I was raised by a professional teacher who managed a reading lab at a parochial school in Oakland, California. By God’s grace, I have earned degrees from two prestigious institutions–William and Mary and Duke University, where my dissertation was published by Wipf and Stock publishers and is part of the library collection at Yale, Princeton, Brown, Columbia University and many other university libraries.

I say all of this not to boast but to illustrate my commitment to intellectual inquiry and the advancement of humankind through rigorous research and discovery. The values of intellectualism have been foundational to Western and Eastern societies for millennia.

Unfortunately, they are under attack by Trumpism and its support of an anti-intellectual culture, where foolish individuals are being elevated to the heights of leadership with little to no qualifications.

What is anti-intellectualism and why is it problematic for society?

Anti-intellectualism is a general distrust of experts and intellectuals, the rejection of scientific thinking, education and the pursuit of knowledge. It can be expressed by dismissing art, history, literature and science as impractical or politically motivated.

Anti-intellectualism is popular because it allows people to believe what they want, with little or no evidence. It is often associated with conservative thinkers, religious followers and the ideological right. It can lead to support for populism, rejecting scientific consensus, and the endorsement of health and science misinformation. 

It can be especially pervasive in discussions surrounding sensitive topics like abortion.

The reelection of Donald Trump has brought back vivid memories of Trumpism’s anti-intellectual culture. As you may recall, during his previous administration, Trump worked diligently to downplay the severity of the pandemic, undermining and even villainizing Dr. Fauci, the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Rather than allowing an extremely competent leader to provide Americans with prudent advice regarding the spread of COVID, Trump suppressed the truth about the virus and the importance of wearing masks to contain the spread. The anti-intellectual efforts contributed to mass confusion and inefficiency in addressing the problem.

Trumpism’s anti-intellectualism is alive and well.

Recently, Trump announced plans to appoint conspiracy theorist and vaccine skeptic, Robert Kennedy, as the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Seriously?

Kennedy is a lawyer, not a doctor or health professional. He is grossly unqualified for this position. This will undoubtedly contribute to the spread of false information about vaccines and their efficacy in preventing many diseases.

This is yet another expression of Trumpism and anti-intellectual culture.

As we move forward as a society, let us always embrace the rational gifts Christ has given us to ensure our mutual flourishing  and wellbeing. 

 

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