Getting a little tired of academic elitism?

Question

Too often, it seems like people tend to think that anything written in a formal academic style is "good writing" and everything written for the masses is "bad writing"

To me, it seems like there are many problems with this argument. For example, there are many very good authors such as Greg Bear, Tad Williams, and Card (for example) who tackle complex issues and also write in an accessible manner.

Another problem I have, is the question of the author's perspective. Do you really think that most of the authors who are currently studied by academics were writing to be studied by academics? Weren't most of these books published to be read by the masses?

I will not dispute that there is a lot of scubolos on those bookstore shelves these days, but can we really dismiss all of it simply because it wasn't written with academics in mind?

Apparently, someone has rather missed my point. I never claimed that academic writing was bad or nonsensical. It is what it is, I am however, commenting on the attititude that nothing that isn't currently studied (whether papers or fiction) or written with the intent of being studied by academics can't be good writing.

Also, don't presume to tell me what experience I do or don't have with formal writing, and do not presume to tell me what I do or do not understand about institutions of higher learning. You read what you wanted to read, and not what I actually wrote.

It seems that people are coming away with a misunderstanding of what I wrote, which must mean that there is a solid deficiency in what I wrote, compared to what I was hoping to communicate.

This is NOT a harangue against academic writing, formalistic academic fiction, or anything from those hallowed halls. Those styles of writing are very important and serve their purposes admirably.

It is simply the attitude, that oddly enough, most of the English profs that I know don't seem to hold themselves, that any writing that isn't centuries old, already studied in colleges everywhere, or written with the express purpose of being studied by colleges everywhere is necessarily, bad writing and a lowering of so-called "cultural standards."

It is possible to direct an argument against such an attitude, without directing an argument against that style of writing.

Answer 1

Thank you for asking this question. Not only because I found it interesting but also because of the responders who seemed so quick to take offense. I was wondering what I should pose as my first question and now I know.

I agree with what you're saying here with an added twist: There are authors, currently living, who are lauded and studied by universities. Some of them I enjoy - e.g. Toni Morrison, Jhumpa Lahiri. At the same time, I think authors like Stephen King and Karen Traviss are every bit as good, in spite of their very different and very accessible style. For me, good writing is about being authentic in an interesting way, and I've found that in both styles. Unfortunately, most of the professors I've had are too comfortable, or lazy or afraid to be open minded or to express an idea that's actually different from the popular mindset of their colleagues. Kind of ironic considering that writing has always been one of the most powerful instruments for change in the past.

Answer 2

Academic writing is totally different from popular writing. I'm not sure if you are referring to the academic paper or the academic book reviews. These two are also different animals.

The academic paper is an expository work sometimes involving references while a review is ego driven. Anyone who sets themselves up as a judge and sole arbitrator of the standards of "good writing" is a supercilious egomaniac.

Answer 3

Scubolos? To whom are you writing? ;-) I think I have a new question now!

I have to say, I made a couple attempts to defend academic writing to you, and I failed. You're right. Academic writing but also academic thinking would benefit, if the authors consciously addressed themselves to a general audience. Regardless of how esoteric the conversation they're having might seem to them - none of it is really that hard to understand. Once in a while you have to phrase something in idiom to express a subtlety, and the available idioms belong to an exclusive group of discussers ... but that's really the exception, isn't it?

Answer 4

Most of the classics we learn in school and college, what we gauge as academic writing, was written for the masses. We've just come to a point in our society where everything has to be categorized into black or white rather than looking at it for its merits.

Answer 5

I'm sorry, you're obviously way too intelligent for this web site. Most of the folks on here won't read a book unless it has pictures. As to academics, assuming you mean professors, I have yet to meet one that impressed me. If a book isn't written at least for a section of the masses then it is merely an exercise in egotism. Now I have to go blow the dust off my dictionary to find out what 'scubolos' means!

Answer 6

And this matters because...?

You are not asking anything. Your making generalized statements about an institution you do not understand nor are apart of. You may be educated, but you have low self esteem if you honestly think that the academic level at which journals, books, periodicals and texts are written at is nonsense. You need to focus your time on something productive rather than something so insignificant.

I like how you think your so smart. How you think your so educated... You really should try reading some of the books you can't understand. It would help with your misuse of a number of the words you have chosen to use in your posting. The overall issue at hand is that you think your so smart and when you realize that others are smarter, you have to criticize their work. Way to dumb yourself down. You can type your responses as "uppity" as you like. The fact of the matter remains that your not as smart as you think you are.

Answer 7

You're right, who knows maybe the stuff written now will be the 26'th century answer to Shakespeare, or Emily Dickinson. And as a general rule we tend to give high respect to old things (outside of the pop culture).

Answer 8

Well, my own experience is that academic-mindedness thwarted me from my aims but I did come away from community college with a diploma. I like to paste my questions and answers here into an old grammar check. I set it to "Very Strict" so that I get a sense of how to polish it.

Presumably academia draws intelligent men and women! Aren't we to credit them by letting them pursue their view to progress? I think so!

Answer 9

I kind of agree with you, but I associate academic writing not with elitism but with completeness. Simplistic writing often leaves something missing. Call it "lost in translation."

Answer 10

You're obviously very intelligent. Have a hat and a balloon.