--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The tragedy is that thinking men…" description: "\"“The tragedy is that thinking men, so-called intellectuals, seem to threaten the electorate. We have in this country an anti-intellectual strain that s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5e/myrna-loy-30027_american-politics_the-tragedy-is-that-thinking-men-so-call_2847580.jpg" --- # The tragedy is that thinking men, so-called intellectuals… ![“The tragedy is that thinking men, so-called intellectuals, seem to threaten the electorate. We have in this country an anti-intellectual strain that scares the bejesus out of me. Don't we want a bright man? Don't we want a creative man? Must we always have these hacks?” quote by Myrna Loy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5e/myrna-loy-30027_american-politics_the-tragedy-is-that-thinking-men-so-call_2847580.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5e/myrna-loy-30027_american-politics_the-tragedy-is-that-thinking-men-so-call_2847580.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5e/myrna-loy-30027_american-politics_the-tragedy-is-that-thinking-men-so-call_2847580.jpg) > ““The tragedy is that thinking men, so-called intellectuals, seem to threaten the electorate. We have in this country an anti-intellectual strain that scares the bejesus out of me. Don't we want a bright man? Don't we want a creative man? Must we always have these hacks?”” [Myrna Loy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myrna-loy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote warns that intellectuals are viewed with suspicion, creating an anti‑intellectual climate that hinders progress. **In simple terms:** People fear smart, creative thinkers. Key Takeaway Encourage respect for intellect. Themes intellectualism politics culture fear creativity Mood concerned critical Type political social When to use this quote - education policy - media coverage - public debates - leadership selection Key Concepts anti‑intellectualism public discourse elitism Questions to Reflect On - How can society value intellect without alienating voters? - What steps reduce anti‑intellectual bias? A Different Perspective The statement may overgeneralize and ignore benefits of diverse viewpoints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-politics/) [Anti Intellectual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anti-intellectual-304118/) [Anti-intellectualism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anti-intellectualism/) [Called Intellectuals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/called-intellectuals-2121429/) [Elections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elections/) [Intellectual Strain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectual-strain-3770466/) [Intellectuals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectuals/) [Intellectuals Threaten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectuals-threaten-3770465/) [Politicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politicians/) ## Related quotes > [There's a big anti-intellectual strain in the American south, and there always has been. We're not big on thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-tartt/there-s-a-big-anti-intellectual-strain-in-the-american-south-and/) [Donna Tartt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-tartt/) > [“And I wonder, therefore, how James Atlas can have been so indulgent in his recent essay ‘The Changing World of New York Intellectuals.’ This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/and-i-wonder-therefore-how-james-atlas-can-have-been-so-indulgent-in/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“People are called intellectuals because they're privileged. It's not because they're smart or they know a lot. There are plenty of people who know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/people-are-called-intellectuals-because-they-re-privileged-it-s-not/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [ That is \[Edward Said\] proposal as to how the term should be used. It surely does not describe those who are called "intellectuals" in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/that-is-edward-said-proposal-as-to-how-the-term-should-be-used-it/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I think that those of us who are what are called intellectuals make a terrible mistake in overvaluing the yen we have for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-anderson/i-think-that-those-of-us-who-are-what-are-called-intellectuals-make-a/) [Sherwood Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-anderson/) > [ “Exilic Intellectuals 1 "It is part of morality not to be at home in one's home." —Theodore W. Adorno "\[I am\] the outlander, not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/exilic-intellectuals-1-it-is-part-of-morality-not-to-be-at-home-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I know of people whose actions and words I admire and respect. Some are called "intellectuals," some are not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-know-of-people-whose-actions-and-words-i-admire-and-respect-some/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The so-called intellectuals don't like my films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohit-shetty/the-so-called-intellectuals-don-t-like-my-films/) [Rohit Shetty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohit-shetty/) > [There are many non-intellectual countries; Australia is one of the few anti-intellectual ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/there-are-many-non-intellectual-countries-australia-is-one-of-the-few/) [George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/) > [The species of anti-Enlightenment religion we find among evangelical protestants is far more impoverished, anti-intellectual and downright wretched.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-w-wood/the-species-of-anti-enlightenment-religion-we-find-among-evangelical/) [Allen W. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-w-wood/) > [I'm not interested in the fact that a writer may label himself as being intellectual or anti-intellectual. l'm really interested in the stuff he's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/i-m-not-interested-in-the-fact-that-a-writer-may-label-himself-as/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [“Anti-intellectual resentment is common in all of American life and it has many diverse expressions. Refusing to draft college players might have been one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/anti-intellectual-resentment-is-common-in-all-of-american-life-and-it/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [We live in what may be the most anti-intellectual period in the history of Western civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/we-live-in-what-may-be-the-most-anti-intellectual-period-in-the/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [Americans are genuinely and profoundly anti-intellectual. They are especially so in their pleasure-seeking, which is epically banal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ball/americans-are-genuinely-and-profoundly-anti-intellectual-they-are/) [Jesse Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ball/) > [It only takes a day to change someone from an anti-intellectual to an intellectual by persuading him that he might be one!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-land/it-only-takes-a-day-to-change-someone-from-an-anti-intellectual-to-an/) [Edwin Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-land/) ## More by Myrna Loy > [I never enjoyed my work more than when I worked with William Powell. He was a brilliant actor, a delightful companion, a great friend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myrna-loy/i-never-enjoyed-my-work-more-than-when-i-worked-with-william-powell/) [Myrna Loy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myrna-loy/) > [I was glamorous because of magicians like George Folsey, James Wong Howe, Oliver Marsh, Ray June, and all those other great cinematographers. I trusted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myrna-loy/i-was-glamorous-because-of-magicians-like-george-folsey-james-wong/) [Myrna Loy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myrna-loy/) > [I was a homely kid with freckles that came out every spring and stuck on me till Christmas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myrna-loy/i-was-a-homely-kid-with-freckles-that-came-out-every-spring-and-stuck/) [Myrna Loy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myrna-loy/) > [They say the movies should be more like life; I think life should be more like the movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myrna-loy/they-say-the-movies-should-be-more-like-life-i-think-life-should-be/) [Myrna Loy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myrna-loy/) > [ When I think of \[my relationship with Gable\], considering the way it started, it was curious. We became devoted to each other. We weren't… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myrna-loy/when-i-think-of-my-relationship-with-gable-considering-the-way-it/) [Myrna Loy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myrna-loy/) > [If you're bored in New York, it's your own fault.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myrna-loy/if-you-re-bored-in-new-york-it-s-your-own-fault/) [Myrna Loy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myrna-loy/) > [Most of the sex I've seen on the screen looks like an expression of hostility towards sex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myrna-loy/most-of-the-sex-i-ve-seen-on-the-screen-looks-like-an-expression-of/) [Myrna Loy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myrna-loy/) > [Life is not about having and getting. It's about being and becoming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myrna-loy/life-is-not-about-having-and-getting-it-s-about-being-and-becoming/) [Myrna Loy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myrna-loy/) > [“We always used to celebrate together at the end of a picture. Clark insisted on it. Maybe we’d include the director, maybe not. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myrna-loy/we-always-used-to-celebrate-together-at-the-end-of-a-picture-clark/) [Myrna Loy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myrna-loy/) > [Life, is not a having and a getting, but a being and a becoming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myrna-loy/life-is-not-a-having-and-a-getting-but-a-being-and-a-becoming/) [Myrna Loy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myrna-loy/) > [I got rid of all those reporters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myrna-loy/i-got-rid-of-all-those-reporters/) [Myrna Loy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myrna-loy/) > [Why does every black person in the movies have to play a servant? How about a black person walking up the steps of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myrna-loy/why-does-every-black-person-in-the-movies-have-to-play-a-servant-how/) [Myrna Loy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myrna-loy/) > [I think that carrying on a life that is meant to be private in public is a breach of taste, common sense, and mental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myrna-loy/i-think-that-carrying-on-a-life-that-is-meant-to-be-private-in-public/) [Myrna Loy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myrna-loy/) > [I admire some of the people on the screen today, but most of them look like everybody else. In our day we had individuality.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myrna-loy/i-admire-some-of-the-people-on-the-screen-today-but-most-of-them-look/) [Myrna Loy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myrna-loy/) > [Some perfect wife I am. I've been married four times, divorced four times, have no children, and can't boil an egg.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myrna-loy/some-perfect-wife-i-am-i-ve-been-married-four-times-divorced-four/) [Myrna Loy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myrna-loy/) [Explore all 17 Myrna Loy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myrna-loy/) ## More American politics quotes > [Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has taken American politics by storm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-hannity/republican-presidential-candidate-donald-trump-has-taken-american/) [Sean Hannity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hannity/) > [Here's the point - and Jonah Goldberg reminds us of this. He wrote a blog post that was titled "The MacGuffinization of American Politics."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/here-s-the-point-and-jonah-goldberg-reminds-us-of-this-he-wrote-a/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Hart is still like that little tub of vaguely milklike gunk that comes with airline coffee. It is labeled a "nondairy" product. Fine: we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/hart-is-still-like-that-little-tub-of-vaguely-milklike-gunk-that/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [The only thing we have to fear is fear itself-and possibly teh bogey man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-paulsen/the-only-thing-we-have-to-fear-is-fear-itself-and-possibly-teh-bogey/) [Pat Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-paulsen/) > [Would anyone else like to say anything nice about women?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/would-anyone-else-like-to-say-anything-nice-about-women/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [We are creating a political demolition derby, not a presidential debate. Those strange impulses in the American soul that have produced mud wrestling and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-sidey/we-are-creating-a-political-demolition-derby-not-a-presidential/) [Hugh Sidey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-sidey/) > [For even the most seasoned observers of American politics, Barack Obama is a phenomenon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lammy/for-even-the-most-seasoned-observers-of-american-politics-barack/) [David Lammy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lammy/) > [“The CIA is behind it all. That’s the conclusion of Mae Brussell—one of America’s foremost assassination experts—a researcher who has collected every pertinent newspaper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-brussell/the-cia-is-behind-it-all-that-s-the-conclusion-of-mae-brussell-one-of/) [Mae Brussell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-brussell/) > [We picked their cotton. We cooked their food. We nursed their babies. Now we can run their cities. We can run their states. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/we-picked-their-cotton-we-cooked-their-food-we-nursed-their-babies/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [You know, compromise can't be a dirty word in American politics. There's plenty to argue about. Trump administration is still talking about ridiculous tax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/you-know-compromise-can-t-be-a-dirty-word-in-american-politics-there/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [In his study of Atlanta over the last 60 years, Kevin Kruse convincingly describes the critical connections between race, Sun Belt suburbanization, the rise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-carter/in-his-study-of-atlanta-over-the-last-60-years-kevin-kruse/) [Dan Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-carter/) > [Affirming belief that America is an exceptional nation has become a test of patriotism in American politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/affirming-belief-that-america-is-an-exceptional-nation-has-become-a/) [Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/) > [ \[Ronald\] Reagan had an agenda, three agenda items. George W. Bush had some. But \[Donald\] Trump, because people weren't listening, Trump has the longest… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/ronald-reagan-had-an-agenda-three-agenda-items-george-w-bush-had-some/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [The good news is that the president gets another chance. The bad news is that he'll be two weeks older.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-carson/the-good-news-is-that-the-president-gets-another-chance-the-bad-news/) [Johnny Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-carson/) > [You can never underestimate the ability of the Democrats to wet their finger and hold it in the wind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/you-can-never-underestimate-the-ability-of-the-democrats-to-wet-their/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) [Browse all 412 American politics quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-politics/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The tragedy is that thinking men, so-called intellectuals, seem to threaten the electorate. We have in this country an anti-intellectual strain that scares the bejesus out of me. Don't we want a bright man? Don't we want a creative man? 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