Being unintelligent used to be something to be ashamed of in polite society. Society is becoming less polite. This cycle has repeated throughout history. There

Being unintelligent used to be something to be ashamed of in polite society. Society is becoming less polite. This cycle has repeated throughout history. There's even a name for it. The infliction point is when it becomes more advantageous - or even necessary for survival - to self censor. Have you felt in recent years less and less inclined to argue with people? That is intellectualism being driven out of public discourse.