Two new collections of essays by George Orwell are as relevant today as when he wrote them. In Orwell’s “Politics and the English Language” (1946) he connects degraded language with the decline of contemporary culture and political thought. He also says this:
“All issues are political issues, and politics itself is a mass of lies, evasions, folly, hatred, and schizophrenia.”
Keeping that in mind, an important essay by Mark Lilla in the Wall Street Journal outlines the history of “Populist Chic” and what it means for the conservative intellectual tradition. He describes how a disdain for liberal intellectuals slipped into “a disdain for the educated class as a whole.” He laments that the result of this movement was the promotion “of a candidate like Sarah Palin, whose ignorance, provinciality and populist demagoguery represent everything older conservative thinkers once stood against.”
On the same track is an op-ed in the New York Times today called “Obama and the War on Brains.” Nicholas Kristof reminds us that the second most remarkable thing about Obama’s election “is that American voters have just picked a president who is an open, out-of-the-closet, practicing intellectual.”
Yeah, baby! That’s what I’m talking about. Let’s make stupidity a sin instead of celebrating it. Eight years of W have been more than enough. People who don’t read newspapers and scoff at science should know enough to be ashamed of themselves.
We need to raise the tone! We need to insist that people think and read and be proud of their vocabularies instead of being afraid to sound elitist. America is the only country I know of where “real people” means simpletons. We need to respect intellectuals instead of regarding them as suspect.
Today my friend Mark was visiting from Connecticut and he tried to describe how his hatred of Sarah Palin wasn’t just partisan but personal. That’s the issue that has set many of us apart from other Democrats and liberals: We fucking hate her and we still do! I think that above all, it’s the proud stupidity that she wears like a crown. Today in an interview at her home, while cooking up some moose, she said this:
“Regarding information regarding my record, that its now out there much of it that was based on misinformation was a very, very frustrating thing to have to go through when the record was never corrected.”
Huh? Say again, in English?
Asked to be specific about the misinformation, she said…..
“Some of the goofy things like who was Trig’s mom. Well, I’m Trig’s mom (raises her hand) and do you want to see my medical records to prove that?”
Hahahahaha! YES, YOU MORON, we do! Until she does, I guess I’m doomed to keep hating her and writing about it. Just not all the time.
There’s no question, you come from a fascinating country. It keeps most of the rest of us on the edge of our seats. It could be the dollar. Or the guns. Whatever. Until China gets a decent ersatz Hollywood going I think you’ll still be the best show in town (very often in the worst ways, natch, but compelling nevertheless).
I think you should be proud that you are giving reason a chance now with Obama. I also too think that W and SP are only the recognised faces of what a lot of Americans do stand for. I’ve lost respect for some bloggers during this process, not because they’re republicans but because the shutters came down with any criticism of hockey mom. Weird. I’m thinking of otherwise smart people too. Anyway, they won’t be going away any time soon, so you’ll have plenty to get your teeth into. Also too (gotta stop using that one) you should start the move to get Obama on Mt Rushmore, before he fucks up with the economy and all.
Keep railin’
Also too Nick, maybe we should keep this one Palinism just to keep from getting too complacent. xo
“Do you want to see my medical redords..”
Oh, yes I do, you ignorant hockey sow. I want to see them and hear Hank Williams Jr. sing them on tv. That would be a start. And also too, I want to see the “pregnant” Bristol naked in Vanity Fair ASAP to prove that alleged pregnancy. Or she could pose for Charisma magazine if VF is too mainstream, gotchabetcha and liberal elitist.
What I don’t want to see is the return of the hockey mom in 2012, but at the same time I do. If the republicans can’t find anyone else, it’ll be interesting to see how much they can prep and polish her in four years.
I just hope she does a heckuva lot of interviews in the mean time and lets her own stupidity sink her future campaign. Just ask her a gotcha question about any topic and give her a mic. That shold do it..
“he [Orwell] connects degraded language with the decline of contemporary culture and political thought”
“We need to raise the tone! We need to insist that people think and read and be proud of their vocabularies instead of being afraid to sound elitist.”
“We fucking hate her and we still do!”
I’m confused – again.
Also, please, Miss, how do I become an intellectual? I mean do I have to take an exam, or something. If not, who decides who is and who is not an intellectual? Is it perhaps the political conclusions they reach that is the deciding factor? And are you ever so gently edging towards a proposition that people who fail to reach the giddy heights of being an intellectual really shouldn’t be allowed to vote?
Finally, you have managed to rid yourself of a president and vice president who, according to Democrat shrieks and moans, was only ever in the job to support ‘Big Business’. Er, but now I see Democrat leaders urging ‘Oprah’ Obama to shovel zillions in the direction of ‘Detroit Car Makers Inc.’
So I’m confused – again – again!
I don’t know when exactly American conservatives adopted anti-intellectualism, but the election of cheerleader and solid-C student W. certainly furthered their cause. I’ve never been able to comprehend the idea that people want to elect a president who’s “just like them.” Huh? I want someone much smarter and more competent than me running the country. We expect our doctors, lawyers and accountants to have the best training and brains, so why not our elected officials? Thank God the American people embraced an unabashed smart guy this time!
I totally agree with this; it’s about time that intellectuals are respected and not scoffed at! I seriously think I’ve lost brain cells from listening to W the last decade. OUT!
Sorry, ‘Sister Wolf’, I can’t keep up with all the intellectuals on this site so to change the subject slightly, please meet Kathy who says:
“I Heart Fridays – cute cheap jackets
Hello, My name is Kathy and I am a jacket addict. Scary that I am addicted to jackets and shoes…maybe I should just embrace who I am, and admit I am addicted to all things fashion! ”
I’m not at all sure what “I heart Fridays” means because I am, as you know, easily and frequently confused. However, I do think Kathy could be your new best friend because, as she writes on her site, she aims “to help YOU be the best YOU that YOU can be”. Such a treasure!
Oops, forgot the link:
http://fashionanswers.blogspot.com/
David,
“An intellectual is a person interested in ideas and comfortable with complexity. (Intellectuals are for real. In contrast, a pedant is a supercilious show-off who drops references to Sophocles and masks his shallowness by using words like “fulgent” and “supercilious.”)
You are being a pedant here and it’s getting tiresome. Conservative intellectuals are fascinating to read and speak with, and I would never attempt to stop them from voting.
Also too, the great William Burroughs, an intellectual if ever there was one, taught me that using profanity or even scatological humor for literary effect was not only acceptable but often exhilarating for the reader.
If you want to comment here, I’m asking you to stop mocking other commenters. If you have an argument with me personally, you can email to me.
One of the worst attributes about Sarah Palin is her lack of intellectual curiosity. When you answer a question wrong on several occasions (what is the role of the Vice President) it would be prudent and wise to find the correct answer so as to not answer the question wrong again. Basic self respect should have dictated Palin’s desire to know the role of the Vice President. Her lack of curiosity, desire to learn and obvious disdain for those that attempted to educate her is all we need to know. Palin campaigned on an emotional platform that was fueled by hatred and a sense of self importance that borders on narcissism. She clearly has shown us that she has little comprehension of our constitution and the general principles that frame our constitutional and civil rights in this country. Her attitude reflects her belief that she is above reproach, she is entitled and she is above the law. Her absolute lack of intellectual aptitude and capacity is appalling. What more do we need to know about this moronic idiot?
Hey, Texas – some village is missing their idiot and I know where he is! PLEASE, come and get him! End the Bush error!
I’ve been feeling a little off. I atributed it the post-election come down. I stayed in bed. I stopped going outside. I even stopped visiting godammit.com. Thank you Thank you Thank you!!!! YES!!! My hatred for her is much more personal than anything else. She is an asshole and she personally offended me time and time again. In fact she continues to insult me.
William Burroughs. An intellectual. There’s a thought!
But never mind all that, what do you think of Kathy’s site? And even more important, what about Michelle’s dress? Do we love it or hate it?
Sister, you’ve crystallized something that’s been lurking on the edge of my brain. It IS surprising that after 8 “voluntary” years of W’s malarkey and brainless shenanigans, America flipped completely and chose a truly brilliant intellectual to lead. But it SHOULDN’T be surprising. How on earth did we get to a place where smarts – especially in leadership – became frowned-upon? If feels good to see the train finally leaving that station …
While I am vastly overshadowed by the intellectual behemoths of blog-world; I used to get picked on in school for being too clever. Running fast, kicking a ball, hitting a six and rowing across a lake = good person.
Writing a good essay, asking and answering informed questions, knowing why Luther started the reformation, why mushrooms are autotrophic and how Yeats came to be pissed off enough to write the Wild Swans of Coole = boring person. If I didnt smoke and make the pissy teachers cry and walk off the job I would have had no friends at highschool.
So yeah, I am impressed that intellectuals are the new black. I hope I can keep up.
xx
I seem to remember her holding her medical records until the last minute. Do I have that right?
I too am mystified when the shift occurred from having the President of this country be one of the more competent and intelligent people to a person that was “real and like them”. I don’t want somebody like me in the White House!! It would be a nightmare. Granted, not as big of a disaster as having Palin in the White House, but a disaster nonetheless (although I am waaayyyyy more qualified than Palin!).
If the President is “just like you” is assassination kind of like suicide?
I guess anyone really, would seem intelligent after George Bush!!
Sadly George Bush pales in stupidity next to the hockey moron from Alaska. Our entire nation seemed to be comatose for 8 long yrs. and has suddenly awoken and there is indeed cerebral activity! Intelligence is now in! Finally!
Juri – Hahaha! Hank Jr. would be perfect!
Iheartfashion – Absolutely.
Danielle – W looks smart compared to Mrs. P.
cker – YES!
Sarah P – I feel your pain.
David – He went to Harvard, which I know means nothing to you since Obama went there too.
Sal -I think reality TV is part of the syndrome…stupid and proud of it!
Hammie – yep, same at my school. But I’m seeing that smart kids are cool now, as geekdom is winning respect.
end- Please remind her of that!
Helonwheels -HA, good point.
Bex – Not Mrs. P, though. Her mind actually seems more dysfunctional than W’s in some ways. Isn’t that scary??
The filthy cunt’s response when asked about her limited travel was perfectly indicative of her lack of intellectual curiosity. She said (with disdain) that she didn’t come from a rich family who sent their kids off to Europe after they graduated from college. I really wanted to slap her. I don’t come from a rich family, but I managed to travel all over. How? Like millions of people, I was curious about the world, saved some cash, and went.
I can’t stop hating her.
David Duff, please stop being so boring. And go outside. There’s a big world out there, with lots of people, some of them interesting.
Mark you are a luv! I can’t stop hating the bitch either. It is an obsession. Some obsessions are wonderful to have!
Will she just do the decent thing and choke on a moose bone or sumet!
Perhaps a moose will trample the dumb bitch. Rutting season is here. Shall we dress her up and set her loose in the Alaskan wilderness and let nature take its course?
Mark -wow, I missed her discussion of travel. Why should she travel if she can see Russia, though?
cker -Mark is wonderful. The best.
Imelda Matt – I like how you put that; it would be decent of her, but decency is clearly alien to her. If only one of those moose hotdogs could get lodged….
cker – Oh god, rutting season. She’s going to be rutting with Larry King Wednesday night! Eeeoow!