The Dangers of Anti-Intellectual Propaganda

[Amused]

Why is anti-intellectualism dangerous? The first thing every single totalitarian or authoritarian regime in history has done, is round up the intellectuals and kill or imprison them.

Anti-intellectualism is the one, singular commonality of ALL totalitarianism. Intellectualism is thinking for oneself. It is the opposite of "groupthink." It is the primary danger to authoritarian or totalitarian rule.

When you read propaganda seeking to make you suspicious of, or loath intellectualism, you are reading propaganda grooming you to accept totalitarianism or authoritarianism. Period.

This is the root of the anti-intellectualism and anti-science propaganda seen in the US recently. And it's been growing at an alarming rate.

Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

 

[Sunburn74]

The majority of technology used everyday is developed by a very small group of intellectual elites. The attack on science ongoing today is disgusting particularly given how big a role science has played in simply even keeping us all alive (medicine, agriculture, architecture and engineering, etc). When you don't have intellectualism you basically have the dark ages.

 

[zinfamous]

The GOP strategy for decades now has been to convince the unwashed masses that the "intellectuals" are the true groupthinkers: sitting in their Ivory Towers, dispensing proclomations and big, sweeping reforms that are designed to keep the peasants content in their slop.

It's a powerful message for the uneducated, because free will is in short supply when your amygdala is properly and meticulously groomed to the notion that everyone and everything but you are responsible for your own miserable situation. Vote for the strong fella, and he will fix all your problems (that never were your fault anyway)! Amazing how people rationalize those two concepts, but it is the GOP bread and butter.

 

[Commodus]

The sad thing is that you can trace this anti-intellectual mindset all the way back to grade school -- in my experience, there were always those kids who picked on the "brainers" for actually wanting to learn something.

A lot of it is resentment. Many people don't like to admit that someone knows more than they do, especially if that knowledge challenges the stories they've been fed (religious myths, bigotry, bogus economic theories). Pretend that intellectuals are isolated elites and you can knock them down a peg while clinging to your fictions.

The irony is that a typical sign of intelligence is being acutely aware of what you don't know -- it's modesty and humility. Part of why people like Trump get into power is precisely because they're stupid enough to think they know everything, so they brim with confidence.

 

[realibrad]

This so far has mainly been with the Right in this country. Its why elitist is now a pejorative for most people now. That said, the Left is going after people like Jordan Peterson for things they consider sexist and transphobic even though his comments are backed by facts. The Left needs to be careful as many in its base believe things that are not backed by science.

 

[SlowSpyder]

57 genders isn't intellectualism. The left pushes beyond common sense in many ways today, they're not necessarily the intellectuals any longer. They smugly believe they are, though.

 

[bshole]

This so far has mainly been with the Right in this country. Its why elitist is now a pejorative for most people now. That said, the Left is going after people like Jordan Peterson for things they consider sexist and transphobic even though his comments are backed by facts. The Left needs to be careful as many in its base believe things that are not backed by science.

The vast majority of humans believe things that are not backed by science. Minimizing that number is the best way to grasp the reality we all live in. Unfortunately it does not maximize happiness for the individual and in some cases may actually reduce it. I suppose the best motto is to believe as many true things as possible without compromising your own happiness and not harming others.

 

[zinfamous]

57 genders isn't intellectualism. The left pushes beyond common sense in many ways today, they're not necessarily the intellectuals any longer. They smugly believe they are, though.

what the fuck are you prattling on about?

 

[Commodus]

57 genders isn't intellectualism. The left pushes beyond common sense in many ways today, they're not necessarily the intellectuals any longer. They smugly believe they are, though.

It's a damn sight more intellectual than the "there are only two genders" crap conservatives like you gleefully swallow. Intelligence means being open to new possibilities, not closing them off.

And it's a bit hard to take lectures on intelligence from someone endorsing a President that sides with domestic abusers.

 

[Indus]

LMAO.

You don't know Transgenders have existed for more than 6000 years? Our country has been around for 240.

Look up transgender in ancient cultural countries. Not only are they accepted, they don't end society as we know it, infact they contribute to it.

But you're so terrified by anything different be it transgender or black or brown or yellow people.

There's a word for you.. xenophobes.

 

[SlowSpyder]

It's a damn sight more intellectual than the "there are only two genders" crap conservatives like you gleefully swallow. Intelligence means being open to new possibilities, not closing them off.

And it's a bit hard to take lectures on intelligence from someone endorsing a President that sides with domestic abusers.

How many genders are there? I believe there is female and male. Others are free to pretend / identify with whatever they want, I won't stop you and don't care how people choose to live their lives. But don't expect me to participate, you're not whatever you feel like you want to be, that's not how genetics work. And in this area the left puts their feelings ahead of the science.

 

[SlowSpyder]

LMAO.

You don't know Transgenders have existed for more than 6000 years? Our country has been around for 240.

Look up transgender in ancient cultural countries. Not only are they accepted, they don't end society as we know it, infact they contribute to it.

But you're so terrified by anything different be it transgender or black or brown or yellow people.

There's a word for you.. xenophobes.

I'm the least xenophobic person you'll meet. I love diversity and don't care how people choose to live their lives. But don't expect me to pretend with you for the sake of your feelings.

 

[zinfamous]

How many genders are there? I believe there is female and male. Others are free to pretend / identify with whatever they want, I won't stop you and don't care how people choose to live their lives. But don't expect me to participate, you're not whatever you feel like you want to be, that's not how genetics work. And in this area the left puts their feelings ahead of the science.

Gender is a social construct, not a biological one. You are confusing sex (genetics) with gender. That has never changed, by the way, whatever you want to believe.

How's that for being willingly and embarassingly intelectually deficient? One can have a debate on "how many genders are 'reasonable,'" but you aren't yet capable of getting there, because you tap out before you can even grasp the terms.

But the straw you have tossed right out of the gates is noted.

 

[realibrad]

Gender is a social construct, not a biological one. You are confusing sex (genetics) with gender. That has never changed, by the way, whatever you want to believe.

How's that for being willingly and embarassingly intelectually deficient? One can have a debate on "how many genders are 'reasonable,'" but you aren't yet capable of getting there, because you tap out before you can even grasp the terms.

But the straw you have tossed right out of the gates is noted.

This is wrong. All of the research agrees that biology is a massive contributor to gender identity. You just gave a perfect example of how anti-science ideas can spread.

 

[Amused]

I'm the least xenophobic person you'll meet.

Oh. My. Fscking. Gawd.

It even speaks in Trumpisms.

 

[Indus]

I'm the least xenophobic person you'll meet. I love diversity and don't care how people choose to live their lives. But don't expect me to pretend with you for the sake of your feelings.

Just like Trump is the least racist and least authoritarian person we know. LOL.

 

[mikeymikec]

Oh. My. Fscking. Gawd.

It even speaks in Trumpisms.

If we're not careful, we're going to have all the Trump supporters turning up here for an "I'm Spartacus!" moment.

 

[zinfamous]

This is wrong. All of the research agrees that biology is a massive contributor to gender identity. You just gave a perfect example of how anti-science ideas can spread.

Oh? I'm sure you are plumbing NCBI for some proper papers, right now? I'm waiting to see how it is all biology.

All of it. All of the time.

Ah who cares. SlowSpyder agrees with your curious lack of support. That's all that matters.

 

[SlowSpyder]

Oh. My. Fscking. Gawd.

It even speaks in Trumpisms.

But it is true, I honestly give zero fucks what skin tone you have, what religion you are, if you're a guy and love dicks, or even better... a woman that loves women. I honestly don't care and want people to do whatever they need to do to try and find happiness. If you're not affecting the rights of others, I couldn't care less. That said, if you're a Caucasian male that identifies as a LGBT African American pony, I'm not playing along... but I don't care if that's your thing, its your life.

 

[Indus]

That's not transgender. That's an identity crisis.

We aren't advocating that LOL.

But does this qualify as a male or a female to you:

Guess what tho.. she's a transgender.

 

[bshole]

This is wrong. All of the research agrees that biology is a massive contributor to gender identity. You just gave a perfect example of how anti-science ideas can spread.

Hey I agree with you. Less than 1% (0.4%?) of humans identify with a gender that is different than their sex. That is pretty much game, set and match right there.

 

[feralkid]

But it is true, I honestly give zero fucks what skin tone you have, what religion you are, if you're a guy and love dicks, or even better... a woman that loves women. I honestly don't care and want people to do whatever they need to do to try and find happiness. If you're not affecting the rights of others, I couldn't care less. That said, if you're a Caucasian male that identifies as a LGBT African American pony, I'm not playing along... but I don't care if that's your thing, its your life.

Intolerant Jackass desires to be seen as tolerant.

Tried it once before, claiming to be "Liberal".

 

[SlowSpyder]

That's not transgender. That's an identity crisis.

We aren't advocating that LOL.

But does this qualify as a male or a female to you:

Guess what tho.. she's a transgender.

What are you advocating for then? What's the difference between a man that identifies as a woman vs. a Caucasian woman that identifies as a woman of African descent? In both cases the genetics say one thing, their "identity" says another. It is NOT intellectualism. It is group think in the raw, exactly what the left thinks they're fighting against.

 

[SlowSpyder]

Intolerant Jackass desires to be seen as tolerant.

Tried it once before, claiming to be "Liberal".

I've very Libertarian at my core, and what I wrote is my honest outlook on life. I don't care who you are or what you do if you're not harming others or taking rights from others.

 

[Commodus]

How many genders are there? I believe there is female and male. Others are free to pretend / identify with whatever they want, I won't stop you and don't care how people choose to live their lives. But don't expect me to participate, you're not whatever you feel like you want to be, that's not how genetics work. And in this area the left puts their feelings ahead of the science.

More than two; I don't presume to have a definitive list, but gender fluidity and androgyny are very real. And yes, genetics can work that way. What do you think gender dysphoria is? It's not just a reversal that flicks you to an opposite gender identity, although that's often what happens; all it means is that your gender identity is detached from your birth sex.

You actually just supported the critique of anti-intellectualism (and yes, you are thoroughly anti-intellectual). It's this notion not just that you have answers, but that you have all the answers and refuse to have your answers questioned. There isn't a definitive explanation for additional genders, but scientists are studying it -- if it were you, you wouldn't have even considered a study.