U.S. Cult of Ignorance v. Asia's Cult of Intelligence

[Valley Oak]

The following article was published by The Diplomat on June 17, 2014:

America's Cult of Ignorance Is No Match for Asia's Cult of Intelligence

With its ‘cult of ignorance and anti-intellectualism’ the U.S. risks falling behind rivals in Asia.

By John W. Traphagan
June 17, 2014

I have been traveling to East Asia (and many other parts of the world) for more than 25 years and over that time one of the things that has always struck me is how intelligent the general public in countries like Japan appear to be. It’s not that there aren’t dummies in East Asia, but it always seems that the average level of education and ability to think about the world intelligently and critically is impressively widespread. I’ve often thought about why this is the case and also why the same seems more difficult to say about the U.S. The answer, I think, can be found in a comment science fiction writer Isaac Asimov made about the U.S. while being interviewed in the 1980s: “There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of 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.”

Asimov is right on the mark, and this cult of ignorance is the most serious national security issue facing the U.S. today. It is more important than the external threats from terrorists or the rise of a politically and economically powerful China. And a major part of the reason it is such an major issue for Americans to fix is that our immediate competitors, particularly those in Asia, have managed to create a culture in which rather than a cult of ignorance, a cult of intelligence plays a major role in shaping attitudes about the world and, thus, policies about dealing with other countries.

Many Americans are aware that the U.S. does not score well on measures such as international student assessment tests when compared to other industrial countries. For example, the 2011 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TMISS) the top five countries for math were Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan—the U.S. is not in the top ten. It is better by 8th grade, where the same counties are in the top five (although the order changes) and the U.S. makes number 9. Roughly the same pattern can bee seen for science results. This doesn’t seem too bad, but in a different testing organization’s measure, the Programme for International Student Assessment, the U.S. does not fare quite so well, scoring 36th for math, 28th for science, and 24th for reading. With the exception of science, where Finland is ranked 5th, all of the top five countries in this measure are from East Asia...

To read the full article, go here: https://thediplomat.com/2014/06/asias-cult-of-intelligence/

[podfish]

“There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of 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.”
....rather than a cult of ignorance, a cult of intelligence plays a major role in shaping attitudes about the world and, thus, policies about dealing with other countries.

This is a test of the thesis that intelligence is overrated. Those who are (I'll concede self-selection in that group to whoever wants it..) think it's valuable. Apparently the rest of your neighbors don't particularly agree. And why is it now such a big deal?

As the article points out, this has been true for a very long time and we've done rather well as a country, at least compared to the other ones. I won't speculate as to how well we could have done if we did value intelligence.

And of course it's not as simple as not valuing intelligence; it's more that it's not considered necessary for everyone to have/show it. Our society's progress (another term whose definition I'll avoid) depends on only a relative few, and they get enough rewards as it is without also having the admiration of those who benefit from their efforts. The happy few intellectuals can get by on self-congratulation if they need approval at all.

[Hotspring 44]

RE:

This is a test of the thesis that intelligence is overrated. Those who are (I'll concede self-selection in that group to whoever wants it..) think it's valuable. Apparently the rest of your neighbors don't particularly agree. And why is it now such a big deal?

It is a big deal now because things regarding world trade and the modernization of other countries that until lately haven't been as able to compete with us on a world trade level as they are now.

Add to that the emphasis of the winner take all capitalism mentality and the outsourcing of jobs and the actual needs of strong math, organizational, and science skills for the higher paying jobs here that are being given to foreigners who actually do have the education so they are able to do those jobs here that many of us otherwise could be doing...

As the article points out, this has been true for a very long time and we've done rather well as a country, at least compared to the other ones. I won't speculate as to how well we could have done if we did value intelligence.

Yes, but now that other countries are catching up with and may be past us technologically in some cases (who designs and sells the modern wind turbines to us?), and the fact that:

1- in the 1900's we had a comparatively high availability of resources at our disposal without having to depend on another country to get (for the most part), and:

2- Now the situation has shifted to where China, for example but it is not the only one, (at the time) was not particularly interested in heavy industrialization but is now using it's resources (industrially, mining, militarily, human, scientific, etc.) at a rate that compares to where we were during times between WWII and the Space-Age, at same time we are lagging and the attachment to the ignorance, IE:

"the false notion that democracy means that my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.”

as stated in the article is not only holding us back, it is dragging us backwards into a foolish belief that we are the "god given" all mighty simply because we are American.

What do we have that we can (would?) be able to use in a hard-core pinch?... ...the military?... ...after all we supposedly still have the most able military in the world, don't we?... ,,,For now, probably ...But for how long will that last with the continuing ignorance and the inherent complacency that accompanies that way of thinking; whereas we can somehow rightfully utilize the military to fight our way through if push comes to shove?... ...bad idea!... ...IMHO.

... The happy few intellectuals can get by on self-congratulation if they need approval at all.

That is entirely subjective...

...(or am I overlooking a sarcastic gesture towards the so-called "ignorant"?)... ...Or if not (me) overlooking: What about the rest of the intellectuals who are being harmed by such ignorance and the outright wanton disposing of their valuable intellect?... ...(in many cases with prejudice, I might add).

Try telling that to the many inventors (I mean figuratively speaking because many of them have passed) who got screwed in this country and yet key inventions made the difference so that our country or at least parts of it never had to be subjected to the likes of so-called “enemies” from WWI & WWII. Tesla and alternating current is prime example of one inventor.

I remember when Japanese cars were a side-show, and because in large part the kinds of support that the as so stated “cult of ignorance” (which the article states exists) is why some key intellectual technology bleed-out of America and Toyota became one of the most dominant auto companies in USA.

We are now in the Computer-Age and with that the knowledge of sciences (for those who choose to know) will be exponential and whatever we assume we have an advantage with even if it is true today, we may not have that advantage some time in the not so distant future.

I can't help but know that what the article states:

“Americans need to recognize that if the cult of ignorance continues, it will become increasingly difficult to compete politically and economically with countries that highly value intelligence and learning”.

... ...is an accurate statement.