You can also blame the broadcast media and the political dialogue. But, the dumbing down of curricula, and not just K-12, is definitely at fault. DMc
---- malcolm McCallum <[email protected]> wrote: > There is an intellectual society somewhere? Please tell me where! > Our society is so anti-intellectual it is scary. I blame this on the > dumbing down of the American curriculum (K-College). > > Malcolm McCallum > > On Sun, Dec 5, 2010 at 6:05 PM, Wayne Tyson <[email protected]> wrote: > > Honorable Forum: > > > > In a recent post, the author expressed concern about our anti-intellectual > > society--". . . our anti-intellectual society would find it very difficult > > to appreciate . . ." > > > > There can be little doubt that our society is replete with > > anti-intellectualism. Ecology and ecologists (ecology, in particular, has > > gotten pretty bad treatment from popular culture, as "eco-" has become a > > prefix for almost everthing, from selling soap to weight-loss nostrums and > > cosmetics, ad nauseam) as well as other scientists, not to mention other > > academicians, scholars, and those who dare to advance questions about > > cultural norms or differ from common presumption, are derided by those who > > consider anyone who ventures beyond the bounds of "popular culture," > > whatever that is, to be effete intellectual snobs. This phenomenon affects > > elections, and ultimately, funding for intellectual activity. To paraphrase > > Rodney What's-his-name, "I[ntellectuals] don't get no [appreciation]." > > > > In difficult times especially, competition increases for scarcer and > > scarcer funds, and support for intellectuals, scientists in particular, > > seems to decline, even in relative terms, as the pork gets sliced thinner > > and thinner. Beyond howling in the wilderness, is there anything anyone can > > do about this? > > > > Anti-intellectuals, by definition, are not only unlikely to do anything > > except make the situation worse. That leaves, I suggest, intellectuals. If > > that's the case, the choices are to take action or to take no action. If > > ecologists want to take action, what should that action be? > > > > I have a suggestion as to form. If every concerned intellectual on this > > list--say 10,000--met with four other intellectuals and listed five > > actions, and each of those five met with an additional four, tthe list > > would grow impressively large very quickly. A list of potential actions > > could then be assembled and prioritized by frequency. > > > > Or any more efficient alternative? > > > > WT > > > > > > -- > Malcolm L. McCallum > Managing Editor, > Herpetological Conservation and Biology > "Peer pressure is designed to contain anyone with a sense of drive" - > Allan Nation > > 1880's: "There's lots of good fish in the sea" W.S. Gilbert > 1990's: Many fish stocks depleted due to overfishing, habitat loss, > and pollution. > 2000: Marine reserves, ecosystem restoration, and pollution reduction > MAY help restore populations. > 2022: Soylent Green is People! > > Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message, including any > attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may > contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized > review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not > the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and > destroy all copies of the original message. -- David McNeely
