Roller-coaster Through Intellectualism

Joe Clifford’s blog writing about Anti-intellectualism: the Enemy within is like a roller-coaster ride, one my mother never allowed me to ride on while a minor and one I don’t like to ride on as an adult. Throughout the beginning of some the author's writing, like, “Anti-intellectualism: the Enemy within,” I thought he lacked credibility. Clifford’s self-question to being in front of “true intellectuals” had me thinking of why he is even admitting to being self-conscious. Throughout the reading, I see how he does these “back-handed credibility” comments. Using “advanced college degree” and “shit” in the same sentence creates a sense of doubt in the importance of a college education. Unexpectedly he throws a curve ball using high-end words like “verisimilitude.” Which one is it or what is he favoring?

Clifford writes about that which he tries to stay away from, intellectualism. This is a writer I would learn much from because he can identify with probably any and all audiences; uneducated, educated, non-intellectuals, even intellectuals, but especially with the average Joe! Clifford’s angle of vision are all of these different audiences and the message I perceived from his writing is that to be intellectual, one must get practical and dirty, though this is probably not the message he is trying to portray.

His argument presents logical statements and reasoning behind some of his indirect comments. For instance, Clifford expresses his belief about the stereotypical correlation that good-looking muscular men are not smart. He argues the fact that people may think he is not smart by making philosophical questions such as, “Why are we here?” As a reader, I start questioning whether this writer thinks that intellectualism is the ability to make such questions; however, he does prove himself to be capable of expressing his thoughts well in his style of writing. I connected with Clifford in one of his points of knowledge and the purposeful lack of it. I coincide in that the more one knows; the more one realized how much one doesn’t know. To know is to know nothing at all!

Regarding Clifford’s writing about Mainstream, I think people can identify with exile in various ways. Though I am Cuban and exile has been extremely evident in its history, I have not yet identified with feelings pertaining to the exile experience. It could be because I was raised in America. Specifically, because I was raised in the city of Hialeah, where Cuban people are prevalent, which allows me to feel “right at home.” I have visited states like Tennessee where White Americans are the majority. I noticed differences like that “they” had an accent. When, in reality, I was the one with a South Florida accent. Being raised in the U.S. and not recalling ever experiencing difficulties like my Cuban family has, I feel like I have taken freedom and certain rights for granted. To gain a closer perspective on exile, I believe that conversing with my grandmother will enlighten my basic knowledge about the exile experience.