Anti-Intellectualism: A Malignancy for Democracy

Learning that one of the fascism experts I admire is leaving the U.S. for Canada made me remember this piece I wrote shortly after Biden's inauguration was held in the shadow of the insurrection.

The blatant disregard for medical science exhibited by so many Americans during the pandemic shocked and angered reasonable human beings. Why did the blatant disregard for social science during the rise of Trump and Trumpism not elicit the same repulsion?

 

The Alarmist with a Doctorate

Humanity’s progress throughout history has been credited to our capacity for reason. It is our desire to use our analytical minds in making sense of the world, and ourselves, that collectively drives us forward. Yet even now, centuries removed from the times in which great thinkers were persecuted by political and religious leaders, it seems that we still tolerate the hesitation – even refusal – in applying our hard-earned knowledge to the problems of the present day.

Long before Trump was elected, psychologists voiced clear concerns about his mental health profile. Political scientists strongly cautioned us about his intentions. As his base grew in both numbers and in baseless conspiracies, as his loyalists dug their heels in with boldly undemocratic claims and right-wing media outlets proliferated while morphing into pure propaganda, historians hit the panic button. 

Talk of an authoritarian movement and terms like ‘narcissist’ or ‘dictator’ were woven into think pieces and op-eds. They were sometimes even uttered aloud by scholarly guests on mainstream news channels. For the most part, even those with impeccable credentials who spoke of such things were labeled ‘alarmists’ – and largely dismissed.

 

A Pandemic of Ignorance

Only now, after the violent insurrection at the nation’s seat of democracy, is the language of these so-called alarmists deemed more widely acceptable. Only now is that worrisome murmur being echoed more audibly: that the United States is, in fact, flirting with fascism.

When an alarm is being sounded from a place of intellectualism – by experts in their respective fields – why wouldn’t more people be inclined to pay attention?

Professionals offered us a diagnosis in the early stages of the disease, and their warnings were ignored. The disease has spread unchecked. Now we find ourselves so overwhelmed that we can barely manage the symptoms. Much like the coronavirus pandemic, the response to this insidious societal infection has been too little, too late.

 

Hope Guarded by Razor Wire

Trump is out of office, but he is not gone. The movement he began has taken on a life of its own. The subsets of terrorists he applauded are emboldened. Diehard sycophants and conspiracy theorists have infiltrated government offices. Some of their names we know, some we do not.

There is no question that the incoming administration has a catalog of monumental tasks in front of them. To many observers, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris now represent a final beacon of hope for national salvation and the preservation of our democracy. They have been sworn into office behind fences lined with razor wire, under the watchful eyes of 25,000 heavily armed National Guard troops. This is where we are.

 

Will Anyone Listen?

Tackling the undercurrent of anti-intellectualism in America is one monumental task that will need to be addressed at its deep cultural roots. Shifting the perceptions of society-at-large can take decades, if not generations.

For now, we can at least initiate the informed discussions we desperately need to confront our most urgent threats. The litany of crises our country now faces cannot be surmounted without a multi-faceted approach by the brightest minds of our time. Academics, scholars, and experts need a more prominent platform on the national stage to engage in intelligent debates in public view. This includes those from the entire gamut of social sciences.

Our new administration must exalt intellectuals for what they represent. These are not outliers or alarmists. These are the ones who have dedicated their lives to learning from our shared past in hopes of breaking this redundant cliché of history repeating itself. These are the ones who accurately predicted our current reality when too few would hear them out.

We are currently mired in the consequences of that willful ignorance. Will we listen now?