Why is America so anti-intellectual?
Even unto electing a president who's very intelligence is questioned around the world?
You can approach this from a current events perspective; or you can look at the deeper historical roots;
My suggestion that it all started with the American Revolution is intended to show that REJECTION OF AUTHORITY was the basis for the founding of the nation.
In a way the "intellectual elites" in Boston and Philadelphia created a FRANKENSTEIN MONSTER that is still with us even now.
Americans in general, and especially American youth, simply don't have intellectual role models to emulate and look up too.
In Japan, the "boy scientist" always saves the nation from a radioactive monster! (which is actually a cultural metaphor for the A-bomb).
In Europe, the old aristocratic traditions of music, literature and art patronage abounded. And, in Russia, everyone still wants to talk about their national literature. And even Saddam writes poetry!
THESE OLD ARISTOCRATIC TRADITIONS, NOW GONE, PROVIDE THE CORE VALUES AND ROLE MODELS FOR MANY EUROPEAN CULTURES EVEN NOW.
SIMILAR INTELLECTUAL TRADITIONS LIVE ON IN INDIA, CHINA, JAPAN AND THE MIDDLE EAST; AND ALSO WITH EASTERN EUROPEANS AND MOST JEWS FROM THAT PART OF EUROPE.
So, what the American intellectual elite unleashed in 1776 was a Frankenstein Monster that has been roaming the American countryside ever since.
And, It might even be at your school board meeting next week!
Postscript: The "monster" has taken several "grand tours" too! Just like the real "Frankenstein!" To France in 1789. Russia in 1914 and China in 1949 to name only a few.
