A few months ago one of my blog friends wrote a post. https://brizzymaysbooksandbruschettasite.wordpress.com/2023/01/15/holiday-brain-fog/ In this post Brizzy talks about how the general populace might remember actors, or sports heroes, but ask them to name someone who invented something, or was perhaps Australian of the Year for something other than sports, and they might scratch their heads in wonderment.

Of course I got to thinking…

Do we downplay things and people that are more intellectual and focus on, I don’t want to say superficial, so I’ll go with splashy?

Do we reserve judgement on things that can be considered intellectual? Biomedical engineering? Proust? Foreign films? Plays that are one act and/or don’t end happily?

Do we flip past nobel laureates to get to the page about a turtle who dances?

My daughter and I attended a play last week. (One act- dark comedy- didn’t end happily) At the stage door after the performance, people clamored to see the actors from TV who had starred in the play. When the author, the actual author of the play came out (who btw is the first Native American Woman to author a play that appeared on the Broadway stage) only three of us noticed. Three of us noticed her leave and gave her big thumbs up and told her Bravo as she left…but really…does no one care about the author? No offense to everyone else, but without her there really is no show…

Are we form over function so to speak?

Do you think we downplay intellectualism as snobby or elitist? Do we get bored by things that are not bright and shiny? Do we prefer not thinking too hard when we don’t have to?

Discuss

73 thoughts on “Intellectuals- Ha Ha Ha”

  1. We are, as a society, dopamine-riddled entertainment junkies. Yes! We absolutely look past the people who are making life better for us and doing the important work in order to give accolades and fawn over the people who entertain us. Those are the facts.

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  4. Look at the impacts to those who get the attention consistently, who are the stars. Over time, with their falsely inflated persona they have no life meaning no privacy and a life curated by social media rather it be true or false. Maybe those intellectuals, the quiet writer and creator and inventor who linger behind the scenes are showing just how intelligent they are because they get the opportunity to simply live without eyes and interference…

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      2. I think the day I knew we were doomed was when that obnoxious girl from the doctor Phil show made a ton of money doing something most probably stupid

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      3. I haven’t seen anything or anyone connected with Dr Phil since he became too good for Oprah, however I can only imagine what his expert psychiatric or psychological (which is he- a REAL doc or one of those pseudo Phd’s) insight has led many truly unsuspecting and needy folks to do. I cannot tolerate Dr Phil.

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  5. I believe being an intellectual or able to think outside the box or reading is not favored to a few fields lately making you the outsider as snapchat and social media are more in play and inclusiveness. But who decides, not the intellectual or those who think…it is more of the sheep.

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  6. I personally tune out those splashy, media driven folks. In general they are just too superficial, and who can believe anything published about them anyway. My ears do perk up at “Pulitzer Prize.” You are so right that the media stars would not be anything without good writers. That sadly applies to so many politicians too. Taking that out of the positive realm, who gets bullied at any stage of life–intellectuals or those who excel in sports?

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  7. I’ve noticed the same. I’m criticized endlessly for not have seen the latest move (or any movies, really), following the latest sports events, or knowing the latest trends. I couldn’t care less! I think the majority of people (I hate saying this) lack the ability to think deeply and critically… most people want to be told what to think, what to do, and what to like. There is no independent though, whether it’s capacity or a choice.

    As Deb mentions, I can’t help but wonder if the intellectuals actually prefer hiding in the shadows and putting out their work without the fanfare…

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  8. I was thinking the same thing. Most of them probably aren’t seeking the limelight. Hopefully they get recognition from within their own group. Not to sound snobbish, but many people just don’t think that deeply about things.

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  9. I don’t think people downplay intellectual because it’s snobby or elitist. I think it’s because it takes too much effort. Social media has ruined the ability to think for more than 10 seconds at a time.

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  10. Great question. If you listen to Elon Musk (he’s intellectual, isn’t he?), once AI takes over the world, well — everything else will be moot because humans may not/probably won’t survive — not to be pessimistic or anything. Ha! I hope that’s not during our lifetime, though. Mona

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  12. I believe it’s individuals tastes. The majority of people aren’t into intellectual pursuits, but there are plenty who are. Plus, I think you can be a fan of both. For example, I like writers and artists, but I also like to watch PAC 12 football.

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    1. I think that’s called being engaged and interested and open EA! Also clearly knowing the balance point between just being entertained and knowing why you want entertainment or perhaps deeper, broader thought at various times.

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  13. Honestly I don’t know if I would know who the author is without someone telling me. I agree the author is a very big deal. If she was at a book sig ing she would be the center of attention. In the play, in the eyes of the audience, the actors brought it to life for them. So the glory had been passed on to those who directly relate the story to audience. It’s more the direct relationship formed. The actors are responsible for making the authors story great. Everyone wins if they are successful. They are entitled to the glory of recognition for a job well done. They would also be blamed if it wasn’t a good play. The author may have written a fabulous play but if the actors don’t do a good job presenting it then no one be benefits. It’s a difficult thing for an author to put their work out in the public. They are sharing a part of themselves. I don’t think an author expects to be in the same spotlight as the actors. The audience gets to know the actors. They. develop opinions and feelings for the actors. The person behind the play is a stranger to them.

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      1. It is. Think about singers that get all the credit from a song someone else wrote. You never hear about them. Those dances that go with videos-who choreographed them. The behind the scenes people, the talent comes from, or usually unknown.

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      2. That’s a great point! In my live of trivia, I happen to know that Prince wrote The Bangles “Manic Monday” and Sinead O’Connor’s “Nothing Compares 2 U, but I doubt many folks that might be able to sing both songs know who wrote them?

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      3. Well, I remember Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting in the first Shakespeare movie I saw. I remember seeing A version of hamlet with Derrick Jacoby…

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  15. Do “we” as a society? Yes, yes we do. I won’t pretend that I know much about microbiology or its star turns, but I know as little about the latest reality TV and its star turns. In areas where I have a particular interest, I do tend to know (value and rate) the star turns.

    Interesting tangent in the comments about whether any of those intellectuals actually want fame, for it comes with a lot of hugely unwelcome stuff.

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  16. I think there’s a certain flavor of intellectualism that is snobby and elitist, but for myself, I tend to prefer the thinking side of things. Not that I don’t go in for the shiny things now and then but I think it’s a good thing to balance the shiny with the smart. It keeps you from getting either too shallow or too snobby.

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  17. Whatever the reason, we deify celebrity, a noble class of people who deserve no better, but much worse. Yes, we are superficial and we do focus on so many of the wrong qualities in people. But, face Hollywood and you just can’t go wrong.

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  18. I’ve often wondered the same thing: why do we care so much about some people’s accomplishments, but ignore other people’s? And in some cases, even resent their success? I have a friend who was complaining bitterly about the salaries of the CEOs of large companies, and when I said I also had a problem with professional athletes raking in multi-millions, she said that the athletes deserved it. So the person whose company actually makes a product we all need and use doesn’t deserve to be paid, but the person who can hit a ball with a bat really well does? It m made no sense to me.

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    1. I went to a met game last week. After we took out a loan to pay for three tickets in the upper deck, I realized that the teams now have sponsor names on their jerseys…so between all the other three things…it’s now new York Presbyterian presents the ny mets…

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  20. This country has a deep, deep history of anti-intellectualism. Richard Hofstadter wrote a book chronicling its development within American history titled Anti-Intellectualism in American Life. There is an almost inherent distrust of people who are educated and at the tops of their fields; consider how many people doubted Fauci, even though he had 40 years of training in the field. I am surrounded by intellectuals all day, and even among them, there is anti-intellectualism depending on which part of the country you are in. Boston, though, embraces that intellectualism in certain circles, for better or worse. Great question; thanks for posing it!

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    1. I agree. My father in law is in the hospital and he’s fighting everything…his chart os a long line of patient refuses…and he said he knows his body better, which I get what he means…but if you’re in the hospital shouldn’t you at least try?

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