In Gerald Graff’s Hidden Intellectualism, the former professor of English and Education discusses the many fallacies associated with the ideas of intellectualism amongst today’s society. Graff argues that there is an alternative form of intellectualism aside from the traditional academic definition. This form of intellectualism remains hidden under the usual discussions that concern fashion, sports, dating, and many other typical aspects of everyday life. Although it is not usually recognized, there is great value in intellectualism of all sorts; unfortunately, society only deems the “great minds” textbooks and classroom materials as valuable lessons for students to learn. Graff hopes to incorporate hidden intellectualism topics into the classroom through “progressivism educational methods” that in return will help students think and debate argumentatively. …show more content…
He dedicates his epiphany to the seemingly unimportant sports conversations with his friends. This typical boy talk contributed to Graff’s realization that he was an intellectual, just a different type. The discussions that he engaged in as an adolescent actually trained him on how to create an argument, to consider different types of evidence, to advance beyond generalizations, to compile the views of others, and to involve himself in conversations that concerned different ideas (pg 267). However, many adolescents feel discouraged to bring their “street smarts” to the typical school setting. Graff believes that we, as a society, associate “street smarts” with being an anti-intellectual. As stated in the text, “We associate the educated life too narrowly and exclusively with subjects and texts that we consider weighty and academic,” (pg