If the French political thinker and historian returned to the modern-day U.S., he would find that some of his most pessimistic predictions have come true.<br /><br />Question: Why is intellectualism met with suspicion <br />here in the U.S.?Ian Buruma: I think it may have <br />something to do with the myth... or at least the ideal of egalitarianism <br /> that it's better to be a regular guy with sort of good standing in the <br />community, good character and so on than to be an egghead. Eggheads are <br /> suspected and that is not just American culture. I think that was true <br /> traditionally in Britain as well and there is something to be said for <br />it. I mean there are many unpleasant effects of that kind of <br />philistinism. But the good thing is that ideas can be dangerous. <br />Intellectuals are dangerous when you give them too much power because <br />they tend to take ideas to their extreme, and they're not practical <br />people on the whole. And it's good I think to be a little suspicious of <br />taking any idea to its extreme and it is probably better to have people <br />in power who are more practical and who know the art of compromise.Question: <br /> What would de Tocqueville say if he could see us now?Ian <br /> Buruma: Well I think he would be on the hand probably shocked <br />because some of his... possibly some of his worst, his most pessimistic <br />predictions would seem to have come true in that he was on the one hand <br />in favor of democracy and he admired American democracy, but he was <br />frightened of the possible consequences. He thought it could lead to <br />tremendous vulgarity and so on and I think he probably would see that. <br />He would also see a much less conformist population probably than the <br />one he saw, depending on where he would travel of course. And I think he <br /> probably would be rather shocked by the tone of the public figures, of <br />the politicians who are probably less, little less high minded than the <br />ones he encountered when he was there.Recorded April 21, 2010<br /><br />Question: Why is intellectualism met with suspicion <br />here in the U.S.?Ian Buruma: I think it may have <br />something to do with the myth... or at least the ideal of egalitarianism <br /> that it's better to be a regular guy with sort of good standing in the <br />community, good character and so on than to be an egghead. Eggheads are <br /> suspected and that is not just American culture. I think that was true <br /> traditionally in Britain as well and there is something to be said for <br />it. I mean there are many unpleasant effects of that kind of <br />philistinism. But the good thing is that ideas can be dangerous. <br />Intellectuals are dangerous when you give them too much power because <br />they tend to take ideas to their extreme, and they're not practical <br />people on the whole. And it's good I think to be a little suspicious of <br />taking any idea to its extreme and it is probably better to have people <br />in power who are more practical and who know the art of compromise.Question: <br /> What would de Tocqueville say if he could see us now?Ian <br /> Buruma: Well I think he would be on the hand probably shocked <br />because some of his... possibly some of his worst, his most pessimistic <br />predictions would seem to have come true in that he was on the one hand <br />in favor of democracy and he admired American democracy, but he was <br />frightened of the possible consequences. He thought it could lead to <br />tremendous vulgarity and so on and I think he probably would see that. <br />He would also see a much less conformist population probably than the <br />one he saw, depending on where he would travel of course. And I think he <br /> probably would be rather shocked by the tone of the public figures, of <br />the politicians who are probably less, little less high minded than the <br />ones he encountered when he was there.Recorded April 21, 2010
