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Quote by Richard Hofstadter

“In using the terms play and playfulness, I do not intend to suggest any lack of seriousness; quite the contrary. Anyone who has watched children, or adults, at play will recognize that there is no contradiction between play and seriousness, and that some forms of play induce a measure of grave concentration not so readily called forth by work.”

Quote by Richard Hofstadter

Work

Anti-Intellectualism in American Life

This book delves into the historical and cultural factors contributing to the erosion of intellectualism in American society, analyzing its impact on education, politics, and public discourse. more

Author

Richard Hofstadter
Richard Hofstadter

Richard Hofstadter, an American historian, was born on August 6, 1916, and passed away on October 24, 1970. Known for his profound insights into American history and society, Hofstadter is particularly recognized for his work on the history of American politics and intellectual life. His contributions have had a significant impact on historians that followed. more

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“The intellectual's ... playfulness, in its various manifestations, is likely to seem to most men a perverse luxury; in the United States the play of the mind is perhaps the only form of play that is not looked upon with the most tender indulgence. His piety is likely to seem nettlesome, if not actually dangerous. And neither quality is considered to contribute very much to the practical business of life.”