Summary Of Hidden Intellectualism By Gerald Graff

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In “Hidden Intellectualism”, Gerald Graff argues the difference between “book smarts” (intellectualism) and “street smarts.” Graff explains that some people take on different approaches and interests certain subjects not related to “book smarts”, such as sports, television, fashion, etc. Everyone has a variation of both “book” and “street” smarts, but one is more profound than the other in a person, thus making the other a form of “hidden intellectualism”. He then claims that intellectualism in someone is often belittled and labeled as being geeky. As a kid, he was afraid to show his intellectual side in fear that he would be bullied and made fun of. Graff then stresses the importance to teach kids this intellectualism because they might believe there is only one way to learn. He explains that kids can make an easier transition into more intellectual subjects than adults. …show more content…

Rose believes that any type of job, blue or white collar, deserves equal appreciation and respect. His mom, Rosie, was a waitress. Her job was to take orders, understand the time it took to cook each meal, and memorize where each order was taken. As a waitress, you must master all of those tasks with just little pay and long shifts. Rose talks about his Uncle Joe building up a career since he was in 9th grade. While working at General Motors, the “uneducated man” was able to redesign nozzles for cost and health and rotating his co-workers so everyone could get more frequent breaks. Both cases show that school education cannot solely identify a person’s degree of