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Question: Are we anti-intellectuals?



« Created by: freediver on: Nov 21st, 2006 at 1:16pm »

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Are we anti-intellectuals? (Read 15499 times)
Carl D
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Re: Are we anti-intellectuals?
Reply #15 - Nov 5th, 2019 at 11:01am
 
Quote:
Are we anti-intellectuals?


Probably.

And, like everything else, I'm sure it has gotten worse in the
13 years
since freediver started this thread. Roll Eyes
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« Last Edit: Nov 5th, 2019 at 11:09am by Carl D »  

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"Masks are sand in the gears of the economy" - some f-wit pollie or big business CEO.
 
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Prime Minister for Canyons
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Re: Are we anti-intellectuals?
Reply #16 - Nov 5th, 2019 at 11:17am
 
Of course we are.
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In a time of universal deceit — telling the truth is a revolutionary act.

No evidence whatsoever it can be attributed to George Orwell or Eric Arthur Blair (in fact the same guy)
 
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juliar
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Re: Are we anti-intellectuals?
Reply #17 - Nov 5th, 2019 at 4:05pm
 
But BH I always thought you were a highly gifted intellectual.
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Re: Are we anti-intellectuals?
Reply #18 - Nov 5th, 2019 at 6:30pm
 
Carl D wrote on Nov 5th, 2019 at 11:01am:
Quote:
Are we anti-intellectuals?


Probably.

And, like everything else, I'm sure it has gotten worse in the
13 years
since freediver started this thread. Roll Eyes


It's like a memory.
Some people just forget.  Wink
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AIMLESS EXTENTION OF KNOWLEDGE HOWEVER, WHICH IS WHAT I THINK YOU REALLY MEAN BY THE TERM 'CURIOSITY', IS MERELY INEFFICIENCY. I AM DESIGNED TO AVOID INEFFICIENCY.
 
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UnSubRocky
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Re: Are we anti-intellectuals?
Reply #19 - Nov 18th, 2019 at 6:47pm
 
13 years on from the start of this topic, I believe that Australians have an apathetic attitude. I am sure that we are smart enough on average to be world leaders. But our attitude towards being the best is what keeps us middle of the road in terms of educational attainment. And when I say "educational attainment", I am talking about reading up on useful academic topics, or getting cultured, etc.

Going to the movies and watching a blockbuster movie is one thing. But being able to interpret what the director was trying to achieve/portray is something different. Last night, I watched "Raiders of the Lost Ark". I saw it as a nonsensical movie, the first few times I watched it. But, I had another look at it last night and found it to be more intellectually stimulating. Thinking about it in terms of the protagonists with good intentions vs the antagonists with evil intentions. Those with power trying to attain more power. Whereas those without power trying to respect the value of tradition.

Or we look at how some people might watch the Bathurst race as being a who has the fastest driver and car. Others might see it as the technical side where slipstreaming and tactics come into play.

Sports like rugby as who was stronger on the day. Whereas other people see the sport as who was fit and healthy for the day and who had the better tactics leading into the game.

Intellectuals are the people who actually "get it" more than the basics of what other people see.

We are becoming more intellectuals as Australians. Not less.
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Re: Are we anti-intellectuals?
Reply #20 - Nov 18th, 2019 at 7:17pm
 
UnSubRocky wrote on Nov 18th, 2019 at 6:47pm:
13 years on from the start of this topic, I believe that Australians have an apathetic attitude. I am sure that we are smart enough on average to be world leaders. But our attitude towards being the best is what keeps us middle of the road in terms of educational attainment. And when I say "educational attainment", I am talking about reading up on useful academic topics, or getting cultured, etc.

Going to the movies and watching a blockbuster movie is one thing. But being able to interpret what the director was trying to achieve/portray is something different. Last night, I watched "Raiders of the Lost Ark". I saw it as a nonsensical movie, the first few times I watched it. But, I had another look at it last night and found it to be more intellectually stimulating. Thinking about it in terms of the protagonists with good intentions vs the antagonists with evil intentions. Those with power trying to attain more power. Whereas those without power trying to respect the value of tradition.

Or we look at how some people might watch the Bathurst race as being a who has the fastest driver and car. Others might see it as the technical side where slipstreaming and tactics come into play.

Sports like rugby as who was stronger on the day. Whereas other people see the sport as who was fit and healthy for the day and who had the better tactics leading into the game.

Intellectuals are the people who actually "get it" more than the basics of what other people see.

We are becoming more intellectuals as Australians. Not less.

All of Speiberg's  movies have a Jewish slant. Even Lucas  did they same thing with the Star Wars movies. It's all to do with resentment due to the Holocaust and what is happening in Israel. And a bit of gentile bashing thrown in for spice. That's the key to understanding all of his movies. Check out the Arab blowfly in one of the later Star Wars movies.
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Re: Are we anti-intellectuals?
Reply #21 - Nov 18th, 2019 at 7:35pm
 
Spielberg's movie "Schindler's List" actually put me on the path to downgrading the credibility of 6 million Jews dying in the Holocaust. I certainly believe that a lot of Jews died in the Nazi era. But, not 6 million. It is those sorts of things that have me question the previously unquestionable historical allegations.
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Re: Are we anti-intellectuals?
Reply #22 - Nov 18th, 2019 at 7:45pm
 
UnSubRocky wrote on Nov 18th, 2019 at 7:35pm:
Spielberg's movie "Schindler's List" actually put me on the path to downgrading the credibility of 6 million Jews dying in the Holocaust. I certainly believe that a lot of Jews died in the Nazi era. But, not 6 million. It is those sorts of things that have me question the previously unquestionable historical allegations.

Most people can't see these things in his movies Rocky. People really need to start thinking.
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Re: Are we anti-intellectuals?
Reply #23 - Nov 19th, 2019 at 10:05am
 
freediver wrote on Nov 21st, 2006 at 1:16pm:
According to the SMH. there is still a lingering culture of anti-intellectualism in Australia. Our levels of education are lower than in other countries. John Howard and the federal coalition are fuelling this sentiment, or at least taking advantage of it, especially in education reform (the 'history wars'). The Labor party also has a negative view of academics.

One of my relatives teaches a foreign language in a small town. A lot of the parents tell their children that it's OK not to bother with that class because they are never going to use it anyway. But the world is getter smaller very quickly.

When issues like science and politics cross, there is often strong antagonism towards input from scientists. I have seen this a lot in the marine park debate from fishing lobbies.

I'm trying out the poll feature with this thread.


They should be teaching Mandarin as china already owns Australia and will need plenty of rickshaw drivers to drive the wealthy chinese tourists around.
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In August 2021, Newcastle Coroner Karen Dilks recorded that Lisa Shaw had died “due to complications of an AstraZeneca COVID vaccination”.
 
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Re: Are we anti-intellectuals?
Reply #24 - Nov 19th, 2019 at 10:08am
 
https://www.news.com.au/finance/economy/australian-economy/ceo-basket-case-educa...

Quote:
CEO: ‘Basket case’ education system to blame for ‘completely cactus’ Australian economy


A provocative multi-millionaire has labelled Australia’s economy as “completely cactus” and he says one industry is to blame.

Provocative chief executive Matt Barrie says Australia’s education system is a “basket case” and is the main contributor to the country’s “completely cactus” economy.

The tech entrepreneur and multi-millionaire blames the deterioration of Australian manufacturing output on what he calls an ancient education system where overachieving students are pushed into medicine and law while participation in electrical engineering and computer science dwindles.

“That’s why there’s no productivity because we’re producing people to serve cups of coffee and serve avocado on toast to each other,” Mr Barrie said.

Gross domestic product grew by just 0.5 per cent in the June quarter, dragging year-on-year growth to 1.4 per cent as Australians struggle with stagnant wage growth and a crippling debt-to-income ratio.

Mr Barrie, boss of ASX-listed freelancing marketplace Freelancer.com, says the fastest way to turn this around is to encourage youngsters to be leaders in more practical, high-skilled industries.

“If you get enough people into the right jobs, then four years later they go into the workforce, they get high-paying jobs, they start companies, they create income tax, and benefits flow from that,” he told news.com.au at a Yahoo Finance conference recently.

“Plus they also increase the skills level because when they start these companies, they train all the employees they hire.”


The entrepreneur said year 10 students needed access to pathways to jobs with a greater ability to stimulate the economy.

“We’ve created this insane leaderboard in the HSC, which is basically medicine and law; they’re the best subjects.

“Everything else doesn’t really matter and every parent, every teacher and then every kid thinks, ‘I’ve got to do medicine or law’.

“We don’t need any more lawyers in the world. There are plenty of other jobs that are far more important to the economy right now.


“We’ve got to fix the secondary school system, which is an 18th century relic training people for jobs that don’t exist.”

Mr Barrie told news.com.au a more productive population would bump-up wage growth.

“If you’re going to have high wages you need to be high value producing in the value chain. You can’t be serving people a couple of cups of coffee and expect high wages.

“You’ve got to be doing advanced manufacturing like robotics or sophisticated products and services with a high margin.

“And that’s what we’ve let fall apart. We need to have very sophisticated trade schools in the country so people can learn advanced skills, mechanical engineering and electrical engineering in order to produce these products and services and infrastructure.


“We don’t do that. It’s basically you’re a doctor or you’re a lawyer, otherwise you’re a failure and that’s pretty much it.”

Shadow minister for innovation, technology and the future of work, Clare O’Neil, agreed improving the education sector was the best way to correcting Australia’s anaemic economy.

She told the same finance conference that federal funding wasn’t translating to better results.

“We haven’t had a really good conversation in Canberra about why, even though we’re spending more money on schools all the time. Our performance is pretty static or in some instances declining,” Ms O’Neil said.

“Wherever I go around Australia there’s a big disconnect between that pointy end of the education system and the needs of business.

“And it just amazes me that after knowing that’s been a problem, for probably 40 years, we haven’t found a solution.”

Mr Barrie said Australian skills had fallen behind because of the inaction of politicians and uninspired workers within the sector.

“It’s a complete basket case because education is the remit of state governments and you’ve got a lot of teachers who are frightened of technology because their job is threatened,” the entrepreneur said.

“It’s the teachers that are holding things back, and because it’s all controlled by the state governments you have all this duplication, bureaucracy, glacial movement of the system and all these entrenched people in positions that you just need to reinvent it.”

He said this had created fiscal issues for a country too reliant on commodity exports and a bloated housing market.

“The Australian economy is completely cactus,” Mr Barrie told news.com.au.

“We’ve let manufacturing completely fall apart and we’re just deluding ourselves thinking we’re a wealthy country just because we’ve got inflated house prices and because we’ve got an immigration program to prop up tax receipts and prop up the housing market.

“It’s going to end in tears — households are already at capacity in terms of their ability to pay rent and buy houses.”

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In August 2021, Newcastle Coroner Karen Dilks recorded that Lisa Shaw had died “due to complications of an AstraZeneca COVID vaccination”.
 
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Re: Are we anti-intellectuals?
Reply #25 - Nov 21st, 2019 at 8:50pm
 
UnSubRocky wrote on Nov 18th, 2019 at 6:47pm:
13 years on from the start of this topic, I believe that Australians have an apathetic attitude. I am sure that we are smart enough on average to be world leaders. But our attitude towards being the best is what keeps us middle of the road in terms of educational attainment. And when I say "educational attainment", I am talking about reading up on useful academic topics, or getting cultured, etc.

Going to the movies and watching a blockbuster movie is one thing. But being able to interpret what the director was trying to achieve/portray is something different. Last night, I watched "Raiders of the Lost Ark". I saw it as a nonsensical movie, the first few times I watched it. But, I had another look at it last night and found it to be more intellectually stimulating. Thinking about it in terms of the protagonists with good intentions vs the antagonists with evil intentions. Those with power trying to attain more power. Whereas those without power trying to respect the value of tradition.

Or we look at how some people might watch the Bathurst race as being a who has the fastest driver and car. Others might see it as the technical side where slipstreaming and tactics come into play.

Sports like rugby as who was stronger on the day. Whereas other people see the sport as who was fit and healthy for the day and who had the better tactics leading into the game.

Intellectuals are the people who actually "get it" more than the basics of what other people see.

We are becoming more intellectuals as Australians. Not less.


"Who need book learning when we've got Indiana Jones and V8's."
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Re: Are we anti-intellectuals?
Reply #26 - Nov 21st, 2019 at 9:44pm
 
freediver wrote on Nov 21st, 2006 at 1:16pm:
According to the SMH.





Didn't  read past that. No need to.

The Silly Morning Herald and the Pravda on the Yarra are the Australian wannabe Granuiads. Jokes.

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Estragon: I can’t go on like this.
Vladimir: That’s what you think.
 
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Re: Are we anti-intellectuals?
Reply #27 - Nov 22nd, 2019 at 10:42am
 
Robot wrote on Nov 21st, 2019 at 8:50pm:
"Who need book learning when we've got Indiana Jones and V8's."


I think you missed the point referencing the contrasting of people's thought patterns.
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Re: Are we anti-intellectuals?
Reply #28 - Nov 22nd, 2019 at 11:43am
 
UnSubRocky wrote on Nov 22nd, 2019 at 10:42am:
Robot wrote on Nov 21st, 2019 at 8:50pm:
"Who need book learning when we've got Indiana Jones and V8's."


I think you missed the point referencing the contrasting of people's thought patterns.



Yes Robot certainly did miss the point

Let's look at it again, you worded it quite well Unsub

"Thinking about it in terms of the protagonists with good intentions vs the antagonists with evil intentions. Those with power trying to attain more power. Whereas those without power trying to respect the value of tradition."

Of course this applies to any action movie, but it also applies to politics and communities in real life

The sad thing is we restrict ourselves to the thoughts of Lib Lab "Chairman Mao" - all we lack is little red books. We are encouraged not to be anything other than compliant serfs within a political feudal system. There is a bit of Pol Pot in the major parties

The best thing I ever did was break free of that immoral self serving paradigm and become an independent thinker on all subjects, including psychology, which we ought to continually explore, not just stop at a certain point and say that's all we need
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Our Lives Are Governed By The Feast & Famine Variable
 
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Re: Are we anti-intellectuals?
Reply #29 - Nov 22nd, 2019 at 7:25pm
 
UnSubRocky wrote on Nov 22nd, 2019 at 10:42am:
Robot wrote on Nov 21st, 2019 at 8:50pm:
"Who need book learning when we've got Indiana Jones and V8's."


I think you missed the point referencing the contrasting of people's thought patterns.


No, I got it: The point was that Australians don't respect intellectualism, which you then demonstrated by arguing that watching action movies and auto racing can be intellectual pursuits.
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