Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
Common stereotypes in our society
Social stereotypes america
Common stereotypes in our society
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Common stereotypes in our society
Social stereotypes america
Common stereotypes in our society
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
In the weighty argumentative essay, “America Needs Its Nerds”, by Leonid Fridman, he points out a very important issue students who are academically gifted face: their intellectual advances often have them labeled as degrading terms such as geek or nerd. Throughout Fridman’s argument, he structures his agreement to attend to the appeal to logos and his belief that we do, in fact need our “nerds.” Fidman first exemplifies his assertive tone in the mere first few words of the text saying, “There is something very wrong with the system of values in a society that has only derogatory terms like nerd and geek for the intellectually curious and academically curious.” His anger towards the American system of values becomes evident early on, thus
Throughout Leonid Fridman’s essay “American Needs its Nerds” , the author displays how knowledge is extremely important and anti-values needs to be stop. First the author introduces his argument by starting a definition of the term “Geek”,then he exemplifies that people discriminate toward geeks and nerds for their intellectuals and passion for academics. He continues his argument by stating “ Even at a prestigious academic institution like Harvard, anti-intellectualism is rampant: Many students are ashamed to admit, even though their friends, how they study”(Fridman 10-14). Fridman perfectly shows a great source of irony by visualizing how people treat nerds differently from other and how they are a social outcast, even though students at
“At a prestigious academic institution like Harvard, anti-intellectualism is rampant. ”He uses Harvard as an example to represent a place that is well known for those we consider nerds and geeks, and brings them to a lower standard. When thinking of Harvard one would think of intellectuals who strive for grades better than an A but the fact that he reveals our image of Harvard false, makes a powerful statement. Even though students at Harvard are seen as nerds it’s still embarrassing to be seen that way even at such a prestigious school. Also when he writes, ‘Ostracized for their intelligence and refusal to conform to society’s anti-intellectual values,..’
Ray Bradbury’s novel Fahrenheit 451, illustrates that conforming to society takes away your individuality and makes your identity a false one, which is inspired by the people around you. To start with, if you were the same as everyone else, there would be no new ideas or anything meaningful in your life. In the society of Fahrenheit 451 they were, “...turning out more runners, jumpers, racers, tinkerers, grabbers, snatchers, fliers, and swimmers instead of examiners, critics, knowers, and imaginative creators, the word 'intellectual,' of course, became the swear word it deserved to be” (Bradbury 55). This quote allows us to see how the school system creates students in the same way, by not allowing them to think for themselves. From the beginning,
I’m going to write more on Grant Penrod article ‘Why We Hate the Smart Kid’s’. I agree with Penrod, he is trying to let us know academics is just as important as the athletes are. For many student’s school is the best time for them. You have some who come to play sports and some who come for the academics. In any high school, you have a lot of different groups or cliques like jocks, stoners, nerds and many more.
While I did not grow up in a “tough” neighborhood, I did grow up in a rural part of southern Louisiana, where dialects and accents were thick, speaking well and reading books would make you stand out. My grades were exceptional in early school years, but faltered during my teens, when social life, sports, and proving oneself physically became more important. The author mentions,“ I grew up torn, then, between the need to prove I was smart and the fear of a beating if I proved it too well”. Graff then attempts to convey a broader concept that while navigating the complexities within social groups, it is also expected that students work hard to learn the subjects and material placed in front of them, with sometimes no thought given to the individual interests of the students. Students are punished for not being engaged, struggle to learn how to be intellectual, and ultimately are not accepted by the academic
America Needs Its Nerds, written by Leonid Fridman, expresses the country’s need for studious people. The United States look down on kids that would rather learn than play sports. Leonid argues that this anti-intellectualism idea is not good for the greater community. Without intellectuals the U.S. will not be as great as countries that value academics. Leonid Fridman uses motifs, hyperboles, and criticizing questions to support his argument on how nerds and geeks are essential to society.
Graff likens his expertise in the sports community with the school environment. Graff has observed that the community that exists in the sports world is full of competition which cultivates various kinds of motivated intellectual discussions, capturing the attention of those who are part of the culture. On the other hand, he notices that the school’s culture does not seem to develop the kind of intellectual discussion of making arguments but rather encourages “a show of information or vast reading, by grade-grubbing, or other forms of one-upmanship.” (249) Rather, the key to foster an environment filled with relevant intellectual discussions and improve one’s skill in forming arguments is, as Graff points out, by making the students’ “nonacademic interests an object of academic study”. (250) By doing so, it will induce constructive arguments to be the source of competition rather than something superficial such as
In Grant Penrod’s, “Anti-Intellectualism: Why We Hate the Smart Kids” he describes to the reader why the majority of people hate the “nerds” and “geeks” in school. Penrod begins his argument by using high school as an example. The idea of anti-intellectualism is most commonly introduced in high school when the classifications of “geek” and “nerd” are used for the people who take academics seriously, and unfortunately get excluded from social activities. At the Mountain View High School the students and workers only recognized the football team for making it to state. Even though the school’s academic decathlon, science bowl team, and speech and debate team made it to state as well.
He asks the looming question "how long can America remain" and his opinion on the matter clearly lies under the surface. The atmosphere clearly relates to the main idea; the nerd group is a huge influence in our society, and we need to show appreciation to them. The author also clearly believes that the "US elementary schools and high schools" are the problem as compared to school in other countries. The atmosphere he set creates the mindset that the U.S. is the only country with this problem and that nerds are only severely mistreated here. He also uses instances in school, not just the social environment, to prove that nerds are always looked down on.
Traditions have been around for years, some being passed down from generation to generation while others are fairly new. Traditions explain why people act certain ways or why certain events happen. From academics, to cultures, to life, people follow their traditions because that is what they have always learned to do, reluctant to change the ways they have always lived. Many are scared of change, especially in traditions that have been around for so long, but changing traditional ways is inevitable because life is always changing. In “Project Classroom Makeover,” the author Cathy Davidson strongly supports changing the traditional education system because it is not keeping up with how modern students learn, with all these advances in technology
A memorable quote from this piece is “People who don’t fit this cultural ideal respond by disengaging and rebelling.” (Brooks 6) In this quote, Brooks is talking about how many boys fail to meet the standards the school system sets for success. When I read this I realized it could be compared to many things, the drug epidemic being one, especially in relation to adolescents. This can go many ways.
It was difficult getting to where I am currently with trying to understand who I was? And who I am? Why I was going through what I was going through? How to understand and interpret what felt almost alien. It wasn’t until after getting into the University of South Carolina as a Biology major that I knew that that wasn’t what I was meant to be doing.
The main argument is that perceived throughout the reading is that the schools itself is failing students. They see a student who may not have the greatest test scores or the best grades, and degrade them from the idea of being intellectual. Graff states, “We associate the educated life, the life of the mind, too narrowly and exclusively with subjects and texts that we consider inherently weighty and academic” (Graff 244). Schools need to channel the minds of street smart students and turn their work into something academic.
The diversity of student backgrounds, abilities and learning styles makes each person unique in the way he or she reacts to information. The intersection of diverse student backgrounds and active learning needs a comfortable, positive environment in which to take root. Dr. King continues by explaining, “Education which stops with efficiency may prove the greatest menace to society. The most dangerous criminal may be the man gifted with reason, but with no morals.” From back then to today’s society, kids are failing because they lack those morals that they need to succeed.