After I finished reading Gerald Graff's essay, Hidden Intellectualism, I found myself agreeing with the idea that intellectualism is not, and should not, be measured purely by "academic" means. "Street smarts" and "book smarts" are put at odds by Mr. Graff, and according to his writing, the rest of our culture. The essay attempts to make the assertion that at the heart of "real" intellectualism is the ability to turn almost any subject matter into something interesting, or even more important, a way to connect to the world and a community where the discussion is important. The theme of this essay involves the writer's own internal struggle with his personal history, along with the failing of our education system to bring out the best in students, using material in which they show real interest. …show more content…
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