Grant Penrod's Summary

Grant Penrod makes the argument that academic achievement should be rewarded just as much if not more than athletic achievement. Penrod believes that nerds are disliked because of their intellectualism, yet the reason they are excluded from social activity is due to a self-fulfilling prediction. He shares with us that today’s society tends to glorify non-intellectuals, such as athletes and celebrities, while the intellectually skilled individuals get left on the sidelines with little recognition for their accomplishments. Most high schools contribute to anti-intellectualism. Several people will not remember who the valedictorian in their graduating class was, but they will most likely remember the star quarterback. Public figures, like celebrities, that drop out of school or athletes who are successful because of their skills, make society question if you need to be smart to be successful. High schools are one of the places anti-intellectualism initiates. Most high school prize their athletic team, while they forget about their …show more content…
Penrod states, The Presidents reputation as a C student is widely promoted and his public speeches hardly dismissed his intellectual image. We do not know if the President was actually a “C” student throughout his whole education, as Penrod does not specify. Also the President could have problems with public speaking. He is a public figure and anyone can get nervous, especially him since he has to address the whole nation. I do not believe the President contributes to anti-intellectualism. To have such an important role in leading our country, one has to be smart and ready to make decisions. Not everyone can become a President, it takes a lot of strive and intelligence. Anti-intellectualism is supported by most public figures but not