This is so common in the current anti-intellectual American mindset... other forms it takes:
- I wouldn't know, X person is way smarter than me
- (Try to discuss how something might work...) This was made by really smart people, I'll leave it to them!
- (learns you're doing an Engineering degree) Wow, you must be really smart!
- The "for science!!" trope
That sounds more like “avoidance of personal engagement in intellectual pursuit” rather than anti-intellectual - if anything these suggest complete deference to supposed experts.
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This is so common in the current anti-intellectual American mindset... other forms it takes:
That sounds more like “avoidance of personal engagement in intellectual pursuit” rather than anti-intellectual - if anything these suggest complete deference to supposed experts.
Interesting. My impression of American anti-intellectualism is that it more often takes the opposite form:
"X person is by all measures more educated than me on this topic, but I did own research! (on Youtube and Facebook)"
I'd say it's a suspicion of the values and political agendas/biases of intellectuals as a social class.
I know professionals living in other countries who believe every silly conspiracy theory they see on youtube too. That part is a universal problem.
That's a separate, more recent problem IMO. Mistrust of experts and lazy self-affirmation