Comparing Intelligence In Blue Collar Brilliance By David Foster Wallace And Mike Rose
Allen Mangan
Section 11
Ms. Cara Dees
10-1-14
Explanatory Synthesis
What does it mean to be truly intelligent? Is intelligence simply book smarts, an understanding of facts, or the ability to graduate with honors from a prestigious university? Or is intelligence something much deeper and personal? Authors David Foster Wallace and Mike Rose both address the topic of intelligence in their writing, and they speak to this very question. In “Kenyon Commencement Speech,” Wallace addresses intelligence as more than making good grades in a prestigious liberal arts university, suggesting that the essence of learning is more than soaking in facts. In “Blue Collar Brilliance,” Rose writes about the significance of the “demands of both mind and body”
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For Wallace, intelligence is defined as having an awareness of the world that is not “limited by perception through a self-centered point of view” (202). Wallace suggests that well-adjusted intelligence is characterized by the ability to choose how one perceives the world and what is thought about in the midst of life’s day-to-day routines. Being able to choose what to think and having the ability to see the world without “oneself as the center of the universe” provides one with the awareness that Wallace calls intelligence. …show more content…
Is formal education necessary to achieve true intelligence, or is it even important? Wallace believes formal education is a great tool that can aid in expanding the mind and help change ones perception. He suggests that formal education can teach one how to think and help one obtain a worldview from a neutral, unselfish standpoint. To Wallace, this is key in terms of intellect. For Rose, formal education doesn’t carry the same weight as real-life experience when it comes to developing intelligence. He believes experience in any given field is enough to provide you with the tools necessary to acquire high levels of intellect and proficiency in that particular field. He provides examples such as his mother, who dropped out of school in the 7th grade but in good time, learned the skills necessary to be an excellent waitress, all due to the experiences she had been through in the field (Rose- 245). In conclusion, it is evidence such as this that supports Rose’s
Summary Of Mike Rose's Blue Collar Brilliance
843 Words | 4 PagesThat just basically states that more skills are used at the blue collar job level than at the white collar job level. I think Mike Rose was successful in being persuasive when he wrote this. I think he was successful because he not only states the jobs that require extra learning in the essay but he uses his own connection. He put his mother in the essay and talks about her work life and he puts in his uncle’s work life and talks about his transition to a higher position and the problems he had.
Rhetorical Analysis Of Blue Collar Brilliance
698 Words | 3 Pages“Intelligence is closely associated with formal education- the type of schooling a person has, how much and how long- and most people seem to move comfortably from that notion to a belief that work requiring less schooling requires less intelligence” (Rose). What Rose is trying to infer is that just because you are labeled blue collar: meaning you have to earn your income from manual labor, and have lack of educational knowledge, does not mean you cannot earn the knowledge in your work career. There are many opportunities to learn from your job even if you are less experienced. “...One who is so intelligent about so many things in life seems unable to apply that intelligence to academic work.
Blue Collar Brilliance Mark Rose Analysis
776 Words | 4 PagesMike Rose disagrees with the assumption that “Intelligence is closely associated with formal education” (Mike, 247). Formal education does not always measure the level of intelligence of a person. Education as something people can gain not only in school, but every day of their lives. We should be learning from our experiences, and apply this knowledge to our everyday lives. Wisdom should not be looked at as just
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870 Words | 4 PagesDavid Foster Wallace is an American writer. He spoke at the Kenyon Commencement Address in 2005, where he gave a speech to the graduating class of the year. David tells the graduates of Kenyon College what the true meaning of a liberal arts degree is, and how they should go about finding it. David Foster Wallace’s appeals to credibility, emotion and logical reasoning in his speech – “This Is Water” – to strengthen the idea that the meaning of education is learning how and what to think, independently.
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Blue Collar Brilliance Summary
1095 Words | 5 PagesIn "Blue-Collar Brilliance" Mike Rose Shares his perspective on how education is not Intelligence. He lets us know how growing up he was around a bunch of Blue-Collar workers himself, and how intelligence is not based on the education you have but what you can Develop on your own from just being open minded. He explains to use how blue-collar jobs take a toll on both body and mind. He believes that you don't need to be taught things to develop intelligence that your intelligence comes from within. He shared the different stories of blue-collar workers life that he experience such as his mother and his uncle to help us see that even if you don't have a high education and a college degree you can still become a successful.
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1073 Words | 5 PagesHaving an opportunity of practical intelligence is important for achieving success because people can change the situation to their desire by using practical intelligence. Even though asserting oneself is also an important requirement to succeed by appealing with confidence, better results of asserting yourself are guaranteed through capability of practical intelligence which is the ability to knows what, when, and how to say. In chapter 4 of Outliers, practical intelligence is mentioned as a key to success. For example, there is a case of Chris Langan and Robert Oppenheimer in outliers that shows the importance of practical intelligence. Even though they both have high IQ, Robert Oppenheimer succeed, but Chris Langan does not.
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592 Words | 3 PagesHe also points out that people assume less time in school means that a person is less intelligent. First in Rose’s article he starts telling his personal experiences as a foundation for his claims to conceive the emotional effect towards the blue-collar workers. He writes about his family members to
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1238 Words | 5 PagesIntellectualism is the factor of being intellect or intelligent. The idea of what it means to be educated can be interpreted many different ways by different people. Some think it’s having a 4.0 and going to Harvard, while others believe in the idea of having common sense. In the essay, “Hidden Intellectualism,” Gerald Graff reflects how lack of education is viewed negatively in society. On top of that, a question also lies what it means to educated.
Blue Collar Brilliance Essay
653 Words | 3 PagesPeople believe students who go to college have intelligence more than students who’s in the work field after high school. UCLA Professor Mike Rose explain intelligence should not be measure by the level of school students completed and students can be successful in the work field or without finish school. In fact, Rose used his mother as an example of students might have intelligence without finish school. For instance, his mother drop off school in middle school who is a waitress at the coffee shop she has intelligence to memorize all the customer. According to Rose “he observe and studied the working habits of blue-collar job workers and have come to
The War On Stupid People Analysis
265 Words | 2 PagesIn the article, “The War on Stupid People”, Freedman depicted the emphasis the society has placed on determining or facilitating human capacity has failed the less intelligent people. Freedman detailed his argument by providing evidence on how intelligence played a huge role in employment opportunities and academic performance. Moreover, he illustrated the issue of the economically disadvantaged/less intelligent, the current approach is flawed in the favoring the intelligent. He asserted with the evolution of the view of intelligence to the point as becoming a detrimental measure for human worth. He developed his main message by first established a neutral tone by providing statistical evidence of what a significant role intelligence has played,
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