Gerald Graff Hidden Intellectualism Summary

Academic VS Cultural Intellectualism

In Gerald Graff’s essay Hidden Intellectualism; he criticizes those who do not put appropriate value into "street smarts." Graff persists that knowledge extends further than academic learning and carries into the everyday life. He writes about some of his precollege experiences with being as a “nonintellectual” due to his lack of interest in academic literary subjects. Graff also discusses how his interest in sports actually led him into academic intellectualism as an adult. Graff’s theses that intellectualism should not be restricted to just the “intellectual” academic subjects but instead should include popular interests of students into academic studies. Graff effectively debates that his childhood conversations with his friends are
actually helpful for students to develop analyzing, debating, community skills.

Even though Graff thought he did not “dig the intellectual bit”, he later realized he was already practicing to be an intellectual, “I see now that the interminable analysis of sports teams, movies, and toughness that my friends and I engaged in – a type of analysis” (300). After realizing how his conversations helped, Graff establish, the idea that "the sports world was more compelling than school because it was more intellectual than school, not less" (301). Graff implores the reader to utilize popular topics of interest that are unconnected to school and look at them "through academic eyes" (302) Graff effectively conveys the idea of taking street smart themes and converting them into intellectual debates.

Using popular culture themes such as sports and jock vs geek was how Graff developed his debating skills during his conversations with friends.
He says, “I see now that the interminable analysis of sports teams, movies, and toughness that my friends and I engaged in – a type of analysis…” (300). Integrating cultural and academic subjects, students can amplify their educational horizons. Graff's theory of street smarts is enormously useful since it brings to light the ongoing issue of social life being excluded from academic curriculum; however, this is not to say that street smarts are more important than academic knowledge. Graff argues that these subjects should be seen through "academic eyes," If students receive the opportunity to study and write on topics of interest to them, it would enable more students to attain more benefits in the classroom and provide an opportunity to learn about subjects related to their social and personal lives with his statement, “I began to learn the rudiments of the intellectual life: how to make an argument, weigh different kinds of evidence, move between particulars, and enter a conversation about ideas”, which can lead to a strong national community
(300).

Graff believes “street smarts” also build stronger communities, “They also satisfy the thirst for community” (301). Since sports is a huge part of society, learning to debate them intellectually only builds a tight nit national community by giving people more ways to connect. Graff makes this clear when he says, “When you enter sports debates, you become part of a community that was not limited to your family and friends, but was national and public.” (301). In addition, Graff states that schoolwork only isolates students from others, but with the ability to debate and discuss sports intellectually only bring people closer together while refining their intellectual minds.

In conclusion, Graff expresses an effective way to utilize schoolwork and social activities to better satisfy the intellectual and cultural needs of the student. He gives adequate supporting evidence which leaves the reader contemplating his valid points. Because of his well supported arguments, the reader is left with the idea that both academic and cultural intellectualism are equally important in the education of a student.