Summary Of Hidden Intellectualism By Gerald Graff

In the essay “Hidden Intellectualism” by Gerald Graff he discusses the difference between “book smarts” and “street smarts” as they pertain to intellectualism (Tannen & Graff:2010 p.198). We are taught that being street smart means to have the knowledge to handle difficult or dangerous situations in life, and that being book smart means that you are well educated academically. Graff explains how schools and colleges may be at fault for not channeling such street smarts into academic work. We do not consider that one of the major reasons why colleges and schools overlook the intellectual potential of street smarts, is the fact we associate street smarts with anti-intellectual concerns. He proceeds to explain how students do not need to read challenging writings to become intellectual themselves.

Gerald Graff explains, “the fact that we associate those street smarts with anti-intellectual concerns. We associate educated life, the life of the mind, too narrowly and exclusively with subjects and texts that we consider inherently weighty and academic. We assume that it’s possible to wax intellectual about Plato, Shakespeare, The French Revolution, and nuclear fission, but not about cars, dating, fashion, sports, TV, or video games” (#). What he is explaining is that to many times school systems force feed student’s material that they have little or no interested in and think they will read the item and not google it and take the easy road. Now Graff doesn’t say that students should not learn about the important figures that shaped the world as it is, but instead ween them in by getting them interested in something they enjoy first.

Having never taken a college writing course before, I did not know what to expect and therefore assumed that I would choose my own topic to write about; of course, this isn’t the case. However, if I had the choice, I would not have chosen to write a response to Gerald Graff’s “Hidden Intellectualism”. After going through his essay with a fine-tooth comb, I have found a few flaws in his reasoning. Gerald Graff believes that schools and colleges are not taking advantage of “street smarts” by not using them in an intellectual setting when in fact, schools are providing students with a large assortment of other knowledge and skills. In Graff’s essay “Hidden Intellectualism”, he argues for the importance of changing school curriculums in order to better reflect the interests

“America Needs Its Nerds” The average high school/elementary school student is looked down upon for wanting to be academically curious. Students who want to be our nation’s next great minds in any respective field. However, our society brings these students down and insists that they spend their academic career partying. Leonid Fridman objects this social norm in the book “America Needs Its Nerds” Through the use of logic, Fridman attempts to persuade his audience on seeing academic curiosity as a gateway for our nation’s future.

The eight identified intelligences include linguistic intelligence, logical-mathematical intelligence, spatial intelligence, musical intelligence, bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, naturalistic intelligence, interpersonal intelligence, and intrapersonal intelligence (Gardner, 1999). According to Gardner’s analysis, only two intelligences—linguistic and logical mathematical—have been valued and tested for in modern secular schools; it is valuable to contemplate of that

In Gerald Graff 's essay “Hidden Intellectualism” starts of by talking about the stereotype of being so called “street smart” and and being “book smart” and how in school when you see someone who is street smart but doesn’t do go in school get a bad wrap. People look at them as a waste because they can’t apply there intelligences that they have and use it towards school, so people view them as not the right kind of smart because they are not a A student in school. Graff then goes on to say that maybe it is not the students that are the problem with how they do in school but maybe it is the school that have missed or overlooked the intellectual potential that kids with street smarts have. Graff also says that we only view the educated minds through schooling as the right way and schools and colleges look at kids who do not like school and don’t do well as anti-intellectual people.

“Intelligence is closely associated with formal education- the type of schooling a person has, how much and how long- and most people seem to move comfortably from that notion to a belief that work requiring less schooling requires less intelligence” (Rose). What Rose is trying to infer is that just because you are labeled blue collar: meaning you have to earn your income from manual labor, and have lack of educational knowledge, does not mean you cannot earn the knowledge in your work career. There are many opportunities to learn from your job even if you are less experienced. “...One who is so intelligent about so many things in life seems unable to apply that intelligence to academic work.

The main argument is that perceived throughout the reading is that the schools itself is failing students. They see a student who may not have the greatest test scores or the best grades, and degrade them from the idea of being intellectual. Graff states, “We associate the educated life, the life of the mind, too narrowly and exclusively with subjects and texts that we consider inherently weighty and academic” (Graff 244). Schools need to channel the minds of street smart students and turn their work into something academic.

The reading "Hidden Intellectualism" by Gerald Graff reflects views on being "street smart" and "book smart." He explains that society tends to associate people who are intelligent on solely being "book smart" and performing well in academics, rather than being street smart. He goes on to further explain that students perhaps can be intelligent on topics that interest them. Graff opens up the reading by giving his own personal experience on feeling torn between trying to prove that he was smart yet fearing that he was overdoing it. He was trying to prove that he learned just as much about the real world by reading his sports books and magazines as he would have if he had read the classic works of literature like most students in school.

Sir ken Robinson persuades the audience to believe and make changes to the public education system by this ethos appeal. To take action regarding this issue, Robinson emphasizes a logos appeal to think about intelligence within the public-school education system. Robinson says “We know three things about intelligence. One, it is diverse. We think about the world as we experience it.

In the article “America Needs its Nerds” by Leonid Friedman; Fridman argues that “intellectually curious and academic serious people” are not as respected as they should be. Instead of the more intellectual people being praised for their intelligence, they are ignored by society. Fridman builds this argument by using logic and facts, creative word choice, and comparisons. Leonid Fridman uses interesting facts to develop his argument "nerds ".in the American society.

Graff feels that teachers should base some of their lesson on what students have a connection so they can be more focus because they are interested and not bored. He talks about how if schools and colleges will connect with the kids that are "Street Smart" they won't do a poor job in school they will do fairly better if they were more intact with the topic itself. Graff explains to us his growing up in the "hood" you were more respected for being street smart then you was for being book smart. It took a discussion about toughness for him to notice how intellectual he was, but he as just different from others , it wasn't about everything it was just about things he had a strong interest in. He noticed from how he us to have serious verbal altercations about sports and how he acknowledge the difference in players through

In the reading, “Anti-Intellectualism: Why We Hate the Smart Kids,” Grant Penrod recommends that there should be a different way to socialize amongst other individuals. This entire description explains the personal burdens that the intelligent scholars undergo. The ideas are as follows: author 's guilt celebrates, ideas held as standard when communicating, and on the bandwagon to get smart people worn down by the individuals that are against smart people. The author is afraid that people would not take the time out of their day to read or study for their classes. Claiming that bad influence towards education makes it resistant.

Anti-Intellectualism: Why We Hate the Smart Kids is written in first-person point-of-view that gives the reader insight on why the majority of the population “Hate the Smart Kids”. This argumentative essay talks about why the majority of the population makes fun of the intelligent students in school and turn their backs on them. The tone that Grant Penrod gives off is his sympathy towards the intelligent students who are basically being bullied. This bulling of intellectuals is mainly receiving verbal abuse. As Penrod said, “Unfortunately, it represents just one statement along countless similar sites and positing, a veritable cornucopia of evidence attesting to society’s distaste for intellectuals” (755).

Most of his adolescent life was spent absorbing and analyzing details about football, baseball, basketball, and all its glory. Additionally, not being accepted by the “eggheads”, and the intricate debates with close friends about the toughest guy in the school collectively pushed Graff closer towards an intellectual life. It was only later when he realized that the sports life was much more educating than school life. Graff claims that college made him chose an intellectual identity by directly taking subjects that interested him rather than taking the ones that were recommended by the college. This could lead students to make even the most astounding subject seem pale and dull.