Introduction:
Graff argues about the contrast between the public argument and street smarts. The author argues that the street smarts have skills that go untapped by the formal schooling. The students have many skills that go unnoticed by the schooling process. Most of the intellectual resources go unnoticed because they are attached to the anti-intellectual interests. People tend to believe that intellectualism is found only in books and philosophies while giving little focus and emphasis on the aspects as sports, dating, clothing fashions or information concerning cars. We tend to give emphasis on the look knowledge while forgetting the important aspects relating talents of the people in the society. The people on the streets have knowledge and intellectualism that go unrecognized in the society due to overemphasis on the bookish subject matters. The public opinions about life also have a lot information or intellectualism not recognized by the formal schooling in the society. The hidden intellectualism in the students plays an important in the lives of most students since it is often unique and may lead to potential of talents. The realization of such intellectualism helps the students to realize their talents in life leading to prosperous lives. The hidden intellectualism is important in the sense that it helps the students to learn and form opinions about their fields of interest in life.
Graff argues that the sport are a crucial tool in teaching many aspects of life. The knowledge relating to sports is essential in helping the students to form their own opinions and become intellectuals in life. The public often considers sports less intellectual, but he argues that sports bear more intellect and knowledge than the formal schooling. The knowledge relating to sports is essential in the sense that it enables the students to realize their talents as well as creating fields for interaction and learning many other skills in life (Graff 386). He argued that the sport is a field that allows the street smarts to make opinions and develop appropriate skills from what they like doing. The sports arena enables the street smarts develop skills that are attainable from formal schooling. Sports, therefore, is an intellectual field that go unrecognized by our formal schools. Sports and other fields for street smarts need emphasis and focus so as to enable students to form their own unique ideas and opinions.
He argues that the book smarts and the street smarts should join hands in order to create a balance between the people in society. The interaction between the book smarts and the street smarts helps in creating a pool of knowledge and intellectuals in the society. The diversity of opinions and intellect from both book smarts and street smarts helps in reaching very informed public opinions in the society (Graff 384). The combination of the knowledge from the street smarts and the book smarts is essential in ensuring that the society works together towards achieving its goals and objectives. Graff argues that the street smarts and the book smarts are interdependent with respect to reaching reasonable solutions in the society.
Conclusively, hidden intellectualism should be recognized in the society and by the formal schooling so as to enable students form their own unique ideas and opinions in life. Hidden intellectualism also helps in reducing overdependence on the past knowledge and philosophies of life. The recognition of hidden intellectualism helps to boost creativity and innovation in the society other than doing works that they does not love.
Works Cited
Matter in Academic Writing. New York: W.W. Norton & Co, 2010. Print.
Graff, Gerald. Clueless in Academe: How Schooling Obscures the Life of the Mind. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2003. Print.
Graff, Gerald, and Cathy Birkenstein. "they Say/i Say": The Moves That Matter in Persuasive Writing. New York: W.W. Norton, 2007. Print.
