To the Editor:
I am writing in response to Daniel Hogins '98's article about anti-intellectualism at Dartmouth. I agree with his main point, that Dartmouth students generally revolt against intellectualism; however, I believe that we do this not because we do not want to think, but rather because we already do think and feel no need to be pseudo intellectual about it.
Dartmouth is arguably the best college in the world (hey, I'm a devoted alum!), so it is inconceivable that its students lose all deep thought once they leave the classrooms. However, I find that Dartmouth students are refreshingly modest about their intelligence. While students at other unnamed colleges attempt to impress the world with their education, Dartmouth students instead do impress the world with their grounded conversation.
During my four years at Dartmouth, I had conversations about topics ranging from the Civil War to Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet Overture in places as diverse as fraternities (yes, fraternities!) and racquetball courts. We would start off discussing World War II, slip into a conversation about German food and the relief of Lui Lui, and then shift gears to mythology and the Epic of Gilgamesh. More simply put, we could talk about intellectual subjects, but in an unintellectual, non-presumptuous way. We were not pseudo intellectual.
Other college students talk about what they learned; Dartmouth students discuss it. Therefore, I would argue that Dartmouth students are so comfortable with their intelligence and education that they enjoy sharing it, rather than displaying it.
