Where Have All the Intellectuals Gone? Confronting 21st Century Philistinism [Hardcover]

Frank Furedi (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 2004

The Intellectual is an endangered species. In place of such figures as Bertrand Russell, Raymond Williams or Hannah Arendt - people with genuine learning, breadth of vision and a concern for public issues - we now have only facile pundits, think-tank apologists, and spin doctors. In the age of the knowledge economy, we have somehow managed to combine the widest ever participation in higher education with the most dumbed-down of cultures. In this urgent and passionate book, Frank Furedi explains the essential contribution of intellectuals both to culture and to democracy - and why we need to recreate a public sphere in which intellectuals and the general public can talk to each other again.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'Where Have all the Intellectuals Gone?', described by former Oxford don Terry Eagleton as a 'virtually important book', is a short and sharp critique of the way in which intellectual life has been degraded....Furedi's book has been welcomed by serious thinkers on both sides of the political divide, such as Eagleton on the left and philosopher Roger Scruton on the right."

~ Spiked Culture, Down with 21st Century Philistinism, Brendan O'Neill

Article by Frank Furedi on the teaching of history and title mention in Daily Telegraph

(Daily Telegraph, The )

'Furedi is excellent on the dumbing-down of a culture which as more education than ever but less value for ideas and critical discrimination.'

~ Tribune Books, Unite against the Philistines, Nov 2004

'Frank Furedi is one the the most incisive critics of the bureaucracy that has spread like dry rot through the university sector. He is also a tireless campaigner against the philistinism that infects academia....it is so good to have someone such as Furedi campaigning against form-filling and management crassness. He is eminently readable' ~The Times High, Is 'dumbing down' really 'reaching up'?, Gary Day, Dec 2004

(The Times Higher Education Supplement )

Article on Furedi's Book ~ Tribune Books, Feb 2005.

Article on the 'dumbing down' of history. Title mention. ~ Sunday Times, Sept 2004

Article discussing debate occuring at Warwick University Arts Centre. Title mention. ~ The Guardian, 10 May 2005

(Chris Arnot The Guardian )

Article discussing debate occuring at Warwick University Arts Centre. Title mention. ~ The Guardian, 10 May 2005

(, The Guardian ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

Frank Furedi is reader in Sociology at the University of Kent. His previous books include Culture of Fear (Continuum), Paranoid Parenting (Penguin) and Therapy Culture (Routledge).

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Continuum International Publishing Group (July 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0826467695
• ISBN-13: 978-0826467690
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,731,165 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wake Up Call for Bright People Everywhere, October 9, 2005

By 

Tanya Abramovitch "The Library Girl" (Montreal, QC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Where Have All the Intellectuals Gone? Confronting 21st Century Philistinism (Hardcover)

I ordered two copies of this book the minute I heard of it: one for myself, and one for the public library where I select the non-fiction titles. If I could afford it, I'd sent one to every intelligent person I know, for not only is Furedi dead-on in his assessments of the impoverished state of intellectual life today, his plea resonates with those who should be contributing to public knowledge and debate, but don't.

After ripping through this short but poignant volume, I felt giddy with inspiration, as did every single other person I suggested this book to. If the author sought to fill those empty cafe chairs, he has succeeded brilliantly.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Topic (although a bit dry at times)., July 13, 2006

By 

Brent Fulgham (Ventura, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Where Have All the Intellectuals Gone? Confronting 21st Century Philistinism (Hardcover)

Frank Furedi's book is a wake up call to intellectuals, and a discussion of the demise of intellectual activities in modern society. His observation that cultural relativism and fear of elitism has reaped a harvest of "I'm OK, you're OK" ratings systems that are ultimately meaningless.

Rather than coddle the masses, treating them as brainless chattle, we should reinvigorate the reach for greatness so that society as a whole can benefit. If we attempt to protect everyone from feelings of inadequacy, we end up rearing generations of lackluster performers.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Necessary Theory for Explanation Already Exists, June 25, 2010

By 

L. Kurt Engelhart "Social critic" (Yountville, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Where Have All the Intellectuals Gone?: Confronting 21st Century Philistinism (Paperback)

A few authors have had an effect on the public mind that far outweighs their formal recognition. One of these is Karl Marx; another relevant here is Thorstein Veblen. Veblen's Theory of the Leisure Class is an almost perfect explanation for the very valid observations that Furedi describes about the demise of intellectuality. Whether or not you approve of Veblen's conclusions, you can see his theory at work in Furedi's description of the condescension the privileged currently show for the "common people." While Furedi may be accurate in his characterization of the privileged as simply trying to maintain their status, Veblen shows that this is their only recourse. The privileged did not make this world, nor can the current holders of that status be held completely responsible for existing conditions. Veblen shows how it all came about, whether we like it or not. To a certain extent, Furedi's critics are correct in accusing him of wannabe elitism.

Both of these authors offer us an alternative: either we can keep it like it is, or we can change it. Unfortunately, changing it may be as long a project as that of getting us where we are.