"Attack of Literacy"

Posted by Matt StaggsI’m fond of this t-shirt. I’m a sucker for any sort of remix of 1950’s classic horror and science fiction imagery, but I especially like the not-too-pleasant message underneath this particular homage: reading and the pursuit of intellectual goals are both undesirable things in the popular culture of the United States, and that’s scary to me.The rejection of the intellect is supported and reinforced through all manner of pop culture archetypes, from the imagery of the nerd with thick glasses and a sackful of books to the effete cultural elitist who stands in the way of our protagonist, Mr. Joe Common, in popular movies.I’m having a hard time thinking of any heroes from popular movies or television who are both well-read and competent, likable men or women. The closest that popular culture comes to this sort of combination is seen in “acceptable” intellectual weirdos like mad scientists and doddering professors - at best supporting characters who hamper and enable the common hero at equal turns. I strongly classify the recent spate of quasi-scientific crime programs as part of this trend: the more competent and intellectually strong the men and women in the labs are, the less socially adept they appear.Even when the creators of popular entertainment move forward with a smart hero, they often choose to represent him or her in an unrealistic manner. Let’s face it, Indiana Jones is entirely unlike any archaeologist you’re likely to ever meet, and even he’s better at using his whip, fist and gun than his educational and intellectual gifts.As well as serving as reinforcement for these sorts of cultural ideals, the anti-intellectualization seen in popular culture may also be so strong because it reflects the strengths and means of the average viewer. While one can hardly blame an advertising driven medium like television for attempting to reach the lowest common denominator, providing a mirror reflection like this creates a sort of negative feedback loop: why bother to strengthen the mind when my heroes say its unnecessary, and why create smart heroes when there’s no audience?I’d love to hear your thoughts. Can you tell me about some smart heroes that might not fit any of the above categories? Who are your favorites from any medium: books, movies, comics?