Ignorance As Status Symbol

[RandySF]

In the weeks following Sarah Palin's resignation from office, bloggers and television pundits tried to analyze the reasons how ignorance has become a status symbol. Most say that people see it as being closer to a "greater wisdom", but they're wrong. Whenever I talked to people who admitted to lacking knowledge and/or information, they puff their chest, develop a gleam in their eye, and go on about their busy life (I have to get the kids to little league or I am working three jobs, etc). It's true that many people don't have time to study up on issues, but rather than saying "I wish I knew more about XYZ", they are actually damn proud of it. That's how Bush did it and that's how Sarah Palin may do it too.

[BlooInBloo]

1. You must be new to this country. Welcome!

[SharonAnn]

10. I was surprized about the "belligerent ignorance" here in East Tennessee.

There are smart people, of course, but this is the first place I've ever lived where people were proud of their ignorance and seemed ready to fight for the right to maintain it.

It's the only area I've ever lived in where having a formal education beyond high school is a disadvantage.

Just weird!

I've lived in Iowa, South Dakota, Illinois, California, Georgia and Ohio before moving here.

[Amos Moses]

12. It's not as bad over in middle and west TN

but it's still decidedly red. I think it starts in the churches, which are on every other block.

Sorry if it's turned out to be a bad experience for you.

Hey, at least you have one ally in TN. :hi:

[BBG]

39. It's amazing what you can learn to live with

It's amazing what you can learn to live with but then I lucked out and am no longer there. Raised in Middle Tennessee and lived in Chattanooga a while. too Not the worst place I ever lived but not far from it.

[mitchum]

2. That's why Palin deliberately was never photographed carrying a "prop book"...

or couldn't come up with the name of a single newspaper during that television interview.
She is designed to appeal to that segment of the population.
She is indeed very stupid and incurious, but not quite that stupid or incurious. It's redneck kabuki.

[county worker]

3. What seems weird to me is that they had one idiot in the White House and now they want Palin

who couldn't hold a candle to Bush! They are actually regressive in they choices for president.

[mitchum]

5. The reason that it is weird to you (and most of us here)...

is that they don't "think" like we do.
And that's why their overlords can make them jump through flaming hoops.

[Echo In Light]

35. The Shadow powers running the show WANT horrible candidates

Easy to control...susceptible to specific conditioning/role fulfillment, etc

[Starbucks Anarchist]

16. "Redneck kabuki."

:rofl:

[mitchum]

40. Thanks

I honestly think it describes her technique
While her newsreader degree is pretty laughable, it would be even better for her brand if she didn't possess one at all

[opihimoimoi]

4. Bush Blew it big time for the GOP...he was proof positive the GOP is a Failed Party

for the wise leadership post in the White House...

W fucked everything up...suop to nuts

[DefenseLawyer]

6. Carl Sandburg- The People Yes

The people yes
The people will live on.
The learning and blundering people will live on.
They will be tricked and sold and again sold
And go back to the nourishing earth for rootholds,
The people so peculiar in renewal and comeback,
You can't laugh off their capacity to take it.
The mammoth rests between his cyclonic dramas.

The people so often sleepy, weary, enigmatic,
is a vast huddle with many units saying:
"I earn my living.
I make enough to get by
and it takes all my time.
If I had more time
I could do more for myself
and maybe for others.
I could read and study
and talk things over
and find out about things.
It takes time.
I wish I had the time."

[RagAss]

7. The Pride of the Cretin !!!

Welcome to life in 21st century America !

[Hutzpa]

8. Key operative word - MAY

That's how Bush did it and that's how Sarah Palin MAY do it too.

[lunatica]

9. When I've met the kind of people who would support Palin

Which I have I've found them to simply not be very intelligent. It's not about not wanting to be informed or being proud of the fact they're incurious. It's about having less than average IQs. They're not mentally handicapped as in having some form of mental retardation. Too many times I've run across people who don't know even the things you would assume everyone knows. Things that you think are common knowledge, like the most basic or elementary things about history or science or reading or spelling.

To them Obama really is a 'muslin' because they heard that from someone who they believe is very smart because he tells them he is. They have no idea what a Muslim is or that such a religion as Islam exists, but they're told it's bad so they say it's bad. Their pundits don't need to go into any in-depth explanation because that just clouds the issue. They don't have the capacity to retain much new input so they memorize their talking points. They're lives are quite insular and can be as narrow as their immediate community which includes their church, even if they have televisions. They know who George Washington is, but all they know is the story about the apple tree and that he won the war of Independence. Many times their knowledge doesn't even go as far as what the war of independence was really about or when it was fought or really even why it was fought. Simple stories like the Boston Tea Party stick because it's what they learned in grade school. They really think in very simplistic and shallow ways. Depth confuses them and they can't retain much so they don't learn. They have learned to compensate for their lack of mental ability by pretending to be proud of their ignorance, wearing it like a badge they have deliberately chosen.

[DaveinJapan]

11. Well said.

Except for one tiny point. I don't believe they are "pretending" to be proud, I think in most cases they are genuinely proud (and they surround themselves with supporters and "news" sources like FOX to reinforce that belief).

[lunatica]

15. Well, I'm talking about what I've observed, and in almost every case they'll

justify their beliefs by say "I don't know much about it, but I know what I like, or think". They'll claim they're anti-abortion because it's used as a form of birth control. They'll say teens shouldn't have sex as the solution to the teen sex problems. And if you point out that saying that doesn't solve or deal effectively with the problem they will still be against sex education or promoting condoms because that just gives teens the freedom to have sex any time they want, so they'll doggedly stick to their original assertion that teens just "shouldn't have sex". The dots simply don't get connected. To them it isn't a matter of pinpointing the problem and then finding solutions. It all simply boils down to simplistic morality based solutions which are to condemn the actions without dealing with them.

For example, Sarah Palin who should care about her daughters should have made some form of birth control available to her oldest of both sexes because pregnancies happen out of wedlock much more often than people like to pretend. Instead Sarah chose to pretend that teens are abstinent even though she herself probably wasn't, and her home town probably has a history of shotgun weddings (just like any other small town or big town or community). It's this kind of refusal to deal with reality instead of falling back on the absolutes of morality which condemn but don't address or solve anything.

[slampoet]

13. "I'm not a very good driver..heh heh heh." has been a status statement in Rhode Island for 20 years

at least.

People wouldn't brag about dropping babies or setting fires but they will brag about nearly hitting and killing someone a lot around here.

[Cognitive_Resonance]

14. It's a (sub)cultural counter-reaction to education and refinement

Deep seated resentment and jealousy, or in some cases the desire to be accepted among their peers. It even feeds on itself. I met people growing up who would use atrocious grammar, but without a doubt knew better. It was intentional to maintain their redneck credentials. Candidate Obama touched on it during the campaign with his comment about those who take delight in their ignorance.

[SoCalDem]

17. I call it selective ignorance

SoCalDem Donating Member (1000+ posts) Fri Aug-31-07 08:45 PM
Original message
Move over, Intelligent Design.. Meet, Selective Ignorance.


Selective Ignorance is the technique invented by, and now practiced widely, by republicans everywhere.

SI is what allows them...no, ENCOURAGES them to simultaneously embrace two opposing philosophies , and to bifurcate their thinking processes.

SI is what causes them to march in parades, carrying woefully misspelled signs, as they protest abortion, while at home, their 14 year old granddaughter recovers from a "D&C" performed by the family doctor...for "female troubles".. Her "troubles" started when Uncle Fred took her camping with his family.


SI is what causes them to repeatedly vote against school levies, and then to complain loudly at school board meetings about the deplorable state of their schools, and the threatened demise of their beloved football program...

The eventual solution has to be to de-fund the public school, fire the union teachers, and start up a voucher program. Of course, the vouchers are probably only worth enough for a storefront-Jesus school or a co-op quasi home-school system. These same people will now demand that their children still be welcomed into the athletic programs , and the extra-curricular programs of the schools they left behind..

SI is what allows them to send in their hard-earned money to support candidates who promise to close those borders, but when it comes time to vote, they always come up short on delivering. It's a moot point anyway, since SI devotees often have no qualms about "getting themselves a Mexican" from Home Depot, if they need some hard landscaping done....or their car waxed cheaply...or their garage cleaned out..or their roof repaired..


SI makes it possible for them to repeatedly elect gay congressmen and senators, while these same voters feel perfectly okay about getting drunk and bashing a few "gays" when the opportunity arises.

The same SI allows those elected gay officials to portray themselves as NOT GAY..NO WAY , in order to get elected, and then live unhappy, closeted lives..always one "incident" away from being exposed. They spend their time in office pretending to be the "confirmed bachelor", or worse yet, find some desperate woman willing to play the part of devoted wife.

SI is also what causes them to sacrifice their long-held beliefs , and to be willing to support multiply divorced, lifestyle-challenged candidates, when no other republican is available.


SI allows them to praise big business and to pretend to follow the intricacies of the stock market because they have a 401-k, and it will somehow make them rich. It allows them to demonize unions, because they might have to pay those "damned union dues", and lord-knows , they don't want some union boss telling them how to vote. Little do they know that their beloved 401-k's are morphing into 001-k's. SI tells them that as long as Maria & Erin are smiling and flirting with them, everything's gonna be okay.

SI lets them love their guns, and still be worried when they send their young 'uns off to college . Of course the solution they come up with , is to arm the teachers AND students.

SI can turn a campus into a shooting gallery, but at least their son/daughter is locked & loaded.

SI allows them to love their God, while actively hating other people for not loving the same God.

SI allows them to think at, as Christians, they are the favored ones, while at the same time, believing that God created everyone, and everything.

SI allows them to feel free to destroy nature, and still find enough animals to hunt, and fish to catch.

SI allows them to eschew evolution, yet accept the fear of evolving mutations of Bird Flu and other pandemic possibilities. It allows them avoid science, and then run to science to cure what ails them.

SI allows them to fight like maniacs to deprive already-born children of food, shelter & a decent education, while claiming to want to preserve pregnancies of women they don't know, will never meet, and never plan on supporting.

SI makes it possible for them to value huge tax cuts for rich people, and meekly accept pay cuts for themselves. It makes them happy to HAVE a job..any job, even if it means that the profits of the company they work for, are never distributed to them and their families.

SI makes them crave the biggest baddest car/SUV/truck, and gives them license to bad-mouth people who choose smaller, safer, cleaner forms of transportation. SI allows them to feel superior, even if they have to choose between braces for their kids, and gas for the cars.

SI gives them a euphoric lift when they deliver a crushing blow to an opponent, even if the opponent was right. SI is what makes them savor pyrrhic victories, as they watch their own world crumbling around them.

SI is also what creates the illusion that they are the majority, instead of a cacophonous minority, hurling insults and epithets at the rest of civilization.

[EnviroBat]

18. This country celebrates mediocrity and ignorance is considered

a patriotic virtue. YouTube one of Hannity's "Freedom Concerts". Make sure you haven't eaten recently.

[lpbk2713]

19. Limbaugh is proud to own and drive gas hog monsters.

And he urges his Shittoheads to do the same.

That's all we need to know.

[Javaman]

20. Like Obama said...

To paraphrase, "it's like they consider ignorance a virtue".

[stanwyck]

21. It doesn't help when Morning Joe, and others, celebrate

ignorance as more authentic, more "real". Joe the Plumber was trumpeted by McCain as an American hero. Really? Is this really the role model McCain wants for America's youth? A guy who kinda works, lied about his income, his status as a small business owner. Owes child support. And doesn't take the time to study issues so half of what he says is factually incorrect. Again, he's "more authentic" than the other guy in the crowd who worked to get himself thru college, who reads, who studies the issues, and who doesn't misrepresent himself as a struggling small business owner when he is actually a part-time plumber.
It's the George W. Bush, Sarah Palin syndrome. Don't study. Don't work hard. Just be "authentic". And Mika on Morning Joe will swoon.

[Lex]

22. Book lernin' is for sukerz.

nt

[Hannah Bell]

23. that's a kind of spin. ignorance isn't a status symbol, & has nothing to do with the reasons

palin's supporter support her.

this whole line of analysis is just divide & conquer stuff, elites trying to turn the populace into "teams" who stand around making fun of each other while the elites loot the country.


don't follow leaders, watch the parking meters.

[Lex]

24. Oh, so it's the "elites" fault?

Hmmmm.

[Celeborn Skywalker]

25. Of course it is.

You don't believe it's the poor,ignorant, rubes who are ruining the country, do you? It's the corporate and political elite oligarchy that has always ruled the country that is running it into the ground.

Don't pass the blame to the working class.

[Lex]

28. I don't blame the "working class" except those that cheer Palin

and vote Repuke.

[Celeborn Skywalker]

37. Yes, they are certainly

partly to blame, but I still say we need to keep our anger directed at the oligarchy who would divide us all.

[Hannah Bell]

31. hmm yourself. i said, this kind of article (content = palin's followers are dumb & proud of it)

is just the mirror of the same article on their side, & both sets of article come out of elite-owned media, to divide americans into "sides" to throw rocks at each other, & blame each other, while the big guys rob them blind.

this article spins the motivations of palin's followers to fit into an elite-created storyline.

palin's followers may be deluded, but they're no more deluded than, e.g. folks here who think bill gates is a caring philanthropist.

did the wingers get a goddamned thing they wanted from bush? 99% no. they got a bunch of stuff they didn't want, though.

the people who rule the country don't, for the most part, give a shit about ordinary people.

[Lex]

32. Painting it as the "elites" fault buys into the same "take a side" mentality you decry.

nt

[Hannah Bell]

33. hardly. one = being manipulated into seeing "the problem" as other ordinary people

who believe in somewhat different things than you, yet have no more power than you.

the other is looking at those who actually own & run the country as "the problem." being as they own it & run things, you know.

[Lex]

34. Sorry but the right-wing think "elites" are people who have a college degree

and vote for Democrats.

[Hannah Bell]

36. some do, but that's not who *i'm* referring to as "elites".

& to the extent some pubs think that, it's from the same brainwash that makes some dems think religious people generally are the source of our ills.

[unblock]

26. we mock these people at our own peril. they have voice and power, and we need to connect with them

even for those of us who think critically and find it quite peculiar that one might take pride in ignorance, we need to find a way to reach such people, to at least undermine the right wing's solid core of support.

some people simply haven't been brought up learning to think critically, and everyone needs to find something in themselves to take pride in. they're not, literally taking pride in ignorance; rather, they're taking pride in the notion that if they are weak in that area they must be stronger in some other area, such as being more moral or closer to god or a "real" america. for them, being a hard-working family man or whatever is enough, they don't feel the need to be well-informed.

i have no problem with that as long as we can find a way to make the democratic platform appealing to them. mostly that means not always dwelling on the intellectual support when pushing a program. having a good, health, intellectual debate is wonderful and important when *formulating* a policy (which democrats excel at) but it's image and branding that's important when *pushing* a policy (which republicans excel at -- well, until recently).

i'd just love to find some catchy phrases to reduce universal health care to a soundbite that everyone outside of the insurance industry would love!

[madmom]

27. I think this all started when the left tried to portray Kerry as a "intellectual elitist". To them

if you are smart you must be elitist because nobody can be smart unless they can afford to go to them spensive ivy league schools ya know.

[lpbk2713]

30. It was so obvious that Dumbya was a dunce that it couldn't be denied.

So out of necessity they had to devalue intelligence as an admirable personality trait.
And needless to say, there are many other rethugs in office now that are on the same IQ level as Dumbya.

[JitterbugPerfume]

29. my dad called them

anybodys dog that would hunt with them

meaning

they will agree to about anything as long as it fits their preconceived notions

[Prophet 451]

38. 20% of the USA...

According to the NY Times, 20% of the US population believes the sun orbits the earth. They still believe in a geocentric universe. I don't think it's coincidence that this is almost exactly the same number of people who remained loyal to Bush right to the end.