Fear and Loathing of the “Intello”

A few years ago while living in Paris I was confronted with an American cultural value I hold that, upon closer inspection, is counter intuitive. I was listening to a radio program and heard the guest speaker describing himself as “an intello.” I was left repulsed and revolted by the statement. He was calling himself an intellectual! After my anger at this unknown “intello’s” self-importance calmed down, I had time to evaluate my reaction. His arrogance deeply bothered me. I don’t feel the same anger when faced with a self-described “laborer.” So what was so horrifying about someone identifying himself as a thinker?

In the US, we are nursed by a culture that fears and loathes pretension and elitism. This intello dude represented both. In the US, you should be educated, but should refrain from dangling your knowledge over others in quotes, figures and, most importantly, unfamiliar words. You should be rich, but you have to earn it through hard work and street smarts; the harder you work for your fortune, the better. In the US, it is almost as detestable to be a moneyed pedantic as an unemployed alcoholic. At least the alcoholic is helplessly dependent. The academic has the choice to stop quoting Shakespeare ad nauseum!

Anyone who is too eloquent, too knowledgeable and too polished is considered a threat to the hardworking, straight-talking American. Such traits must mean this person is conniving and capable of malicious activity, not the next-door neighbor type that you can sit down and have a beer with after a long day of work (bring a six-pack and Governor Palin might come along ta chat with ya!)

In France, the “I’m an intellectual” comment is not exactly common either and verges on arrogance. However, there isn’t the same resistance here to looking to writers, academics or philosophers for insight and answers. Being an intellectual in France doesn’t diminish the value of your opinions and doesn’t necessarily place you out of touch with real life and real problems. In fact, being an intellectual might mean you can think questions through thoroughly, contemplate nuances and communicate ideas coherently.

American resistance to public displays of knowledge might account for the past 8 years of jumbled English coming directly from the White House. W. doesn’t sound like the elite he comes from, and we Americans like that. But then of course, he doesn’t speak as well as your average middle-school child, and that is a bit more difficult to swallow.

I’m going to let Maureen Dowd wail away at the speaking style of Pappa Bush, son W. and newcomer maverick speaker, Sarah Palin. But after you stop admiring just how exquisite Dowd's English is and your laughter (or anger) at her cutting jabs at Republicans has calmed, you might consider where our anti-intellectual values lead us. Is this path really the best road for the pragmatic American to take? Eloquence doesn’t necessarily make a good president, but then again, neither does your next door neighbor. Even if she does enjoy a six-pack.