A Critical Look at America's Anti-Intellectual Tradition
Written on
No one would ever label John Wayne as an intellectual. The narrative of American history is woven with figures like Daniel Boone, Wyatt Earp, Huey Long, and George Wallace, all embodying a robust populist spirit. However, if we reflect on lists of renowned Americans—Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Frederick Douglass—we find a wealth of intellectuals among them.
The American self-image often revolves around the archetype of the everyman, despite our simultaneous admiration for wealth and celebrity. This paradox is evident in our preference for athletes over scholars and billionaires over scientists. We celebrate figures like Albert Einstein but hold Ted Williams in higher esteem. The lack of prominent women in this discussion underscores our limited perception of American greatness.
The shift in modern politics can be traced back to earlier times, but it was Ronald Reagan—an actor turned politician—who first utilized celebrity status to gain political power. Reagan began as a Democrat, a staunch liberal who idolized Franklin D. Roosevelt, having voted for him four times.
Reagan's opposition to communism intensified during the McCarthy era, prompting a transformation from liberal to conservative beliefs. He became the president of the Screen Actors Guild, overseeing the Blacklist targeting Hollywood writers accused of communist affiliations.
By the time he campaigned for Nixon in the 1960s, Reagan had already shifted his ideology, though he remained a registered Democrat. Nixon's team believed he could have a greater influence while running as a Democrat. It was during a "Democrats for Nixon" event that Reagan first acknowledged his new Republican registration, famously quipping, “I didn’t leave the Democratic Party; the party left me.”
What triggered this shift? The Republican Party's Southern Strategy aimed to attract disillusioned Democrats protesting the Civil Rights movement. Reagan was accurate; the party had rejected white supremacy in favor of civil rights, prompting his party switch.
This episode exemplifies how American populism has often been intertwined with white supremacy and fear.
A Culture of Ignorance
Isaac Asimov famously remarked, "There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been." He noted that anti-intellectualism has consistently influenced our political and cultural landscape, fueled by the misguided belief that democracy equates to “my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.”
The fallout from Nixon's corruption led to Jimmy Carter's presidency, but after a severe recession, America opted for Reagan, which set the stage for the first Bush administration. Following that, we saw the rise of a young governor from Arkansas, followed by another Bush who marketed himself as a relatable simpleton, despite his Ivy League education.
Next came a significant shift when the electorate chose a mixed-race community organizer who was anything but the familiar face of white working-class America. He was educated at prestigious institutions and spoke articulately, which alienated many. This was not the candidate they wanted to have a casual drink with.
In response, the opposition formed the Tea Party, determined to obstruct anything proposed by Obama and promising to block numerous appointments, including to the Supreme Court. This marked the Republican Party's drift toward authoritarianism, abandoning democratic principles in favor of grievance politics to secure electoral success.
Ironically, they believed they could still control the narrative and elect another establishment Republican, perhaps a third Bush. They failed to recognize that their actions paved the way for Trump and other populist figures.
After Trump dismantled the remnants of the party's ideology and ousted dissenters, what remained were opportunists and individuals who mistakenly believed they were championing the cause.
The Hubris of Ignorance
Recently, a family member expressed their staunch opposition to vaccines, asserting it was a private matter that shouldn't be debated. Their conviction stemmed from a gut feeling rather than informed reasoning, revealing a troubling trend of prioritizing personal beliefs over communal responsibility.
Vaccines function effectively only when embraced collectively. Choosing to abstain from vaccination is, in essence, a disregard for community welfare. It signals that individual preferences outweigh communal health, reflecting a profound sense of entitlement.
In "Animal House," Dean Wormer tells Flounder, "Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son."
The Republican Agenda
The Republican Party, influenced by affluent individuals seeking to dismantle FDR's legacy, has actively sought to weaken unions, outsource jobs, and advocate for deregulation, effectively dismantling democracy and public education.
Following the Great Depression, when FDR established the middle class with socialized taxation and safety nets, the wealthy class rebelled against what they viewed as excessive government intervention. They have been striving to regain the era of unchecked greed and excess ever since.
Today, we face greater income inequality than prior to the 1929 crash. According to the Congressional Budget Office, real wealth in the U.S. surged from $38 trillion in 1989 to $115 trillion in 2019—roughly five times the GDP.
In the 1920s, the wealthiest 1% captured a larger share of income, and today the top 1% controls over 32% of total wealth, while the bottom 50% holds a mere 2.6%.
Republicans have shuttered factories, moved jobs overseas, and shifted focus from manufacturing to finance, leading to plummeting wages for average workers. The inflation-adjusted federal minimum wage in 2022 is approximately 40% lower than in 1970.
Over the past 47 years, the Rand Corporation estimates that $50 trillion has shifted from the bottom 90% of Americans to the top 1%, largely due to corporate profits flowing into the pockets of the wealthy.
The Decline of Working-Class Dignity
This situation signifies the erosion of the working class, the rise of a permanent underclass, and an increasingly affluent elite. The American Dream feels unattainable, and retirement seems a distant hope fraught with financial peril due to healthcare costs, fueling anger and impulsive decisions.
When a celebrity businessman promises to rectify these issues, many are inclined to listen, especially if he positions himself as an outsider opposed to the elite. This outsider status is often amplified by their willingness to defy conventions and traditions, leading followers to believe that a return to better times is possible if they invest in his vision.
This phenomenon illustrates the Sunk-Cost Fallacy, where individuals continue supporting a failing endeavor due to prior investments. Many Americans find themselves entrenched in support for a controversial businessman from Queens, unwilling to concede they were misled. They may prefer to see it all collapse rather than admit defeat, clinging to the notion of loyalty to their chosen figure.
Once, American workers took pride in their labor, fair pay, and contributions to society. What remains now? Resentment, debt, uncertainty, fear, and despair.
The Individualistic Mindset
Today, many equate narcissism with independence, shifting from self-reliance to selfishness. The focus has changed from communal welfare to personal gain. While America has always grappled with internal conflicts, there were times when we united during national crises.
Recently, someone suggested that a war could unite Americans. I reminded them of the recent global pandemic, a non-political crisis that failed to unify us. A war would likely exacerbate divisions rather than heal them.
It's challenging to predict the future trajectory of the Republican Party and its media ecosystem. Can Ron DeSantis outmaneuver Trump while sustaining the chaos? Will the Republican structure collapse under mounting legal issues and financial pressures?
A recent IPSOS/ABC poll indicates that only 25% of Americans view Donald Trump favorably, a significant drop from previous figures. This may suggest that the GOP is stuck with a candidate who is losing support.
A Fragile Foundation
Although Trump continues to dominate the Republican Party, this influence isn't translating into electoral successes. Their policies are increasingly unpopular, with abortion becoming a significant motivator for Democratic turnout.
In Wisconsin, liberal judge Janet Protasiewicz's election flipped control of the Supreme Court, with abortion as a pivotal issue. Conversely, Tennessee's Republican legislature faced backlash after expelling two Black members who protested gun violence, only to see them gain national attention and support upon reinstatement.
At present, Democrats seem content to watch Republicans unravel, with their standard-bearer facing multiple indictments while their policies fall out of favor. Though Democrats should remain vigilant in upcoming elections, the current trend bodes poorly for Republicans.
With ongoing debates over abortion and a rise in mass shootings, the upcoming trial between Dominion Voting Systems and Fox News could further shift the political landscape, as the latter faces substantial defamation claims.
After years of turmoil, we might be at a pivotal moment where numerous shifts could lead to significant changes in the political arena.
One can only hope.