Anti-intellectualism inhibits learning

A large percentage (studies suggest over 90%) of the meaning we derive from communication, we derive from the non-verbal cues that the other person gives.

How does one communicate with an unseen audience that can be anybody in the world? In face-to-face communication there is so much information about the audience at hand that does not exist on the Internet.

Does one use language for the 12 year old, or the 18 year old, or the 25 year old, the educated, the non-educated? How to speak coherently to the 12 year old while not infuriating the 18 year old and how to mold an essay for the 30 year old without losing the 18 year old.

People who write books have editors to act as a third party who understands the material and understands the anticipated audience.

How do I, who have been studying the matter at hand for months and even years, know what words to provide a parenthetical definition that some may need but others may consider to be condescending?

Anti-intellectualism (opposing or hostile to intellectuals or to an intellectual view or approach) is so prevailing in the United States that almost every reader has a strong anti-intellectual bias that they are completely unconscious of. This anti-intellectual bias constantly inhibits their effort to read anything that smacks of being ‘intellectual’.

People might pay me money to lecture them on the proper way to swing a golf club but to lecture anyone on matters intellectual is pompous (excessively elevated or ornate—having or exhibiting self-importance).

Indeed, my anti-intellectual bias overwhelms me sometimes - luckily I'm completely unconscious of it.

I have to admit: I get tired of intellectual writers. Simple words turned into epic words are my biggest complaint.
For example, using latin - while impressive, it is not universally understood.
Or, something like 'ameliorate' to describe easying complex situations.
I would say to someone wanting to impress everyone, to go full circle and write their own dictionary.

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what the hell are you talking about?

every society has people who dont care about intellectuals becuase they are intimidated.

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Anyone with a vision needs to see an eye doctor. -Helmut Schmidt.

"Mrs. Palin, which specific journals and news sources do you read? (after being asked once)"

"Oh, All of them!"

So three vague words is better than one accurate one?

That's anti-intellectualism in a nutshell right there.

I know this thread is about anti-intellectualism, but your misunderstanding of the nature of dictionaries is particularly striking.

And I for one get tired having to always spend so much effort trying to figure out if my diction is too complex for some lazy readers and if I ought to bother changing it to be inclusive or not.

Usually, I just say fuck it. If my language is too complex for some people, that's their educational problem, not mine.

It could be because those people have generally requested help with their golf-swing, but feel that "intellectuals" often go around lecturing others on "matters intellectual" without being asked.
Also, golf-pros rarely imply that anyone who rejects their golfing advice is somehow inferior and suffering from a (perhaps sub-conscious) anti-golfing bias.
Just a thought. I'm feeling a bit snippy today.

I'll second what you're saying.

The funny thing IS, is that many of our online "intellectuals" wouldn't even classify as such in reality. They will use impressive words and language only to impress others and make themselves beleive they're really smart.

If one takes the time and effort to tear apart their "logic" they won't address it at all.

We see a lot of that here.

These are one of the types that inhabit my ignore list :-)

Well, I'm just a little more evolved than you. I've taken the important step of becoming fully aware of my anti-intellectualism.

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"Government big enough to supply everything you need is big enough to take everything you have... The course of history shows that as a government grows, liberty decreases."

-Thomas Jefferson

Sounds like you are one of these anti-intellectuals I am speaking of.

LOL - I'd say its more than an educational problem. Even if you don't know the exact meaning of a word its not hard to figure out its meaning in the context of a sentence.

It sounds more like wilful ignorance for the most part - and its a mystery to me why people bother to participate in discussion if they wilfully choose ignorance ...

well ... maybe not.

I think that's the right way to go. I can get a trifle verbose at times but decided long ago not to censor myself for it. We need more words, not less.
A teacher of mine made the point that ignorance has come to be regarded as a kind of virtue (at least in the U.S.), which I think is tragically accurate.

Writing is communication.

If you can't get your audience to understand your point then you've failed in your effort to communicate.

Sometimes effective communication requires erudition and at other times it is necessary to "dumb down" whatcha wanna say.

If your audience doesn't understand what you say it doesn't really matter whether it's because it's gone over their head or under their up-thrust noses.

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...Old Europe, a once-dominant region now reduced to sucking at the geopolitical teat of America... they spent the better part of the last millennium conquering the world and taking the good stuff home with them... And what do they get for their troubles? Ungrateful colonies demanding their independence. And after you taught them how to play cricket!...

-Jon Stewart

soot

If we comprehend matterial on the first reading we are wasting our time because we read something we already knew. The first reading gives us enough info to determine if we are curious about this matter. The second reading will be surprising enlightening. The third reading will begin to make the material meaningful. The problem is that we have been schooled to read only what we must so we can pass an exam. Many of us have never learned how to learn. It is this hurdle that it is important for us to overcome. Once we have accomplished learning something complex on our own drive then we can begin to comprehend the great world that we have opened up to our self.