Neophiles and Neophobes

[Jacksnyte]

I was just wondering why so many people (primarily in the United States) insist on being proud of their ignorance? I have seen so many people who know how to speak and or write properly, but refuse to out of what they see as "ethnic pride", or pride of being from a particular geographic location, and then get upset when people sell them short, and think they are un-intelligent. And not just pride in ignorant-sounding speech, but often otherwise intelligent people refuse to accept new information, and prefer to let their mind stagnate. I think of myself as a neophile, in that I enjoy constantly learning new information, and experiencing new things. I think of people who avoid new experiences and ideas as neophobes. I would like to hear other peoples' take on this. Am I just being nit-picky?

 

[The Sum of Awe]

I was just wondering why so many people (primarily in the United States) insist on being proud of their ignorance? I have seen so many people who know how to speak and or write properly, but refuse to out of what they see as "ethnic pride", or pride of being from a particular geographic location, and then get upset when people sell them short, and think they are un-intelligent. And not just pride in ignorant-sounding speech, but often otherwise intelligent people refuse to accept new information, and prefer to let their mind stagnate. I think of myself as a neophile, in that I enjoy constantly learning new information, and experiencing new things. I think of people who avoid new experiences and ideas as neophobes. I would like to hear other peoples' take on this. Am I just being nit-picky?

Why do you primarily mean us?

New experiences vary, depends if the experience feels good to them or not.

 

[Mathematician]

Depends on how precise we're applying these terms.

I'm from New Jersey but reside in Texas; I simply can't stand "y'all" but I find labeling the word an example of linguistic negligence or ignorance a bit much. Probably because I say "cwoffee" and "torn-a-ment."