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The Anti-Intellectual Movement

Decent Essays

Week four’s essay finds inspiration from the anti-intellectual movement. The essay titled Anti-Intellectualism in American Life by Richard Hofstadter defines the anti-intellectual movement. The anti-intellectual movement began in the 1950’s “primarily as McCarthyism the belief that the mind was at ruinous discount” (Hofstadter 3). Additionally, Merriam-Webster.com further defines the anti-intellectual movement as “opposing or hostile to intellectuals or an intellectual view or approach” (Merriam-Webster). The anti-intellectual movement impacted social, economic, education, politics, art genres. Today the discussion focuses on Exhibit H. in the Hofstadter’s text on page fourteen . More focused on the comment by Congressman George Dondero …show more content…

(SAAM, SI) (qtd. in Adler Fig. 2.)
Many of the Avante Garde contemporary art were either laughed about in cartoon strips, puzzled viewers or made them angry. The American people felt the European art often relished by wealthy art connoisseurs was a step backward in American culture. Moreover, several Americans found the primitive, distorted imagery threatening to American civilization and the United States progress. Also many American’s were afraid the art form itself represented an adaptation to modern society. The Armory show had political undertones. The Armory show happened during a time politically when woman fought for their rights In 1913, women took to the streets, too with political and social causes. “Women marched in the streets not only for the right to vote, for open marriages, contraception, and the right to have children out of wedlock” (Stamberg). The Armory show also transpired during the industrialization movement. Thus electric trains pulled out of Grand Central Station for the first time, and New York was bursting with immigrants. New York City during this time was the leading example of the “Fresh and the Modern” society (Stamberg). The modern style of art is contrary to America and Dondero’s view. The contemporary art movement objectively sent a powerful message of freedom. The Armory show was about new ways

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