IRB Media Summary of Richard Hofstadter's Anti-Intellectualism in American Life

Annotation

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Book Preview: #1 During the 1950's, anti-intellectualism became a common part of American vocabulary. The term was used to describe the fear that the critical mind was at a ruinous discount in this country.#2 During the Eisenhower administration, the country seemed to be turning away from anti-intellectualism. The launch of Sputnik by the Soviets in 1957 brought about a period of national self-reflection, and people began to realize how anti-intellectualism was affecting American life.#3 The political culture of the 1950s was not as hostile to intellectuals as it seems today. President Eisenhower had a lot of respect for intellectuals, and he recruited many talented people for his administration.#4 American anti-intellectualism is not a new phenomenon. It has been present in our country for a long time, and it is a complex of related propositions that describe a variety of unwelcome phenomena. It is not a single proposition, but a complex of related propositions.