Following US President Donald Trump’s election in 2016, the outrage this political change caused slowly started to seep its way into my everyday life, increasing my desire to understand politics and social issues. For many other McGill students who seek to support meaningful political change, I believe this may also be the case.
In recent years, anti-intellectualism – a general mistrust or rejection of intellectual pursuits, such as academia or science — has been growing in the US. This way of thinking is often associated with conspiracy theories and mistrust of the government, and is intended to appeal to the sympathies of working-class individuals who may regard political and academic institutions as disconnected from their everyday realities. Anti- intellectualism is not new, yet it appears that it has seen a violent resurgence in recent years. This may be because we are currently witnessing the spread of these ideals by President Trump. Through his constant dismissal of scientific and academic expertise, such as referring to the climate crisis as a “con job” and spreading misinformation regarding COVID- 19, Trump legitimizes skepticism towards experts and leading officials on important matters.
One of the anti-intellectualism movement’s greatest critiques concerns the elitism associated with academia. American politicians tend to use their prestigious backgrounds, exceptional academic honours, and lengthy resumes in campaigns.
Yet, Trump positions himself as more relatable to the average American, someone who ‘tells it like it is’ by rejecting the intellectual, professional tone often used by political figures. His language use is simple: his 2018 State of the Union address scored 8.1 out of 18 on the Flesch-Kincaid readability test — a measure designed to determine the US grade school level required to understand a text – indicating that his vocabulary is akin to that of an eighth-grade student. While it may be presumed this result would hurt his credibility, in the midst of a national literacy crisis, Trump’s speech shares the exact score of the average US adult’s literacy level. Trump’s populist rhetoric amidst an elitist political climate is one of the major reasons anti- intellectualism in the US can thrive. Being informed and educated is all well and good, but presenting this information in a way that only highly educated people can understand is alienating to much of the population. Consequently, Trump’s ability to appeal to less educated Americans reveals how feelings of exclusion from academic and political spaces can be leveraged as a tool to garner support, despite a lack of reliable sources. This may be one of the primary reasons why Trump is able to rally the support of so many people.
It can be easy to take for granted the privilege that comes with higher education. When knowledge is presented in ways that appear elitist or inaccessible, it risks alienating those it fails to reach. Knowledge is a tool, but so is knowing how to use it effectively. Hence, it is increasingly necessary to reclaim the narrative of what is truthful by connecting with audiences through accessible and comprehensible means, catering to all levels of education.
A lack of quality education can act as a barrier which limits many people’s exposure to diverse perspectives. This creates disparities in the academic resources and skills that allow individuals to assess the credibility of sources. When lacking the ability to distinguish between reliable and misleading information, it becomes easier to grow skeptical of all forms of expertise. This is especially pertinent in the misinformation salient throughout digital spaces. While people used to turn to news sources to receive their information, many now turn to social media platforms, which lack strict factuality regulations. Even for those who do not use social media as a primary news source, political messaging is repeated ad nauseam online and over- publicized by the algorithm to reinforce pre-existing beliefs. This issue is exemplified by Trump’s “flood the zone” strategy, in which the media is bombarded with controversial statements and high volumes of executive orders to overwhelm and confuse the population. With intentionally deceptive tactics like this at play, distinguishing between truth and misinformation is becoming increasingly difficult. It is essential to find a means of creating this distinction in order to encourage the public to access reliable information rather than fall prey to conspiracy theories and ill- intentioned deceit.
Upon taking a deeper dive into the growing anti-intellectual sentiments in the US the myriad of ways in which political and socio-economic issues can intersect to create polarization become evident. When political knowledge is presented as inaccessible, skepticism towards credible institutions on the whole starts to grow. If we are to foster a political climate that values impactful discourse and growth, we must work together with patience and respect despite our differing academic backgrounds. When we assume ignorance, we create a community which fosters social exclusion. Intellectualism shouldn’t be a weapon, but rather a bridge that connects people from all walks of life — the future of the American political landscape may depend on it.