John Mcwhorter's The Cult Of Anti-Intellectualism

In John McWhorter’s essay, “The Cult of Anti-Intellectualism,” McWhorter discusses his reasoning on why black anti-intellectualism is a result of victimology and separatism. McWhorter believes victimology, separatism, and anti-intellectualism are three causes of this lack of progression. Throughout his essay, he gives relevant arguments about the lack of progression of black America. Pointing the finger at the black community, this essay paints a picture of defeat in fatalism that threatens to keep African Americans from advancement.
McWhorter began his argument about the failure of African Americans to achieve academic success by first attributing that one of the causes is Victimology. According to McWhorter in paragraph one, “Victimology determined the

niggardly episode….”(273) Through this statement McWhorter is stating, African Americans would rather play victim than acknowledge progress.

African Americans tend to use the “n word” freely but tend to find it offensive when individuals of other backgrounds do the same. Africans Americans use white privilege as a way to victimize themselves when it comes to the workplace, education, and society. McWhorter introduces the idea that black Americans would rather be victims. It is easier blame others than to actually address and solve the issue. The odds are not the favor of African American students and this is exactly what should fuel the fire rather than be a safety blanket to hide in whenever something goes terribly wrong. McWhorter proceeds his argument by explaining how “the cult of separatism,” plays a role in holding African-Americans back. McWhorter points out that African Americans have the tendency to isolate themselves from other races and only support authorities that can build black America stronger. Other races may view historical black colleges and universities as racist.

They may also see these schools as form of segregation giving the primary role of historical black colleges and universities. As it relates to Separatism, this is an example of the form self-protection and engagement in activities that are for blacks McWhorter is talking about. More often than not, young African Americans applying for college are persuaded in the black community to apply and attend hbcus due to the quality of treatments and the isolation of lack of opportunities that may not be available at predominantly white institutions.
McWhorter ends his argument by discussing how anti-intellectualism contributes to the lack of progression of African Americans. “Many discussions of this issue propose that black students are “afraid” to do well in school because of fears of rejection.”(278) McWhorter’s viewpoint suggests that African Americans perform poorly on a scholarly level due to cultural traits. For example, some African-American youth from low class African-American communities may be faced with the dilemma of anti-intellectualism by trying to better themselves. The communities these youth may come from may view higher learning as rare and the youth that are trying to better themselves may be looked at as outcast for trying to better themselves because this isn't the norm.
Are African Americans using race and injustices as an excuse of not excelling in America? McWhorter answers the question through out his phenomenal essay, “The Cult of Anti-Intellectualism.” His three points being victimology, separatism, and anti-intellectualism. McWhorter presents very valid points that only the black community has the ability to change. It all began with highlighting the problem, those problems being McWhorters three points. Pessimism threatens to hold black America back. When black America removes victimology, separatism, and anti-intellectualism as accepting ways in the black culture, only then will African Americans progress.