. It is painful to read. It is a frighteningly accurate portrait of modern America.

[swilton]

12. Explains Bush II's popularity in the 2000 election

[ladjf]

14. This is an important thread. It is observing correctly that something

seems to be causing more and more Americans to think irrationally. This problems needs to be studied scientifically. And if the causes/s can be determined, remedies can be tried.

[Blecht]

15. I like the term anti-rationalism

I think that it has fewer negative connotations than anti-intellectualism.

[rms013]

16. A quote from Isaac Asimov

"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

[dissidentboomer]

17. Ok, but "anti-intellectualism" hasn't always included a rejection of knowledge. I know it seems

as though it should but many populist "anti-intellectuals" were also "anti-elitist". They did operate from a foundation of knowledge but it was knowledge gained from a set of experiences based upon occupation or geographic location. It was valuable knowledge and not knowledge intellectuals or academics could gain through research or in "real time". Thus, although they were "anti-intellectuals", their knowledge was very useful for policy, at certain times.

At present, the "anti-intellectuals" possess no such special knowledge. They might add value, if they based their views on what is happening to the economy and how it affects them, which would make them similar to anti-elitist, populist movements. However, although the current anti-intellectuals are middle class to poor, they are PRO-elitist and provide no special knowledge or logic supporting their pro-elitist politics. Quite simply, their irrational political behavior seems to support speculation that a fair portion of US citizens have gone insane.

[rms013]

19. Good post

I agree however the current 'anti-intellectuals' get their information from the Corporate propaganda media, including, but not exclusive to, Fox 'news'. Their views are founded in this propaganda and although their personal experience may be the falling wages, unemployment etcet. The reasons or knowledge of the reasons elude them, ergo: Ignorance.

[dissidentboomer]

22. Yeah, I thought about that. It's called repitition of a message - you know - brain washing.

They might not be insane but brain washed because the "You're comfortable.... Things could be worse. You have a job, a beer, and a big mac. Pssst! Hey buddy just look at this snazzy car, pretty blond, freaky wrestler...." etc., crap has been drummed into their heads, day after day, for almost 30 years. Some would say longer but that's when I first noticed wierd changes in culture and it marks big policy changes in US government. Not all of that is bad, as everyone needs a little brain candy, but that little voice whispering good, old fashioned, American common sense has been obliterated by sensory overload, materialism, and message repitition. Only the strongest and best educated minds can think clearly and see through all of the "noise" and it's difficult for them. I've gone through periods during which I was mostly hypnotized by mass culture and some of the propaganda.

[rms013]

27. There is one thing about the 'cheap' seats...you get to see the whole stadium.

Complicity has only been attained by mass hypnosis. If you want to believe in something (like America is the Greatest country in the world)you question nothing. If artificial peer pressure is applied through the media you are part of the sheeple, and are following the flock. There is nothing common about common sense. Critical thinking is the key. We had it right in the 60's ...Question Authority

[dissidentboomer]

31. LOL.... Common sense really isn't common. I've heard others say things like

"the hippies had it mostly right". I've had that thought myself, during the past several years. As for "question authority", that should be a hallmark of democracy. In a healthy democracy, citizens will always question authority and will know that they can question those in power without personal consequences, regardless of the political group in power. However, questioning isn't quite enough. Every citizen in a healthy democracy has a responsibility to be somewhat informed. Unfortunately, that has become increasingly difficult.

[rms013]

29. A forbodeing quote:

“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”
The_Craven

Joseph Goebbels quotes

[HomerRamone]

21. A related problem: friends who "aren't into politics", think it's just another hobby

like sports or pets, and don't want to hear about, think about, or do anything about the mess we're in (until THEY lose their jobs)...

[dissidentboomer]

23. I find that to be quite typical, even among some very bright folks I know.

[rms013]

30. They are referred to as "Sheeples"

[Blue_Tires]

24. I truly think this is the most destructive legacy of the W. years...

I came from an intellectual family and we were shocked at how bad it had become...Evolution, climate change and other environmental issues, the make-believe justifications for war, torture, etc...

We all remember the sheer incompetents he had put in key positions -- But more importantly, the Bush years gave widespread media credence and credibility to a group of people who never should have had it. The happily and wilfully ignorant became empowered and polished, and people in the 90s who would have been derided as kooks and laughingstocks are now "straight talkers" and "making sense". The rising cults of Palin, Bachmann and the like truly scare me because there's always some jaggoff on the sidelines thinking all he has to do is be even dumber while playing the fear/hate card and he'll be flooded with money and media attention (and he is of course correct)...

[dissidentboomer]

26. Yeah. I truly sympathize. My friends and family tell me not to take it

so seriously but I can't help it. :) I admit that I've got a strong streak of rebel in me. It runs in my dad's family, going back generations (That family has only been here since the 1890's, so I do not mean rebel as in confederate.). However, I have realized, through the years, that I care deeply about my country. I'm a patriot. I've given a lot to it and I don't like watching a group of ignorant, pushy, bullying, greedy, tin pan, chicken hawk, video game war "heroes" wreck it. I don't like that.

I know some Europeans and this whole "tea bagger" episode becomes embarrassing for me, every time I talk with them. They have conservative to moderate political views that would now be considered left of center in the US. They really didn't understand the "tea bag" anger and positions because the baggers didn't make sense to them. I tried to explain it, as best I could. They read unbiased sources and news reports and have concluded that the baggers are truly dangerous half wits. They are very, very worried for us and there is nothing I could tell them to change their view of the situation here. I can only imagine how difficult it must be for US foreign service types, right now.