More "Unreason"

From "The Age of American Unreason," which I am enjoying a great deal and
recommend for reading, even though I don't agree with some of it and am dismayed
at the one-sidedness of the author's use of examples in derogatory manners:

"There cannot be anyone in the country who believes that Bush's brain would
have gotten him anywhere near Yale, Harvard Business School, or the ownership of
a baseball team--much less the presidency--without the family name and
connections," she writes. I'd certainly agree, but there is more I'd add.
First, would she deign to also write, later, the same sentence, but substituting
the words "Obama's" for "Bush's" and "affirmative action" for "family name and
connections?" I highly doubt it. Obama may not be as stupid as Bush, but he's
far from being smart. Second, would she also take aim at the many, many
athletes who are admitted,despite glaring academic deficiencies, to so-called
"prestigious" colleges like the University of Michigan, which likes to portray
itself as "the Harvard of the West;" the University of North Carolina; and many
others?

I'd certainly concur that Americans should consider intelligence when
measuring candidates for President. We usually don't, for reasons that seem
pretty stupid to me. It's as if we have a negative view of intelligent people,
distrusting them as a group. (Of course, that might stem from the arrogant
elitists we constantly view in public affairs, those who claim to know what's
better for us than we do and aren't shy about telling us. That they are often
pretty shallow themselves is apparent, but not to themselves.) But how then to
explain the failed or very mediocre Presidencies of Jimmy Carter and Herbert
Hoover, among others? Bill Clinton is a pretty sharp cookie, very bright, but
he left much to be desired as a President. (And, I think, history will show his
Presidency to be much more harmful than currently recognized--or, as it is, not
recognized. But I likely won't live long enough to say, "I told you so.")

Was Bush elected, not once but twice, because, as the author says, "Americans
would have rather sat down for a beer" with him than either Gore or Kerry?
Maybe; maybe not. Perhaps, though, it is more than that. Maybe Gore and Kerry
were seen as lousy candidates. Perhaps Bush was elected for the same reason I
think Obama will win re-election. He's a lousy President, but consider the
alternatives. (But I think the Republican candidates are better, but still
rotten alternatives. In fact, I've said that I refuse to hold my nose and vote
for one of them because they are the lesser of two evils.)

She also thinks the media have been lacking in this regard, that candidates
for "high public office" should be evaluated by intelligence. Are they "smart
enough" to do the job? I don't think we should consider only Einsteins for
office (see above), but it's certainly something we should consider. Again,
though, the author only picks on Republicans and conservatives, when there are
certainly plenty of Democrats and liberals to share this less-than-desirable
stage. And, I can name quite a few, most very conveniently ignored by the
media.

I guess I'm aware of it and have written of it before, but it's still
disturbing to read about our turn away from, almost a snubbing, something to
avoid, being smart or, at least, knowlegeable. As the author notes, it's as if
Americans have become favorably attached to the slogan, "I'm Ignorant and Proud of
It." Now, wouldn't that make a nice bumper sticker?

But, as I was telling my running buddies yesterday, this is a good book--on
many levels. Even if I don't particularly like the constant partisan/one-sided negative
images used to illustrate the author's points, I am struck by how smart some
people, this author included, are. I could never come up with many of the ideas this author has.
Where and how does she get them? How do some minds do that?

The Age of American Unreason by Susan Jacoby. It's a very, very good
book--one of the best I've read in a long while. I'll bet some folks who know
me, who might also read the book, would be surprised to hear that. People who really know me wouldn't.