Asimov on Anti-Intellectualism

“Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.'”
― Isaac Asimov

            I read this quote a short while ago and it struck a chord with me. I have personally encountered this mentality before and have found it to be wholly frustrating. But beyond my personal interactions this also exists on a broader scale, as demonstrated by young-earth creationists, climate-change deniers, homeopathy patients.

            It cannot be overstated how important the freedom of thought and speech we hold is. It is truly the hallmark of an enlightened society in that it allows all ideas to be shared openly. This freedom does not mean, however, that all ideas are equal, and this is a very important point to make note of. I would think it should be obvious but for many it is not. Thinking it to be true does not make it so and opinions can be wrong; it just means you are entitled to be wrong. Another important point is that freedom of speech also allows all ideas to be openly critiqued. This may be a pain for those in the ‘anti-intellectual’ camp, as they seem to get grouchy when their ideas are torn apart. Some may even view it as a personal attack.

            What’s interesting about those who hold this freedom to mean that their ideas born of ignorance are valuable is that it undermines one of the major values of the freedom in the first place. The sharing of ideas is valuable, on a large scale, because it allows a selection process to take place wherein the best ideas are kept and the rest discarded. A society that keeps stronger ideas (by which I mean ones that promote positive circumstances and represent reality well) will be better off in the long run. By holding on to ignorance the guilty individuals slow this selection process and impede societal progress. It also creates a political climate in which rhetoric is more valuable than fact.

            In short: it’s not a personal attack when your ideas are critiqued, it’s a good thing.