My rating: 2 of 5 stars

A dozen people picked at random on the street are at least as likely to offer sensible views on moral and political matters as a cross-section of the intelligentsia. But I would go further. One of the principal lessons of our tragic century, which has seen so many millions of innocent lives sacrificed in schemes to improve the lot of humanity, is – – beware intellectuals. Not merely should they be kept well away from the levers of power, they should also be objects of particular suspicion when they seek to offer collective advice. Beware committees, conferences and leagues of intellectuals. Distrust public statements issued from their serried ranks. Discount their verdicts on political leaders and important events. For intellectuals, far from being highly individualistic and non-conformist people, follow certain regular patterns of behavior. Taking as a group, they are often ultra conformist within the circles formed by those whose approval they seek and value.

The quote above is on the last page of the author’s book and is his conclusion based on his review of the lives of many people that could be classified as “Intellectuals.” Those coming under his inspections include Rousseau, Bertrand Russell, Lillian Hellman, Sartre, Ernest Hemingway, Norman Mailer and others. He finds them wanting and points out their particular foibles, weaknesses and sins. Some were actually not so smart at all or what they were reputedly to be. Many were not very good human beings treating the public, friends and family members poorly. Many were inconsistent in their political and philosophical views and proven to be wrong in their opinions. Rousseau, Russell, Hemingway and Mailer were womanizers and treated their wives shabbily. Being a great writer does not translate into being good with money, family life, healthy habits and smart living.

Johnson’s point is that these people may not deserve the pedestal that history or conventional thinking has placed them. They may not be as smart or as notable as they may consider themselves.

Interesting perspectives on interesting people…reads like a National Enquirer expose on the intelligentsia.



View all my reviews