Twitter users are defending their right to assume Picasso was a renaissance artist. Tiktok users think watching any film made outside the US makes you a snob. “Replace classic lit with YA and fan fiction” discourse is flourishing. I think we’re just living in anti intellectual times.
it’s not anti-intellectualism it’s anti-snobbery
Let me ask you this: how many “snobs” have you actually met? Because I have met many people who take interest in art history, watch vintage film or films from films from outside the US (which by the way are not all “arthouse” films), or read and cherish historically and culturally significant literature. But I have never met anyone who will treat me like I’m a bad person for watching Mama Mia or just wanting to be entertained once in a while. I have, however, met people who think art history is stupid and pointless and that those who study it deserve to live in poverty, who are xenophobic and dismissive toward any art made outside the US (or western Europe for that matter), or roll their eyes at people who read literature they consider boring because they’ve never given it a try. In fact, most of the people I know who you would consider “snobs” out of projected insecurity are cautious to bring up their interests because they think they’ll be made fun of. Is anti intellectualism “anti elitist?” At times, but it’s the sort of pseudo populism that fits comfortably within contemporary right wing discourse. Have you paid any attention to politics the last decade or so? If you are allergic to culture and new information, fine. Just don’t claim the moral high ground for it.
you could have just asked for her wig instead of snatching it like that
i love you USPS I love you NASA i love you taxpayer funded services that actually contribute positively to society i love you libraries i love you public transport
oouuh, oouuuhhh!! we are hiring! we are hiring!! we are sooOO desperate for workers we will take anyone !! OOUUHH labor shortage!!!! pleaze let us hire you!! ouuUUUHuuuUhh……………. Your application has been rejected. You are not what we’re looking for at this time. We’re sorry.
honestly, I think it’s really healthy to sometimes acknowledge that pretty much every bully and bigot in the history of the world thought their bigotry was justified. They all had their excuses. So I really recommend doing some occasional soul-searching and asking yourself whether you are making excuses somewhere for mistreating someone.
