A recent realization has come to be a concern of many United States citizens that there is a significant “dumbing down” of America. This somewhat harsh statement comes from the increasing evidence of ignorance and failure to dignify education among the American people. Part of this claim about American culture is true, in the way that the country as a whole is starting to decline on an academic, technological, and political level. These national issues are fueled from the anti-intellectual society that America has become. Anti-intellectualism in America is causing negative effects in the education system, employment, political decisions, and even the reputation of the country. 

Anti-intellectualism is not something that has happened in the past couple years. In fact, this problem in American society has been a prevalent and rising issue for decades. Anti-intellectualism is defined as the hostility the intellect, intellectuals, and intellectual pursuits, usually expressed as the derision of education, philosophy, literature, art, and science, as impractical and contemptible. The societal problem of having a unappreciation for intelligence is already a questionable issue. Yet, when the negative effects of anti-intellectualism are brought to attention, the issue can be understood as much more serious. The rise of anti-intellectualism will not only set back our country as a whole, but make us much more inferior to other more developed first world countries. This can be proven in our failure in the public education system, political decisions, technology or energy saving race, and production of workers for analytical and cerebral employment. These are all the negative effects of this societal problem that is currently setting back America behind what its potential could be. 

In order to see how anti-intellectualism is hurting the United States, it is important to have an understanding of what makes it an existing problem in our society. One of the main causes of the rise of this societal issue is the portrayal of intellectuals in the United States. Looking at media, books, TV shows, and other forms of communication, people with intellectual minds are called derogatory names such as “nerd, geek, dork, or dweeb”. What is so misleading to phycologist specializing with young students, is the idea that American students who show academic excellence are tormented from such a young age for the primary cause of being academically successful (Mazo). In other more developed countries, such as China or Germany, we see an opposite reaction to children who show academic drive or intelligence. Where in the United States they are teased for intellectual behavior, in other countries they are praised or awarded for it. This view on intelligence is what differentiates America from other countries and potentially labels us as being anti-intellectual. 

Another stem to this problem is the way that parents are approaching their children’s academic involvement from a young age. Most parents, like the rest of society, are worried about their children being socially accepted by their peers. Therefore, American parents are pushing their children to join sports or summer camp rather than space camp, or math and book clubs. Instead of pushing for children to value academics and intellectual thinking from a young age, American culture is gearing children towards an alternative path. Where in other first world countries they push for innovative and great minds, too many Americans are settling for average. As shown, the rise of anti-intellectualism is starting at a young age and progressing to our adults. Understanding the background of this issue will help to shed light on how this has affected the United States education system, movement in the technology race, ignorance on politics, and the reputation of the country. 

As shown that this societal problem is created at such a young age, it inevitably becomes a part of the mindset of a large portion of adults in this country. Being that the adults are the ones in positions of authority, power, and strength, it is seen as dangerous for those with anti-intellectual mindsets to be in those positions. That is why researchers see this and a very important issue setting the Unites States back from where it should be. The negative effects of this problem are what holds the United States back from being as great of a country as it could be. 

The first, and one of the most dangerous effects from anti-intellectualism, is a decrease in the value of education. Whether it be the school boards, government, parents, or student’s liability, American students are falling significantly behind with academics compared to other developed countries. Specifically looking into the public education system in America, the curriculum, test scores, and resources provided to most students is a reflection of the countries disvalue for academics. In writer Eduardo Porter’s research about the academic gap between countries, he shows the unbelievable difference between the knowledge of American students versus the standards set on students in Germany, China, Japan, or Spain. For example, in a recent study from the OECD, students from 60 different countries were given the same level of standardized testing (Porter). When the test results came in, American students had one of the lowest cumulative scores between all countries tested (Porter). Another study conducted by researchers involved with the Innovations in Science Education and Technology shows a contrast to the curriculum provided in schools around the world. The study gives insight that we are lacking a firm education in the fields of science, math, and languages (Kumar, 17). Putting it into perspective, the average 15-year-old in China is learning at substantially higher level in math, science, languages, and career skills than the average early college student in the United States (Holfstader). This shows that students in the United States are not near the same level of understanding as other students living in countries with academic and intellectual appreciation. 

Looking further into anti-intellectualism in the American public school system, the educational decline that puts American students behind is not a reflection of the capability that the student has, but rather the resources and curriculum that is provided to them (Williams). Taking the low curriculum even out of the equation, just looking at the physical resources provided in some American schools gives a reflection of how much we disvalue education. Holfstader writes about high schools, primarily in the south, are spending millions of dollars on new football stadiums and equipment when the science departments are using worn out books outdated by decades. This shows that school boards in American are failing to keep their priorities straight and have any value for the educational field. Some might even say the authority in charge of the education system is settling for average curriculum, and failing test scores. 

One might argue how the decline in the academic progress and public education system in America has anything to do with its anti-intellectual culture. Well, looking down to the roots of the problem, if it were a society that valued intelligence, the government nor school districts would not settle for embarrassing global test scores. Teachers would encourage a more challenging curriculum. And lastly, students would have an appreciated and eagerness to learn, rather than viewing it as a burden. The rise of anti-intellectualism in the states is hurting the education system, but more importantly holding back the students. Great minds can only be great if they allow themselves to be. That is, how will teachers push students or students push themselves if academic success is not something of value? 

Education is only the beginning negative effect that anti-intellectualism is having on American society. Education is the foundation for most knowledge gained growing up. Because the education system is not excelling, schools are producing people with ignorance to crucial topics of today’s world. It is safe to say that someone, who falls under the category of being anti-intellectual, is reasonably content with ignorance. American culture is showing a similar trend. An online web series called “Lunch Scholars”, gives insight to the lack of knowledge that American adults have. In the videos, young adults are interviewed on college campuses and asked very generic questions, such as; Who is our president, or what is the capital of Ohio? etc. Majority of the students are completely ignorant to any of the answers but their reactions is what separates us into an anti-intellectual society. A society that values intellectualism would look at such ignorance as embarrassing. In these particular videos, however, the students and host are laughing and find humor out of them not knowing how to answer such simple questions. There is an interesting quote by Issac Asimov that says, “There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.” This mindset and portrayal of the American people is very dangerous to the reputation of the country. An effect on reputation could be seen as a petty problem, but why should the American people be okay with feeding into the American stereotype that it is a country full of people who are ignorant to the world. Or even worse, a country that cares so little about their ignorance that they lack the effort to change it. 

An American reputation of being and “ignorant” country causes a distrust that other first world countries have towards the United States. Richard Holfstatder makes an interesting point regarding this topic in his book, The Know Nothings. He begins by acknowledging the reputation America has and the feuds it causes with other developed countries. Then, he puts the reader into the shoes of a foreign leader, and asks the reader, if they would be willing to trust a country with an anti-intellectual society. Most reasonable people, would not be comfortable with making policies, trading, or assisting a country with a misinterpretation on academic success or intelligence. Therefore, it is easier to understand how the effects of this problem are so large. When other countries look at the United States as embarrassing or ignorant, it will only hurt the relationships and economic deals that are exchanged in the United States favor. Now, this is not written to show any sort of hatred for American culture. Rather, a frustration with the way this societal problem is holding back the country as a whole. 

In addition to these effects, the rise of anti-intellectualism is also taking a toll on employment in America. Looking into the job market, businesses within the United States are having a hard time finding employees to work intellectual jobs. “We are just simply, as a country, not producing workers with intellectual capabilities than workers from Asia” (Holfstatder). This quote by Richard Holfstatder addresses the issue that the United States is not producing enough people to work these academically rigorous jobs, and therefore recruiting people from other countries to work them. Some may take the idea of recruiting foreign workers as a positive thing rather than a problem. Having immigration in regards to employment is not necessarily a poor decision for a country. However, when the reason behind is because the country is simply not producing people “smart enough” to work the jobs, it should be seen negatively. As seen previously, anti-intellectualism in American culture spirals to hurt the education system and eventually the intelligence and capabilities of the work force that is being produced. This puts the United States a step behind other countries, by the fact that Americas own companies are seeing foreigners as more suitable for intellectual thinking than fellow citizens of their country.

Another setback that is recognizable as an impediment of this societal problem is the way that American citizens are choosing to educate themselves. In Ray Williams research and writing on this topic, he claims that most people in the United States do not understand what economic policies or social values they are voting for. When about 40% of citizens do not even attempt to vote, less than half of the leftover 60% can explain the implications and meanings behind who they plan to vote for (Williams). This stems from what the American people are educating themselves with on a daily basis. The Pew Research Center surveyed American young adults between ages of 18-25 to find out their knowledge on world news and where they received that information. The researchers found that majority of the young adults were more in tune with celebrity and unrealistic (Facebook) news than actual relevant news pertaining to what is going on around the world. In an anti-intellectual society, it is not encouraged to be interested in news or problems that require thinking or knowledge to understand. This is adding to the ignorance that the American people keep because they are staying away from actual news regarding domestic and global issues or politics, and therefore they are staying uninformed. 

As seen with other examples of the negative effects of anti-intellectualism, it almost works as an extremely dangerous spiral effect. In case just explained, when the American people are staying away from educating themselves on important issues, they continue to be ignorant to what is happening around the world. Then, when voting comes around, most Americans do not understand who or what they are voting for, which hurts the country as a whole. Citizens, especially in a democracy, should be more than capable of understanding the policies or deals that their political leaders are setting in place. The United States needs to promote intellectualism and information for its people so that they are willing and capable to make educated decisions when it comes to voting.

An important aspect of this societal problem to understand is that anti-intellectualism is only a cultural mindset, and therefore can be reversed. In Ray Williams research, he speaks of the steps we should take in order to reverse the views of academic ignorance that Americans consume. The United States would start by paying intellectuals more, and making the education to get there more affordable. It would also be a collective effort of teachers and school boards to intensify the education system in public schools with science, technology, and practical working skills. This will prepare students for the work force and put them in a position to be challenged by their academic journey. Most importantly, parents should be the most responsible to end the societal norm in American of being accepting to ignorance. As seen previously in the writing, anti-intellectualism is a mindset that is creating at a young age. By parents encouraging education, academic integrity, and knowledge for their children at a young age, they are teaching their children to value intellectualism. The hope is that more citizens become aware of this issue, the effects, and push to teach a difference. 

Furthermore, the rise of anti-intellectualism in America is clearly taking a toll on the progression of the country by creating long lasting negative effects. Whether it be the downfall of education, employment, American ignorance and reputation, and even political decisions, anti-intellectualism is a fuel to hurt every single one of those topics. This societal norm is setting the United States back behind other first world developed countries, and turning the country into a failure. For a country with such a diverse group of people, the bright minds that could exist are being hidden. It is important that anti-intellectualism is recognized and turned into a value for knowledge and intelligence. That way, great minds will be accepted, innovation and opportunity will arise for United States citizens, and the country as a whole will live to its fullest potential. 
