Our Cultural Fabric

The claim that there is an anti-intellectualism woven  into our culture does not jibe with the remarkable innovations and progress also woven into our fabric. American’s disproportionate contribution to commerce, science and the arts are readily visible worldwide.  Anti-intellectualism was woven into the church dominance in Europe for over a thousand years, but America which is today more ‘religious’ than Europe is far less constrained by that element. We do have some very constraining beliefs, but many are not  religious in nature. And many of these ‘beliefs’ are cloaked in a form of pseudo intellectualism.  We also have a culture of impatience and what I like to call a healthy disrespect for authority and tradition.  The fact that we allow a vocal minority to openly oppose a majority view and protect an economic system that is willing to fund radical ideas quickly frays many of the destructive elements “woven” into our culture.