Do you consider yourself an intellectual?

Like the kudzurunner, I'm a college prof, and I never thought of myself as an intellectual for a lot of the reasons that have been mentioned already on this thread. Recently, though, I've started thinking of myself as an intellectual in the same way that I think of myself as an athlete.

As an athlete, I work to develop my performance to certain standards and take the culture of athleticism seriously. I care about sport and athleticism for all of the rich experiences that it has given me, and I'd like to do my best to give what I can to it, to preserve it for future generations.

In much the same way, as an intellectual, I participate in the maintenance of the intellect through my teaching and research. I care about the maintenance and development of methods of intellectual inquiry. I hope to make them more relevant and widespread, and I participate as an intellectual in a large and vibrant community that has provided me with much pleasure.

I don't see this as a necessarily snooty thing to get involved in. And I certainly don't see it as impractical, as to my mind intelligence is the most practical thing that humans have. Insofar as intellectualism is associated with snootiness and impracticality, then that means there is continued work for intellectuals to do, to continue to refine and develop our culture and practice.

So, yeah. I guess I am coming to see and accept myself as an intellectual.

Dane R wrote:

Yes I are

AC/DC fan?

But then again do you really want all those past inventors (Edison and Einsteins) and surgeons to be less smarter than you.

MonkeyMan wrote:

Conundrum wrote:

Interesting. Would you rather live in a world where you were substantially smarter than most everyone else or in a world where most everyone was substantially smarter than you.

Think about it.

Easy, I'd want to be substantially smarter. Most people are d-bags and many who are substantially smarter than you will try to take advantage of you (and if they are really substantially smarter than you, they'll probably succeed). Sure, being the smartest will probably leave you lonely and isolated, but at least you won't be at the mercy of everyone else.

Read Intellectuals: From Marx and Tolstoy, To Sartre and Chomsky, written by Paul Johnson. I think most would agree that these individuals are intellectuals, and Johnson gives a nice explanation of the criteria he uses to define someone as intellectual and then goes on to explain how his included thinkers meet and exceed that definition. Being a professor and considering yourself an intellectual doesn't make you one. Most of my professors considered themselves thinkers; they were far from it. An intellectual doesn't have a narrow band of knowledge like professors. Intellectuals are well-rounded and versed in many disciplines, and they are thinkers and philosophers in many cases.

There's also a nice book called The Know-It-All, if you have a desire for some nuggets of wisdom that will make you seem smart at family gatherings.

Conundrum wrote:

Interesting. Would you rather live in a world where you were substantially smarter than most everyone else or in a world where most everyone was substantially smarter than you.

Think about it.

the intellectual wrote:

I am cursed I have to live among all the rest of you people who are not as smart as I am.

Well, if you were smarter, would you not have the intelligence to know it and find a way to work it to your advantage while not making them hate you?

I know most are obnoxious bores (on both sides of the left-right divide), but the wisest figure out how to be an intellectual and still fit in to society.

In short, a true intellectual (not just someone who thinks he's bright) is a professional thinker.

I will consider myself an intellectual when I am paid to do nothing but think: ask and answer questions I find interesting. I am getting there but still have to put in some time on other things (consulting, teaching) if I'm going to have the position I want in a few years.

I liken this to asking if you consider yourself to be a "pro" runner. Making $1000 that one time and covering rent in 1998 doesn't count. It has to be full-time, your only "job." Usually that means academia, but there are other ways. The Science of Sports guys might qualify...