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Jr. Member
Posts: 1,261
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« on: June 30, 2011, 10:28:55 AM » |
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A certain populist spirit has long been apart of American politics, anti-intellectual sentiment goes back before the founding of the nation. The various religious groups that settled here first were distrustful of centralized authority/the big city/distant government/the Catholic Church and witches of course; we can't forget America's long antipathy toward witches real or imagined. Joking aside, paranoia and fear of foreign elements has long been a feature of our politics as well.
The intellectual, by the nature of his work, is detached from the rhythms of working class life and so it's no surprise that the populist spirit finds in an outlet in distrust of authorities who are perceived as not having a stake in the "real world."
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