Anti-Intellectualism Smart Kids

Words: 433
Pages: 2
Open Document
Anti-Intellectualism: Why We Hate the Smart Kids” Grant Penrod, the author of “Anti-Intellectualism: Why We Hate the Smart Kids, believes that intellectuals do not receive nearly as much recognition and attention as athletes and other entertainers. He begins by telling the reader about the state championship teams at Mountain View High School in Arizona. While a sports assembly was held for the football team, the academic teams received a mere mention at the beginning of the assembly. According to Penrod, the majority of Mountain View seniors would never know that their academic teams were champions, because these were the nerds of the school. He feels the lack of recognition received by these intellectuals (nerds) carries over into our …show more content…
This anti-intellectual sentiment starts in high school where the bullying begins. This bullying takes place in schools and can also be found on a variety of sites on the internet. This group of individuals is believed to be socially inept and are often treated as lesser human beings when compared to their athletic counterparts. He then discusses how their lack of social grace continues into adulthood becoming a pattern that cannot be changed. Their lack of social skills detracts from their accomplishments and society’s attention is focused elsewhere. Instead our attention is drawn to celebrities whose success is based less on intellectualism and more on other talents. Not only do these celebrities receive more attention, their salaries are substantially higher. Although the 2000 Census indicates that individuals with a doctorate degree make twice as much as a high school graduate, the success of entertainers is leading teenagers to believe education is not important. Penrod named several successful entertainers that are dropouts and also mentioned that the President of the United States was a “C” student. In addition to the success experienced by these uneducated individuals, their wealth makes it seem that education is not as important as was thought. Penrod referred to Robert T. Kiyosaki’s book, “If You want to Be Rich and Happy; Don’t Go to School?” as another
Show More

Related Documents: Anti-Intellectualism Smart Kids

Comparing Rose And Graff's Blue Collar Brilliance

Rose & Graff both would agree that not everyone who is intellectual is also “book smart”. Rose argued with the fact that not everyone who is smart has to have gotten through school, service jobs also require intelligence. In “Blue Collar Brilliance”, Rose talked about his mother who was a waitress; she was so smart that she was able to get all of her costumers’ orders and remembered who ordered what, keeping in mind how they were feeling and how she can help out in any way possible, if she could…

Words 332 - Pages 2

Leonid Fridman's America Needs Its Nerds

education and the way it is perceived may still be faced with some hurdles. Fridman starts by outlining his main issue with how intelligence is viewed in America. Essentially, he believes intellect is often looked down upon. Being proud of being smart is seen as shameful, and if you decide to be proud anyway, you are designated any number of "derogatory terms" such as nerd…

Words 609 - Pages 3

Essay on Nerds vs. Street Smarts

Nerds vs. Street Smarts Everyone has things they like. For some, it’s sports that hold their interest, for others it’s music or art, and for others it’s math or science. No matter what, everyone has interests and likes, things that just make them happy. School is not usually on that list though, for many different reasons. For the people who love learning are bullied and teased until they can’t stand going to school everyday. People who deviate from that though, they can find school boring…

Words 1313 - Pages 6