One of the things I've always noticed about the bible belt is they have a grudge against "book learning."
Conversely the worst their spelling and grammar is, the more likely they are to a fundamentalists.
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Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.Robert G. Ingersoll was one of those amazing but relatively unknown persons. I learned about him through FFRF and there is a statue of him. He is definitely worth studying. [brainyquote.com]
JackPedigo
Level 9
Jan 1, 2019
0
The South is a vast, diverse region which contains over a third of the US population. Studies show that religion is slightly more important in the South than in the other regions, but I don’t think that justifies the “Bible Belt” label.
You can find whatever you want in the South.
WilliamFleming
Level 8
Jan 1, 2019
0
When astronauts are in trouble, it's never "Boston we got a problem."
Moon shots are never from New Jersey.
It's like rocket science.
Religion in the "Bible Belt"
[pewforum.org]
According to this PEW study the Midwest is right up there with us in religiosity..
Some likely consider turning over their thought process to another as liberating! Is it a way of remaining in denial over life events?
Interesting how they’re discouraged to read, or independently think, yet encouraged to vote. And don’t they also raise a disproportionate amount of cannon fodder..?
I’d say those wishing to remain in control have successfully cultivated a fear & hatred of ‘book learning’ amid their flocks ~
Varn
Level 8
Jan 1, 2019
0
I blame the school text book selection committee 3
That because they never select anything to read that is INTERESTING or controversial. For that one needs to do outside reading.
Consider Dr. Seuss. He wrote books that are endorsed by educators and first grade students alike. However, his books are NEVER on reading lists or used by schools. They are too appealing for the designated readers.
FSM forbid if the school library has a copy of a novel that involves intimate sexual relationships in detail.
What the school board wants is for students to be well read enough to follow basic instructions that can help them hold down a job.
When it's constant errors in spelling and grammar, it's not typos and failure to proof read. I often marvel at how often people who use ESL, use more correct English than my countrymen.
The Bible Belt has the poorest preforming schools in the US. It's not a fluke that where I live, South Carolina, has a law forbidding atheists to run for public office.
Atheists have higher levels of education than the general population.
Moi? Two bachelor's degrees and enough diplomas to choke a goat.
WonderWartHog99
Level 8
Jan 1, 2019
1
@Elganned Now for something as silly as your question. (Got have comic relief).
If you only read one book, bad enough. If you only have one book selectively read to you for half an hour every Sunday ?
But if there is an intellectual elite in charge of the state in the US, why do they allow people to finish school without a suitable education anyway ?
Fernapple
Level 9
Jan 1, 2019
0
Trump and his lackeys are in charge of the US government -- not the "intellectual elite."
I never fully realized how firmly the US is in the grip of anti-intellectuals until political pundits started to insist Gore's ability to speak French was a bad thing.
@WonderWartHog99 I thought that could be the case, and the sad thing is of course, that the political establishment is viewed by many as the same thing as an elite, (which it is not) including an intellectual one. So that in the popular mind, intellect gets the blame for many of the political establishments crimes, which of course the political establishment loves and encourages. I think that you have a saying in the US "Catch 22".
@Fernapple in representative democracies the rule is the golden rule: those with the gold, rule.
It's not just in the South but they are everywhere.
JackPedigo
Level 9
Dec 31, 2018
2
anti-intellectualism has been a thing in this country for a long, long time, and it shows no signs of abating. in fact, with trump in office loving "the poorly educated" (insofar as he can love anyone) either it's more rampant than ever or it's easier for folks to admit publicly (note the idiots proudly labeling themselves "deplorable" ).
remember pol pot? the first folks his khmer rouge killed were professionals, anyone who could read, anyone who knew a foreign language, anyone who wore glasses (eggheads, right?)
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genessa
Level 8
Dec 31, 2018
1
As far as I know (and I'd be happy to hear evidence to the contrary) the basic driver of the anti-intellectualism at least in the US is fundamentalist religion (lean not to your own understanding, don't trust mere human reason, acknowledge god in all your ways, reject science where it conflicts with dogma, etc). Pol Pot is proof that there can be other drivers, at least under the right conditions; fanaticism of any kind will do the trick.
@mordant i don't know how much of our anti-intellectualism is attributable to religion (more and more, surely), but i know you're right that religion breeds anti-intellectualism in the manner you described. i didn't notice any inevitability about its connection to religion back in the day. it may be that anti-intellectualism lends itself to religion, too -- that it works in both directions.
g
That is mostly true and it is based on envy and fear of those with more education than them, tho the people with less education would probably not admit that either is the case.
TomMcGiverin
Level 8
Dec 31, 2018
1
With their snide remarks about "elites" and college-educated "snowflakes," conservatives have created an intellectual caste system and willingly put themselves at the bottom. This will always be one of my favorite conservative quotes:
And yes, you might want to edit your post.
DeStijl
Level 6
Dec 31, 2018
0
An interesting thought, but you might like to look back at the grammar in your post. Unless of course you are being ironic!
Geoffrey51
Level 8
Dec 31, 2018
2
Being ironic because us peoples down here call it book learnin.
Yeah we have some ignorance but I’m sure that his garden has its shit in it
there is a difference between not knowing how to spell or how to use words properly and making a typo (or having your voice-activated program misunderstand you). yes, proofreading is a good idea, but even i, who DO proofread, sometimes miss a typo. i saw someone spell "petal" as "pedal" several times in the same post; that wasn't a typo. that poster didn't know the difference between the two words, at least visually. but "worst" and "worse" in an otherwise grammatical post? it's something we do sometimes when we type too fast. it doesn't invalidate the poster's premise.
g
@genessa No, it doesn't negate the premise, but when the post specifically calls out grammar and spelling errors, then makes them.....
@nvrnuff, @ladyprof70 at worst carelessness, not ignorance.
g
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