Korean Job Discussion Forums

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

Do you notice that the general level of intellectual cowardice amongst Americans, especially women, just seems much higher than westerners in general? I think it comes down to (a) more of them feeling entitled to a certain type of lifestyle that can't be deeply questioned because it can't be defended, (b) more of them being fundamentalist Christians with irrational, indefensible beliefs, and (c) being at a disadvantage in argument because many of them know nothing about the rest of the world while the rest of the world knows much about them.

I think that the Americans who come to Korea are for the most part very different from the ones I've described above, but it seems that whenever you encounter Americans living in America on the Internet very many just can't cope with difficult questions or challenging arguments, and that the 'Home of the brave' is actually home to many of the thinnest-skinned people on the planet.

PRagic · Joined: 24 Feb 2006

1) The term 'intellectual cowardice' is ill fit to describe your thesis.

2) You shouldn't generalize limited experience to a larger, general population.

3) Who pissed in your cereal this morning? Must have been an American.

NoExplode · Joined: 15 Oct 2008

aboxofchocolates · Joined: 21 Mar 2008 Location: on your mind

Now that was a baseless assertion if ever there was one. What do you mean by intellectual cowardice? I disagree with you already and you haven�t even fully explained yourself.

VanIslander · Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 10:20 pm Post subject:

A famous european academic once characterized pragmatists as intellectual eunichs. Laughing

The French like to chatter on about abstract philosophical ideas detached from everyday life whereas Americans like to talk about ACTION in life, whether it be morality, politics, business or sports.

What is seen as cowardice is simply reluctance borne of disinterestedness.

sojourner1 · Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 10:28 pm Post subject:

Every country has those kind of people. They're the average folks living ho hum drum lives.

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

Um, what was the question again?

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

I lived in America for three years. I will say that some Canadians aren't much different but it seems like a very high percentage of ordinary Americans are very afraid of having their values challenged. And some of the Christians can get so offended at the drop of a hat. I've also noticed that on American-based websites some people are so afraid of argument and confrontation. Just a few observations.

RACETRAITOR · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

Yeah, Christianity can be a problem, and the vast majority of people have trouble questioning their government (except when it comes to guns), but the Americans I've met who got past that billshut (and a few who didn't) are all the stronger for it.

Tiger Beer · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

McLovin · Joined: 17 Nov 2008 Location: Taiwan (Korea wannabe)

I would actually describe the mainstream American mentality as 'intellectual cowardice'... but in a different way than the original poster.

After growing up in the US in the 70s and 80s, I found, after having lived in Asia and Europe for more than a decade, that political correctness in the U.S. had gotten wayyy out of hand. People were totally unwilling to have discussions if race was involved... they just switched off their brains and refused to have an opinion different from the mainstream (for fear of being called racist or being disloyal to their race).

Maybe that's just being "dumbed down" as opposed to being guilty of "intellectual cowardice".

Beej · Joined: 05 Mar 2005 Location: Eungam Loop

You call Americans intellectual cowards yet you dont even know what that means. Give it up, dunce.

Privateer · Joined: 31 Aug 2005 Location: Easy Street.

Americans aren't intellectual cowards at all, but they are among the most heavily propagandized people on earth, it shows more in the people living there than ones you meet abroad, and everyone knows it and has known it for some time.

Beej · Joined: 05 Mar 2005 Location: Eungam Loop

D.D. · Joined: 29 May 2008

They are arrogant and ruled by mid-brain function which by it's nature has beliefs that it deams to be true. This part of the brain is not able to look at other perspectives so it gets challenged easily.

I would not call them cowards but I would feel that they live by beliefs that are not that flexible.

They also tend to lack depth in education and looking at problems from many sides. This said some of the smartest and most open people I know are Americans.

Some of the most mid-brain (heady) people I know are Brits. Brits tend to be unable to feel their emotions and filter everything through their intelect. One way that they used to put themselves above African was to value things intellectual above emotional and body centered.

Canadians think they are superior but they mask it by acting inferior to your face. The younger generaton of Canadians is not afraid to act superior right to your face after a few drinks.