Do We Still Need intellectuals?

“Do we still need intellectuals?” That’s the question posed by Alberto Brevini, professor of literature at the University of Bergamo in a volume published by Raffaello Cortina Editore dedicated to the “crisis in cultural authority”. The book examines the transformations in the relationship between elites and the population in the many and different views of social media users. It also criticises the idea of prioritising quantity over quality (the majority of people, not the best people, are right) and an individualism which, without traditional cultural intermediation – including in news – is “increasingly unwilling to come to terms with reality” (the phenomena of anti-scientific beliefs and the rise of fake news confirm this). In recent years, the need for effective solutions to the pandemic and the economic crisis has made people value knowledge and competence once more. But questions remain about schools, the spread of culture and a responsible role for critical thinking.  

Abbiamo ancora bisogno degli intellettuali? La crisi dell’autorità culturale (Do We Still Need intellectuals? The Crisis in Cultural Authority)
Alberto Brevini
Raffaello Cortina Editore, 2021