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12/15/2020 6:48 pm  #1


intelligentsia

in another place I was asked Henry, why is it you distrust intelligentsia?

it got me to thinkin': who is today's intelligentsia?

one guy piped in with bill mahr, but that's about it

what say you bright, intelligent, virtuous folk?

 

12/16/2020 3:58 am  #2


Re: intelligentsia

Anyone with the credentials/experience to know what they are talking about on a particular subject.
I'd say if Einstein were alive he would qualify, but I wouldn't take his advice of cooking bacon without some skepticism.  Same for Julia Child on relativity.
Anyone who claims or is described by others as an expert on everything should be trusted on nothing... ie Trump.


 Freedom is just another word for nothin' left to lose.
 
 

12/16/2020 6:29 am  #3


Re: intelligentsia

xoxoxoBruce wrote:

Anyone with the credentials/experience to know what they are talking about on a particular subject.
I'd say if Einstein were alive he would qualify, but I wouldn't take his advice of cooking bacon without some skepticism.  Same for Julia Child on relativity.
Anyone who claims or is described by others as an expert on everything should be trusted on nothing... ie Trump.

 
not lookin' for a definition: just names of livin', breathin' intelligentsia

over at the PN forum, they seemed as flummoxed as you folks are

the intelligentsia are referenced, deferred to, but no one seems to actually know who they are

     Thread Starter
 

12/16/2020 9:15 am  #4


Re: intelligentsia

henry_quirk wrote:

not lookin' for a definition: just names of livin', breathin' intelligentsia

Well, without a definition, how can you name the actual folks?

You threw out the name Bill Maher, which really makes me wonder at your definition of the word.  Bill Maher is a haughty talking head.  He has ideas and expresses his opinion on political topics, but I don't think he is an expert at anything.  I'm guessing your definition of intelligentsia is haughty people you disagree with.
 

 

12/16/2020 9:43 am  #5


Re: intelligentsia

glatt wrote:

henry_quirk wrote:

not lookin' for a definition: just names of livin', breathin' intelligentsia

*Well, without a definition, how can you name the actual folks?

**You threw out the name Bill Maher, which really makes me wonder at your definition of the word.  Bill Maher is a haughty talking head.  He has ideas and expresses his opinion on political topics, but I don't think he is an expert at anything.  ***I'm guessing your definition of intelligentsia is haughty people you disagree with.
 

 
*doesn't intelligentsia have a definition?

can you offer names that fit it?

**mahr wasn't mine...a fella with the handle commonsense offered that over in the philosophy now forum...me, I merely transmitted his choice without comment...a fella with the handle advocate in the same forum thinks mahr is intelligentsia...as here, I've offered no comments there

***and: there's more of that bad pop-psych analysis

     Thread Starter
 

12/16/2020 2:28 pm  #6


Re: intelligentsia

Intelligentsia is essentially an insult word. Nobody calls themselves intelligentsia, but we imagine somebody who would as an insufferable, egotistical know-it-all. As a self-described group, it has zero members (minus those imaginary wankers wearing corduroy jackets with leather elbow patches). As an externally-defined group, it's a zen diagram with no two people's circles completely overlapping.

Personally, I think some of the out-of-touch centrist elites that write newspaper editorials would be good candidates.


signature s c h m i g n a t u r e
 

12/16/2020 3:52 pm  #7


Re: intelligentsia

I appreciate the assessment, guy, but I'm really just lookin' for names

got any?

     Thread Starter
 

12/17/2020 12:02 am  #8


Re: intelligentsia

OK, here's a name, Anthony Fauci. He is the expert in his field, and should be guiding the country but politics got in the way. None of the politicians make the cut.
I think the public is swayed more by influencers than intellectuals these days.


 Freedom is just another word for nothin' left to lose.
 
 

12/17/2020 7:11 am  #9


Re: intelligentsia

I like your division of influencers from intellectuals. It's the difference between Sean Hannity and William F. Buckley. I think that has a role in how unmoored the Republicans have become. Much like the Democrats they are in search of a guiding vision. It's logical that they latched on to an authoritarian nutjob and that the Dems latched on to opposing the nutjob more than  providing their own vision.


If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis Brandeis
 

12/17/2020 12:12 pm  #10


Re: intelligentsia

xoxoxoBruce wrote:

OK, here's a name, Anthony Fauci. He is the expert in his field, and should be guiding the country but politics got in the way. None of the politicians make the cut.
I think the public is swayed more by influencers than intellectuals these days.

 
thank you, Bruce...  👍

     Thread Starter
 

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