Having returned from a pleasant few days in N'castle I feel a little refreshed and have been perusing the blogosphere to discover this anti-intellectualism debate that has been raging, in particular posts from the two Marks (Kaplan & the Kaptain). It seems that I missed most of this argument, but it was still quite enlightening as I rarely come across it in my day to day existence; the cold, dank walls of the midlands' most bland university keeps me safely from the cackles and howls of those seeking to rip out my tongue if I dare mention Deleuze and Philosophy in the same breath (which is good since I do that a lot). And, to be honest, I find the stereotypical English self-deprecation taken to it's limits in an attempt at humour far more pretentious than any "intellectuals" I have come across. What is an "intellectual" anyway? It seems to me to be someone who cares about thought, and about thinking, thinking at depth about all sorts of matters; surely that shouldn't be a problem, or are we to limit ourselves to pondering the price of bread or the intricacies of some footballer's latest haircut?

However... I must admit that there are so-called "intellectuals" who are complete twats. Their arrogance astounds me as they flounce about quoting this phrase from Lyotard or that sentence from Cavell, not so much in a critical engagement but in an attempt to say "Ha! I know more than you! Look at me, I can tell you what Heidegger had for breakfast the morning he finished writing Being and Time. I can even tell you what type of toilet paper he used to wipe his arse after taking a shit that day," .... (naming no names of course since I must be ever diplomatic). Unfortunately it is those sort of intellectuals who give those of us who have decided to spend our time engaging with thought a bad name, since it is usually they who are most apparent due to their insidiousness. I guess its just a shame that most people seek to limit language to what they know and, either being too lazy or too dismissive, are unable to accept that new terminology and new ways of thinking are being developed all the time (which should be pretty obvious).

Anyway... enough of that....

Speaking of amusing intellectual adventures, is anyone going to SEP for the spectacle of the "What is Terror?" conference. Myself and some others are planning on going, more for the three days of drinking and the fact that some friends are committed to giving papers. "Victims of Terror" at a philosophy conference... whatever were they thinking?

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