First published 2009
Charles Pierce examines how America transformed from a nation built on intellectual curiosity into one that celebrates ignorance. The veteran journalist traces this cultural shift through vivid examples, including his visit to Kentucky's Creation Museum, where he encountered a saddled dinosaur display and heard the proprietor declare to an enthusiastic audience that they were "taking the dinosaurs back from the evolutionists." Pierce argues that intelligence has become stigmatized while foolishness gets celebrated. He shows how Americans now prefer voting for reality TV stars over qualified leaders. The book serves as both a sharp critique of anti-intellectualism and a rallying cry for restoring respect for knowledge and reason in American society.
Genres: american, political-science, non-fiction, 21st-century, academic, american-history
Vibes: thought-provoking
Tropes: critique
293 pages · Hardcover · Doubleday