Roger Scruton: Why is intellectualism mostly Left?

[Bodhy]

Roger Scruton is ordinarily a pretty good writer, but here he complains a bit about marginalization.


Why though, is intellectualism leftist leaning? In my experience academia does tend to lean more towards leftism. Administratively they are still capitalistic AF so don't get me wrong there. But in terms of pure thought, you do tend to get more leftist academics these days.

Leftism tends to make the brain work differently, in that liberals appreciate a richer and progressive marketplace of ideas and theories which you find in higher education. Academia is naturally more progressive because the goal is to further human knowledge and challenge conventional thinking.

Leftists aren't colluding in secret cabals to overtake universities and brainwash kids. It's just that places of learning function much better when they're premised on a liberal, open learning environment. At universities you interact with many different beliefs and faith and cultures so you need to empathize with different groups, and contrasing views force you to analyse different viewpoints and employ critical thought.


Conservatives need heirarchy and tradition. So they like jobs with structure and clear rules, like tradies and military etc. Liberals have a lot more tolerance for abstraction and lack of hierarchy so they always challenge the status quo and adopt progressive beliefs. So they tend to be more thoughtful and intellectual types.


Plus, the kind of Platonism that conservatism/Christianity depends upon is getting MOGGED in all directions by modern science and contemporary philosophy.



So, conservatives, how are you going to re-establish yourself with intellectual dignity without silly Marxist conspiracy theories?

[JoeBidet]

It wasn't always like this. But in recent decades, the right attacked the theory of evolution, global warming, and medicine. So, virtually all serious intellectuals have fled the GOP. Another core issue is the left was essentially proven right on economics as well. A pure supply side approach with minimal welfare and mass privatization is disastrous. Basically, the GOP is now the party of "tradition", selfishness, and denial. They can't really establish themselves as an intellectual party again without moving much further left.

[Bodhy]

It wasn't always like this. But in recent decades, the right attacked the theory of evolution, global warming, and medicine. So, virtually all serious intellectuals have fled the GOP. Another core issue is the left was essentially proven right on economics as well. A pure supply side approach with minimal welfare and mass privatization is disastrous. Basically, the GOP is now the party of "tradition", selfishness, and denial. They can't really establish themselves as an intellectual party again without moving much further left.

Yeah, sure, but this is beyond the GOP. This is about academics themselves being left-leaning and less conservative. When in days of yore, there were solid conservative academics. The analogy I like is gas and the brakes for liberalism and conservatism, respectively.


One realizes society needs change and wants to replace the structures with strange and novel ones, and constantly seeks new solutions. The other, depends on hierarchy and stability, likes the glory of the past and is literally frightened of the possibilities the future affords.


Especially frightened of anything which threatens heirarchy, like trannies and Marxism.

Define intellectual.

This little bitch negged me for literally no reason other than that he needs a safe space.

[JoeBidet]

Define intellectual.

Basically our leading minds in research and development.

[JoeBidet]

Yeah, sure, but this is beyond the GOP. This is about academics themselves being left-leaning and less conservative. When in days of yore, there were solid conservative academics. The analogy I like is gas and the brakes for liberalism and conservatism, respectively.


One realizes society needs change and wants to replace the structures with strange and novel ones, and constantly seeks new solutions. The other, depends on hierarchy and stability, likes the glory of the past and is literally frightened of the possibilities the future affords.


Especially frightened of anything which threatens heirarchy, like trannies and Marxism.




This little bitch negged me for literally no reason other than that he needs a safe space.

Yeah that is pretty much it. Conservatism itself is inherently resistant to change and therefore automatically hostile to creativity and free thought. It's also why so many artists are left.

[alain]

Leftists are self congratulatory and get in Fields that have no definitive answer that hides their incompetence. In my anecdotal experience they are usually smug show offs, the first to put PhD or talk about their PhD. Think lawyers, writers, journalists, psychologists, climate change scientists. If they get it wrong it's not them, they just didn't have the data, or the interpretation of the law is flawed...

You laugh at engineers and tradies but here's the thing. If they get something wrong, it can be traced back to them. If an aeronautical engineer gets it wrong, the plane doesn't fly, you design a bridge incorrectly it collapses. A tradie tiles a floor wrong you can see it, they install the pipes incorrectly it leaks.

Academia is filled with supremist wankers that love the smell of their own fart and think they have life figured out.
Tradies/engineers or people that can be proven wrong or incompetent or have to deal with the mess on a daily basis know that certain things work well and to not mess around with it, certain things don't work so well so don't mess around with it and if someone claims to have a solution you try it out with caution.

I guess the submariner's found this out the hard way

[fitnessislife]

Why are self-admitted chit-smearing tranny solicitors on the r/p who dream of being pegged who havne't actually achieved anything and think that they're sophisticated for crying about capitalism on their $300 iPhone while drinking a $10 non-fat Soy Starbucks latte always named Bohdy?

[ColdandChilly]

Yeah that is pretty much it. Conservatism itself is inherently resistant to change and therefore automatically hostile to creativity and free thought. It's also why so many artists are left.

The Nayzees made some of the greatest technological advances of the time. They also understand the importance of art and media. Pretty smart people

[ClivesTriceps]

Why are self-admitted chit-smearing tranny solicitors on the r/p who dream of being pegged who havne't actually achieved anything and think that they're sophisticated for crying about capitalism on their $300 iPhone while drinking a $10 non-fat Soy Starbucks latte always named Bohdy?

Quoted for truth and so the retards can read it again slowly

[JoeBidet]

Leftists are self congratulatory and get in Fields that have no definitive answer that hides their incompetence. In my anecdotal experience they are usually smug show offs, the first to put PhD or talk about their PhD. Think lawyers, writers, journalists, psychologists, climate change scientists. If they get it wrong it's not them, they just didn't have the data, or the interpretation of the law is flawed...

You laugh at engineers and tradies but here's the thing. If they get something wrong, it can be traced back to them. If an aeronautical engineer gets it wrong, the plane doesn't fly, you design a bridge incorrectly it collapses. A tradie tiles a floor wrong you can see it, they install the pipes incorrectly it leaks.

Academia is filled with supremist wankers that love the smell of their own fart and think they have life figured out.
Tradies/engineers or people that can be proven wrong or incompetent or have to deal with the mess on a daily basis know that certain things work well and to not mess around with it, certain things don't work so well so don't mess around with it and if someone claims to have a solution you try it out with caution.

I guess the submariner's found this out the hard way

I got sum bad news...

https://verdantlabs.com/politics_of_professions/

Click the science and math section. Oops. It turns out the vast majority of people in fields with objective answers are liberal.

And engineers are mostly an even split.

It's a common misconception that most physicists and mathematicians are right wing among right wingers. You actually couldn't be more wrong. I challenge you to find any decent conservative intellectuals today. It's quite hard to do. And it's because you have to be a full on crackpot to deny chit like global warming or the effectiveness of vaccines.

[JoeBidet]

The Nayzees made some of the greatest technological advances of the time. They also understand the importance of art and media. Pretty smart people

Ok, and that was before mankind knew the structure of DNA. It was pretty low hanging fruit back then. Today, they'd be a bunch of hicks. Show me one nazi intellectual today with a PhD in science or math.

I mean virtually every leading scientist is left wing. It's gotten to the point where the GOP is officially the party of uneducated, bigoted hicks.

[Bodhy]

I got sum bad news...

https://verdantlabs.com/politics_of_professions/

Click the science and math section. Oops. It turns out the vast majority of people in fields with objective answers are liberal.

And engineers are mostly an even split.

Not surprising. If this board is any reflection of conservatist mindsets at large, it's very devoid of empathy and a functioning theory of mind, and any capacity to apply any argumentative skills to a different perspective. It's why I think the conservatives here would have to be working as low IQ tradies. There is no way they could be in a job with responsibilities that require a degree of critical thought.


I'm always grateful I was afforded the opportunity to go to university. I couldn't imagine being so horribly regressed mentally my only port of call to encountering alternative arguments was to shut down and squeal like an angry baby.

[DomMJr]

Because they don't have families

[SenseiMeme]

They are self appointed intellectuals.

They are so intellectual, that they need safe spaces and censorship

They are so intellectual, that their entire argument always boils down to people oppressing them when they disagree with them.

No one cares about the self appointed intellectuals other than the self appointed intellectuals. This class of people, along with women, are the death of western civilization.

[DeshaunWatson]

Why are self-admitted chit-smearing tranny solicitors on the r/p who dream of being pegged who havne't actually achieved anything and think that they're sophisticated for crying about capitalism on their $300 iPhone while drinking a $10 non-fat Soy Starbucks latte always named Bohdy?

This is being intellectual

[JoeBidet]

Not surprising. If this board is any reflection of conservatist mindsets at large, it's very devoid of empathy and a functioning theory of mind, and any capacity to apply any argumentative skills to a different perspective. It's why I think the conservatives here would have to be working as low IQ tradies. There is no way they could be in a job with responsibilities that require a degree of critical thought.


I'm always grateful I was afforded the opportunity to go to university. I couldn't imagine being so horribly regressed mentally my only port of call to encountering alternative arguments was to shut down and squeal like an angry baby.

Yep. Education is the key to improving civilization. You just wouldn't find as many bigots if they were educated.

[ClivesTriceps]

Yep. Education is the key to improving civilization. You just wouldn't find as many bigots if they were educated.

>Liberals have higher educations
>liberals are degenerate chit smearers or communists.

Looks like political views and education are mutually exclusive

[foXs]

I don't identify as either. If you are smart, you make choices based on common sense, logic and knowledge. There are plenty of good ideas on both sides but I do agree that the left tend to be the driving force of our society, at least when it comes to technology and general advancement in science and human race.

You have to think of our society's advancement as trial and error. The left do come up with some shocking ideas, and some of these stupid ideas can stick around, but the human evolution corrects these ideas with time, they just disappear and what actually works in our society stays. The right are there to help sort through these ideas, it's a balance.

However, consider the conservatives are that, conservative, they do tend to stick to the basics but that will never advance us any further. We might as well be 3rd worlders dancing around the camp fire. You need liberals to push ideas through the meat grinder. Out of 10 proposed ideas, 1 might work to benefit us as a society. But the way politics work, only stupid ones get pointed out.

[Cleveland33]

This little bitch negged me for literally no reason other than that he needs a safe space.

what a little bitch

[Cleveland33]

Yep. Education is the key to improving civilization. You just wouldn't find as many bigots if they were educated.

ah there it is - education will literally fix every problem society has

[foXs]

ah there it is - education will literally fix every problem society has

It is to an extent. It does, if you have the intellectual capacity for expansion.

Based on human history, unfortunately the majority of people are generally not intellectually gifted. So if you are low IQ, all that information is not necessarily going to add up to intellect, or help you add up 2 and 2 together. It's just going to turn your brain into mash potato.

American society would be a good example. No doubt it's the most powerful and richest nation but all that wealth, education and access to the information from the 1950s hasn't exactly added to country's average IQ. Look at modern American society, all the media, all the channels has only divided the nation. Low IQ fukers are just all over the place. Idiots are still being voted into powerful political positions and so on, it's a circus.

[Cleveland33]

It is to an extent. It does, if you have the intellectual capacity for expansion.

Based on human history, unfortunately the majority of people are generally not intellectually gifted. So if you are low IQ, all that information is not necessarily going to add up to intellect, or help you add up 2 and 2 together. It's just going to turn your brain into mash potato.

American society would be a good example. No doubt it's the most powerful and richest nation but all that wealth, education and access to the information from the 1950s hasn't exactly added to country's average IQ. Look at modern American society, all the media, all the channels has only divided the nation. Low IQ fukers are just all over the place. Idiots are still being voted into powerful political positions and so on, it's a circus.

but it doesn't or at least we, collectively, haven't reached the level of education to make a real difference

[Bodhy]

Yep. Education is the key to improving civilization. You just wouldn't find as many bigots if they were educated.

Caveat, though. Education can come in a thousand different forms and one of the critical theorists actually wrote an essay asking how modernity could be such a clusterfuk if it was so educated and technologically advanced.


His conclusion was that education can churn out any number of societal configurations, even Nazist regmes. Totalitarian regimes need education for their systems of indoctrination.


Education can just reproduce the status quo and churn out more automatons but no capacity for critical thought. Why are we seeing fascism make a comeback even though we beat the fuk out of the 1930s in literacy and information access? Why are we repeating the errors of the past?


Education is a great answer for an already intelligent populace who think critically. Without that, education is just the ruling class' means of reproducing themselves.

[Cleveland33]

Caveat, though. Education can come in a thousand different forms and one of the critical theorists actually wrote an essay asking how modernity could be such a clusterfuk if it was so educated and technologically advanced.


His conclusion was that education can churn out any number of societal configurations, even Nazist regmes. Totalitarian regimes need education for their systems of indoctrination.


Education can just reproduce the status quo and churn out more automatons but no capacity for critical thought. Why are we seeing fascism make a comeback even though we beat the fuk out of the 1930s in literacy and information access? Why are we repeating the errors of the past?


Education is a great answer for an already intelligent populace who think critically. Without that, education is just the ruling class' means of reproducing themselves.

ah the psuedo intellectuals trying to have a circle jerk

[foXs]

but it doesn't or at least we, collectively, haven't reached the level of education to make a real difference

One can dream but the older I get, less optimistic I get.

It might not be as bad as 500+ years ago with low IQ's burning scientists and free thinkers on a cross but the majority still rules in our modern age, and majority are stupid.

The bright and gifted are trying to take us further quicker but the conservatives are always there to slow the progress down. To be fair, sometimes it is needed to double check these ideas but it is still a major roadblock and it's slowing the progress down.


Look at your average potato brain. A single media outlet can write your entire view on life, politics, wars, medicine and so on. Military industrial complex, lobbying, corporations and the rich can easily and have influenced the media to the point where people have turned into sheep. All the so called access to information and people buy into the dumbest and most obvious bullchit. I mean, if you don't blame your average potato for buying into that instead of doing your own research and making a smart decision then I don't know who else you can blame. It's all people.

[JayJ350]

Ironic when today's left wing academics are essentially the opposite of intellectuals.

[JayJ350]

It wasn't always like this. But in recent decades, the right attacked the theory of evolution, global warming, and medicine. So, virtually all serious intellectuals have fled the GOP. Another core issue is the left was essentially proven right on economics as well. A pure supply side approach with minimal welfare and mass privatization is disastrous. Basically, the GOP is now the party of "tradition", selfishness, and denial. They can't really establish themselves as an intellectual party again without moving much further left.

Sorry, I don't speak red.

[Kokanee]

1. Personality differences toward novel thinking brought up in the OP. The entire point of academia is to come up with new ideas, not reinforce old ones. But this also results in a bias toward novelty. Conservatism results in the opposite bias.
2. The path to becoming a professor in recent years is a crapshoot. Conservatives like structure and predictability. The path to becoming a prof in some ways is similar to the path to becoming an actor (a lot of sacrifice for a small chance at making it). Left-wingers tolerate this better and are more optimistic. But the vast majority of them, along with most aspiring actors, end up failing. The progressive optimism can be rather irrational.
3. A positive feedback loop with conservatives opting out of spending their lives in a left-wing environment. The worse the left:right ratio gets, the less conservatives want to be a part of it. Part of this left-wing culture is determined by students with the median student being a young urban female.
4. They are naturally less capitalistic given they chose a career in academia and not a high achieving one in private industry
5. People with tenure tend to be left-wing. They aren't as subject to the negative consequences of their novel ideas.
6. Diversity hiring. Diversity hires are basically always left-wing.

Slightly more than half of professors believe in god or religion. In the general public it is 70%. There is a slight negative correlation between religiousness and IQ so it makes sense that they would be a bit less religious than average. There is however no relationship between being left/right and IQ. Religiousness is far more common than being right-wing in academia and so we have to look for other factors than mere intellectualism to explain the gross disparity in left and right wing professors.

[nkiritsis13]

[Dave22reborn]

Aren't most intellectuals "self-proclaimed?" Like the OP?