Agree or disagree with this statement

[All Along The Watchtower]

The statement:

American society/culture is remarkably anti-intellectual, anti-critical thinking, and conformist.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

Disagree--it is, but it's not remarkable.

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

Disagree--it is, but it's not remarkable.

[Redalgo]

Ya, I've got to jump on the Snow-Jones bandwagon here, except that I cast no vote.

[This user has not been convicted of 34 felonies]

Disagree.

[nclib]

Disagree--it is, but it's not remarkable.

I agree, but will add that remarkable does not necessarily mean positive.

[opebo]

Disagree--it is, but it's not remarkable.

It is remarkable in that it is the most hypocritical or deluded of societies - because of all the 'land of the free', and 'founded on liberty' hooey.

Nothing new about this of course:
 
"I know of no country in which there is so little independence of mind and real freedom of discussion as in America."
Alexis de Tocqueville

[Supersonic]

I could find myself agreeing with the statement if it was concerning Iran or Saudi Arabia, but America?

On another note, I just love US self-loathing, it's such a British thing to do.

[Vazdul (Formerly Chairman of the Communist Party of Ontario)]

Disagree--it is, but it's not remarkable.

Yeah, pretty much this. Which only goes to prove the point.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

I think it can be, but not always.  I said disagree, but I can see both sides.

[fezzyfestoon]

Very, very much so. Our consumption based economy with little to no variety or quality to speak of relies heavily on conformity to popularize products. Trends are basically the entire basis to our increasingly shallow and judgmental society. With so much coming at us at such a rapid pace, we rely on and trust the judgment of our peers to a fault. We know almost nothing about our consumption habits yet proclaim superiority based on proximity to the mainstream through consumption of the most successfully marketed, and thus popular, consumer products. Our most consistent behaviors as a society are based on the logical fallacy of the appeal to popularity. Rhetorical devices define our cultural fabric, not any level of analytic thought. There's no time for that with a populace averaging an attention span of 8 seconds, 1 less than a goldfish. There is very little about our culture that I can think of as being in any way critically thought out or intellectual.

[courts]

Very, very much so. Our consumption based economy with little to no variety or quality to speak of relies heavily on conformity to popularize products. Trends are basically the entire basis to our increasingly shallow and judgmental society. With so much coming at us at such a rapid pace, we rely on and trust the judgment of our peers to a fault. We know almost nothing about our consumption habits yet proclaim superiority based on proximity to the mainstream through consumption of the most successfully marketed, and thus popular, consumer products. Our most consistent behaviors as a society are based on the logical fallacy of ... . Rhetorical devices define our cultural fabric, not any level of analytic thought. There's no time for that with a populace averaging an attention span of 8 seconds, 1 less than a goldfish. There is very little about our culture that I can think of as being in any way critically thought out our intellectual.

ah, very true. i think what people need to understand is that its the logical conclusion of the us. have you ever read morris berman fezzy? i can't say i agree with his leftist views but he was spot on about the root causes of american degeneration. basically his thesis was/is actually quite similar to a lot of classical historians. that the us is a sort of fragment society. it took a few aspects of the 16th century english bourgeoise (re: ultra competitiveness, prosperity, sense of divine providence, etc.) and extrapolated an entire "culture" from that.

the problem being in his view that such 1-dimensional society is unbalanced and lacking from the beginning. it knows nothing but expansion, nothing but ravenous hunger for more - more more gold, more land, more souls more of everything. hence after the frontier was more or less conquered, america began to eat itself. its institutions - its people really - grew progressively more fat and useless. this has been going on since at least the 1920s in his view (probably earlier). but it has been most certainly exacerbated by the post war culture. this is the end result, a society that looks less like a dinner party and more like the donner party. a wasteland of obese people and spiritual and mental sickness.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Disagree--it is, but it's not remarkable.

Basically this. It is indeed an anti-intellectual and conformist culture, but not much more so than the majority of other cultures throughout the world (and history as well). If Europe might be better off in that regard, it is only marginally so.

(I voted not sure, FTR)

[courts]

I could find myself agreeing with the statement if it was concerning Iran or Saudi Arabia, but America?

On another note, I just love US self-loathing, it's such a British thing to do.

the iranian government is incredibly unpopular with young people. its just that the police state apparatus there is pretty effective.

[fezzyfestoon]

Very, very much so. Our consumption based economy with little to no variety or quality to speak of relies heavily on conformity to popularize products. Trends are basically the entire basis to our increasingly shallow and judgmental society. With so much coming at us at such a rapid pace, we rely on and trust the judgment of our peers to a fault. We know almost nothing about our consumption habits yet proclaim superiority based on proximity to the mainstream through consumption of the most successfully marketed, and thus popular, consumer products. Our most consistent behaviors as a society are based on the logical fallacy of the appeal to popularity. Rhetorical devices define our cultural fabric, not any level of analytic thought. There's no time for that with a populace averaging an attention span of 8 seconds, 1 less than a goldfish. There is very little about our culture that I can think of as being in any way critically thought out or intellectual.

ah, very true. i think what people need to understand is that its the logical conclusion of the us. have you ever read morris berman fezzy? i can't say i agree with his leftist views but he was spot on about the root causes of american degeneration. basically his thesis was/is actually quite similar to a lot of classical historians. that the us is a sort of fragment society. it took a few aspects of the 16th century english bourgeoise (re: ultra competitiveness, prosperity, sense of divine providence, etc.) and extrapolated an entire "culture" from that.

the problem being in his view that such 1-dimensional society is unbalanced and lacking from the beginning. it knows nothing but expansion, nothing but ravenous hunger for more - more more gold, more land, more souls more of everything. hence after the frontier was more or less conquered, america began to eat itself. its institutions - its people really - grew progressively more fat and useless. this has been going on since at least the 1920s in his view (probably earlier). but it has been most certainly exacerbated by the post war culture. this is the end result, a society that looks less like a dinner party and more like the donner party. a wasteland of obese people and spiritual and mental sickness.

Ah, no I have not, but a quick scan of some has proven to be very intriguing. I'll definitely have to pick something up. And I do agree, his way of identifying the causes of America's stumbles make sense. It's hard to argue that this populace isn't disturbingly ill in all aspects. It's historically physically disastrous, increasingly mentally damaged, and alarmingly emotionally unstable. Our obsession with our societal norms and values are driving us off a cliff. It's staring us in the face and true to American form, we won't pay any attention until it's a matter of survival. Except this time it doesn't look like we're collectively anywhere near ready to pull ourselves together. And that's partially our government's fault. They're actively subsidizing unhealthy foods, unhealthy work habits, unhealthy environments, and our nation's mass drug abuse.

[RI]

Not when compared to some others, no. That said, I think it's really difficult to characterize an entire society like that. There are parts that certainly are anti-intellectual, but there are others that almost deify them. Also, I think people might differ on what "critical thinking" means. As far as comformity goes, I don't think there really is such a thing as non-conformity on a macro-level. At such a scale, non-conformism is really just another sect of conformism, just to different norms. The typical modern example is the much derided "hipster." I don't think "conformity" is really an issue.