anti-intellectuals
Distrusters of expertise
Anti-intellectuals are people who distrust or dismiss intellectual pursuits, expertise, and educated elites.
The term usually carries disapproval—implying someone who scorns learning, resents experts, or celebrates ignorance as authentic: Anti-intellectuals in the movement dismissed climate scientists as out-of-touch elites.
The stance often frames book learning as opposed to common sense or practical wisdom.
Deliberate destruction of texts
- censorshipOfficial content restriction
- obscurantismRestricting access to knowledge
- anti-scienceOpposition to empirical methodology
- anti-vaccineOpposed to immunizations
Distrust of privileged classes
- resentmentPersistent bitter displeasure
- hostilityAntagonistic disposition toward others
- disdainScornful disregard
- scornHostile dismissive feeling
derision · distrust · skepticism · contempt · suspicion · dismissiveness · prejudice · anti-establishment
Political manipulation through emotion
- sloganeeringReliance on pithy phrases
- oversimplificationStripping complexity unfairly
- fearmongeringDeliberately spreading exaggerated threats
- scapegoatingUnfairly assigning fault to innocents
Professional researchers and teachers
- professorsHighest-ranking university instructors
- scientistsSystematic knowledge seekers
- expertsHighly skilled practitioners
- elitesPrivileged powerful groups
scholars · technocrats · pundits · ivory-tower · eggheads · bookworms · theorists · specialists
book-burning
Deliberate destruction of texts
- censorshipOfficial content restriction
- obscurantismRestricting access to knowledge
- anti-scienceOpposition to empirical methodology
anti-elitism
Distrust of privileged classes
- resentmentPersistent bitter displeasure
- hostilityAntagonistic disposition toward others
- disdainScornful disregard
scorn · derision · distrust · skepticism · contempt · suspicion · dismissiveness · prejudice · anti-establishment · populist
demagogy
Political manipulation through emotion
- sloganeeringReliance on pithy phrases
- oversimplificationStripping complexity unfairly
- fearmongeringDeliberately spreading exaggerated threats
scapegoating · soundbites · talking-points · virtue-signaling
academics
Professional researchers and teachers
- professorsHighest-ranking university instructors
- scientistsSystematic knowledge seekers
- expertsHighly skilled practitioners
elites · scholars · technocrats · pundits · ivory-tower · eggheads · bookworms · theorists · specialists · credentialed
anti-intellectualsintellectuals
People of scholarly pursuits
scholars · academics · thinkers · intelligentsia · philosophers
anti-intellectualshighbrows
Cultured, educated people
technocrats · bluestockings · rationalists · mandarins · professoriate
anti-intellectual, intellectual, intellectuals, intellectualism, anti-intellectualism, intellect, intellects, intelligence, intelligent