When did the word "intellectual" become an insult?

Question

I keep hearing and reading things like..."we'll they're all a buncha liberal intellectual's, what do they know?" And I'm like...hmmmm...I thought using our intellects was a good thing?

Answer 1

When the Supreme court knighted George Bush president. Mr. Bush fears intellects because scaring people with lies does not affect them. Intellects deal in facts & logic. Mr. Bush deals with things like "Intelligent design" and confusing Osama Bin Laden with Saddam Hussein. Good news though, the Easter Bunny & the Great Pumkin have agreed to help George with advice for the rest of his term.

Answer 2

It is not the word intellectual that is an insult, it is the two word combination "liberal intellectual" that is an insult. It means that the person is preaching to others for them to do what the liberal intellectual would not do themselves. Like when Gore filmed a commercial about saving water, the stream in the background did not have enough water in it for a good shot, so Gore had them open the flood gates on the dam to allow billions of gallons of water to flood out and be wasted. Or when Gore would fly around the country in a fuel wasting private jet rather than a seat on a commercial plane to lecture to the peons about driving fuel efficient cars.

Answer 3

At the political level, I think it started with the Nixon vs Humphrey campaign but it might have been later. In debating societies, I suspect it started in the 19th century, but the insults were so high brow, that only the smartest listeners caught on. It's a sad state of affairs when the debates are basically worthless but cost us millions. Maybe the media should simply publish the candidates educational, military, political and criminal records and then let us chose which crook we want.

Answer 4

It became an insult when intellectuals became insulting. Being intelligent is a great thing, until you begin to think you know better than anyone else who hasn't the education you have. These people are the ones who are supposed to be experts, yet they ignore age old wisdom.

Answer 5

Idiots despise intelligence because it makes them more aware of their own lack thereof. Like geeks hating jocks or brutes considering compassion to be weakness. When someone refers to "liberal intellectuals" they generally are espousing war, exploitation of the poor, racism or the effectiveness of torture. They can't justify their positions intellectually so they attempt to make intelligence seem like a handicap.

Answer 6

It's a term for those who think they know everything. Those people are usually very annoying, hence the insult.

Answer 7

Don't pay any attention to it. It's more than likely just dumb people insulting those that actually think.

Answer 8

Liberal intellectual eh? Well if that is an insult.....I sure am glad I'm not conservative. *wink*