OUR COUNTRY AND OUR CULTURE
S73
To the greatest of men the terms 'conformist" or 'non-conformist'
have singularly little relevance-Shakespeare, Milton, Goethe, Plato,
Aristotle, Kant, or Dewey.
Particularly inexplicable to me is the final question whether the
American intellectual should continue the tradition of critical non–
conformism. The social function of the American intellectual is to
think, and to act in such a way that the results of his thinking are
brought to bear upon the great issues of our time. The cardinal attri–
bute of the life of thought-its proper virtue-is the capacity to
discriminate, to make relevant distinctions. He is no more un-Ameri–
can when he is intelligently critical of the United States than he is
chauvinistic when he is intelligently appreciative. Many American
intellectuals are unaware of the extent to which the social climate
and objective possibilities for a democratic welfare state have im–
proved in the last twenty years. Some still think of socialism as a
good in itself. Having made a religion of a form of economy, they
are incapable of learning from experience. They comfort themselves
with a superior terminological intransigence in the belief that their
sincerity atones for their stupidity. Their opposite numbers now re–
gard socialism as an evil in itself. Socialism is no longer a form of
economy for them, but the principle of welfare or social control itself.
Like the most orthodox of Marxists they believe that any economy
uniquely entails one political way of life. Fortunately, more and
more intellectuals are beginning to understand what they could have
learned from John Dewey long ago, that democratic process is more
important than any predetermined program, and that persons and
values are the test of adequate social relations not conversely.
.
Outside their own immediate craft too many intellectuals are
irresponsible, especially iH politics. They don't know enough, don't
think enough, and are the creatures of fashion. It is sufficient for
the majority to believe anything, for them to oppose it. They are too
conscious of "public relations." Some are exhibitionists who are al–
ways washing their hands in public, Mary Magdalenes making a
cult of purity. The lowest form of intellectual life is led by left bank
American expatriates who curry favor with Sartrian neutralists by
giving them the lowdown on the cultural "reign of terror" (sic!)
in America.
Most American intellectuals still do not understand the theory,
practice, and tactics of the Communist movement. Because McCarthy
