Gifted Education in an Age of Anti-intellectualism: What Is Anti-intellectualism and what Is to Be Done About It?

Anti-intellectualism, aimed especially at intellectual elites, is rampant today and seems to be on the increase as more and more governments, especially authoritarian ones, attack those who they believe pose the greatest threat to their power—namely, those who think critically, creatively, and dare to oppose them. Gifted children must be educated for the challenges they will face in the world. This article describes components of anti-intellectualism, including personality, attitudinal, cognitive, and emotional components. Virus-like memes can infect people and lead them to feel enmity toward intellectually gifted individuals. Suggestions are made for combating anti-intellectualism. We, as educators of the gifted, need to prepare gifted individuals for the anti-intellectual challenges they will face and how the gifted can combat them.