Mediocrity can spread more subtly and dangerously than outright ignorance in society.

Pop culture tends to glorify celebrities over credible academics, shaping how we think about intelligence.

Academic achievement is often downplayed to “fit in,” discouraging intellectual excellence.

In a previous post about why educators who promote critical thinking shouldn’t burden themselves with the insurmountable task of getting everyone to think better, I made the point that academics and researchers are not celebrities, regardless of how large their contribution(s) to society. This, of course, is sad when you consider that there are actual celebrities out there who believe the Earth is flat or that rubbing themselves with some gemstone is key to a healthier body. It’s laughable, yes, but at the same time, it’s something of which we should be collectively ashamed. These are the people to whom we’ve provided a platform.

Sure, there are a handful of modern academics out there who’ve “made it,” somewhat, in pop culture. For example, I admire the work of Neil DeGrasse Tyson and Brian Cox in bringing their expertise and love of science to the mainstream. But, I wonder, how many people outside of academia could actually name a credible academic? Simply, we need more academic role models.

Now, I’m not sure if being smart was ever really “cool,” but I’m confident it’s something that most people either think they already are or wish they were (regardless of how open they are about such thoughts). Whether or not they’re willing to do anything about it is a different story. Indeed, true coolness is often perceived as effortless, and so, there’s a worry that many might approach “smarts” and good thinking in an equally effortless way.........

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