Who is your favorite intellectual?

[noname223]

I feel pretty unstable and I try to save energy. So I will write less today.
I think many public intellectuals receive a little bit too much attention. Sometimes there are cults around them.
There is also the debate whether public intellectuals are rather self-centred and they are not doing it for finding truth or knowledge instead for fame and recognition.

Slavoj Zizek: interesting economical and philosophical stances. I don't agree with all of his opinions.

David Foster Wallace: Interesting deep thoughts on postmodernism, the American way of life, entertainment industry, contrarian takes

A German one: Herfried Münkler very interesting thoughts on politics and history. One of my main sources on the Ukraine war. Moreover I recently listened to Timothy Snyder. Both have a lot of expertise in this instance.

Other people: Karl Popper he has contributed a lot to science and its principles. Noam Chomsky - always interesting thoughts anti-mainstream to the US press and wars.

Daniel Kahneman on human biases. Great accomplishments and very impressive results

Do you have some? Of course I could name way more but these were the ones I had in mind recently.

 

[Sulyya]

I feel like they usually let me down in one way or another so I don't really have a favourite I guess. Good reminder to me each time that no one is flawless, and worth mentioning that they'd each obviously steamroll me in any debate on any topic anyway. When it comes to public intellectuals I guess I prefer seeing them get roasted lol

But I only know a couple of these people from your post, so that's a new starting point or two maybe.

 

[bobosanogo]

I appreciate DFW a lot, many of his views push me to consider my place in the world and society.

 

[Ultracheese]

I'm very skeptical of the idea of intellectuals as public figures. I share a lot of your concerns about the "cultification" of intellectuals. I'm very fearful of the idea that knowledge and profound thought will be commodified, though I think in some ways they already have. I will have to check out a lot of the people you mention. I enjoy a lot of DFW's work, but I am more privy to the philosophical ideas of an artist or creator like Wallace, than just a "regular philosopher", whatever that means. I'm unable to explain why I have this mindset besides a general skepticism of academics.

But now I'm getting off topic! My favorite intellectual is, without a doubt, @noname223.

 

[noname223]

I'm very skeptical of the idea of intellectuals as public figures. I share a lot of your concerns about the "cultification" of intellectuals. I'm very fearful of the idea that knowledge and profound thought will be commodified, though I think in some ways they already have. I will have to check out a lot of the people you mention. I enjoy a lot of DFW's work, but I am more privy to the philosophical ideas of an artist or creator like Wallace, than just a "regular philosopher", whatever that means. I'm unable to explain why I have this mindset besides a general skepticism of academics.

But now I'm getting off topic! My favorite intellectual is, without a doubt, @noname223.

Thank you very much for that compliment @Ultracheese ! You know how to make me grin :)
I agree with your concern about the commodification of knowledge.
Many scientists are skeptical of popular science and public intellectuals because they fear it is more about the show and attention.

You also very often share thoughtful and deep insights. Thank you much for that and for your kindness!

Hugs and love :)

And by the way: Sorry I realized it too late I already made a thread exactly with this name. However I like this one more. Did not feel good yesterday so I forgot to check it.

 

[Forever Sleep]

Maybe I'm too stupid to know what a true intellectual is but I admire Stephen Fry and Christopher Hitchens.