You ought to read "Intellectuals" by Paul Johnston. He shows that they've never held much store in the rules of polite conduct, believeing themselves above such things. Because of their artistic, scholarly, or whatever status they got a pass on it.
It's become part and parcel of being in "the smart set" that they can behave anyway they wish, and instead of it being rude, it's "edgy". They can produce absolutely horrible "art" and if it offends, well that must be your problem because you're unenlightened. They can misbehave terribly but it's a "parody" and you're just too stupid to appreciate their wit.
Most of them don't have the mental horsepower of a what might be considered a real intellectual, but they lay claim to the status by mimicking the behavior and parroting fashionable statements.
This statement:
[i]It's become part and parcel of being in "the smart set" that they can behave anyway they wish, and instead of it being rude, it's "edgy". They can produce absolutely horrible "art" and if it offends, well that must be your problem because you're unenlightened. They can misbehave terribly but it's a "parody" and you're just too stupid to appreciate their wit.
Most of them don't have the mental horsepower of a what might be considered a real intellectual, but they lay claim to the status by mimicking the behavior and parroting fashionable statements.[/i]
Along with this one:
[i]..."intellectuals" do not really exist, because they can't be measured; quantitatively speaking, of course. Its akin to Athiests not beleiving in G-d because G-d can't be measured, tested, validated, etc.,
Those who claim to be "intellectuals" are akin to those who claim to ride aboard UFOs. Show me the proof that you're an intellectual, until then, STFU.
"Intellectuals" do not really exist....pass it on.[/i]
...pretty much sums it up. I hadn't really considered the idea that these people were just the sort of drunken blowhards you'd find in a sports bar arguing about thier respective football teams. The difference is, the people in the sports bar will be sober in the morning.