Is Anti-Intellectualism A National Security Threat ?

Okay, let’s get one thing straight: I’m not trying to break into journalism or write policy Op-Eds—I’ll leave that to the pros. But I am married to a neuroscientist, which means there’s no sand at home in which I can bury my pretty little silver head. He shares the things that keep him up at night, and once I hear them, I can’t un-hear them. Writing about it is how I make sense of the weight.

Lately, what’s been weighing on me is something that just went public at the 494th meeting of the National Science Board. It cracked open a conversation that’s been brewing in my mind for a while: America’s rising tide of anti-intellectualism. It’s no longer just eroding public discourse—it’s becoming a national security risk. And I’m genuinely worried.

Let me explain.

Like it or not, we’re no longer living in the industrial age—today, technological leadership is the new currency of global power. The U.S. is now in a high-stakes race with China to lead in critical fields like artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, and biotechnology. This was the focus of the National Science Board’s 494th meeting on May 7, 2025, during a session titled “Science for Security – The Race with China.” Experts, including Jimmy Goodrich of the RAND Corporation, emphasized how China is investing heavily in emerging technologies in a bid to outpace the U.S. and secure global dominance.

The scary part? While China races ahead, anti-intellectualism in the U.S. is quietly eroding the very scientific and educational foundations we need to stay competitive. And let’s be clear—this isn’t just a “cultural issue.” It’s a national security liability. At the same time, we’re isolating China economically through tariffs, which may carry the added detriment of isolating ourselves from global progress.

Undermining Scientific and Technical Capacity

Let’s talk about science for a minute. China isn’t just dabbling in emerging technologies—they’re diving in headfirst. AI, quantum computing, and biotechnology are just a few of the critical fields where they’re rapidly accelerating research and development. At the same time, they’re attracting top talent from around the world—including from the U.S. Meanwhile, back home, a growing number of Americans (including some high-profile figures) are actively undermining trust in scientists, universities, and research institutions. Experts are being dismissed as “elitist,” or worse—accused of being part of some imagined “deep state.” This is genuinely an emergent problem for all Americans.

And this trend has consequences that go beyond political squabbles. When you devalue expertise, you not only undermine trust in vital fields, but you create a cycle of mediocrity. Cutting funding to public institutions like the National Science Foundation (NSF) or the National Institutes of Health (NIH) only weakens the infrastructure that’s crucial for staying competitive. And at the same time, China is steadily building its own state-coordinated research model, leaving us scrambling to catch up.

It’s like watching your opponent do push-ups on TV while you are drinking gin in a bar and talking about “kids these days”

Eroding Global Alliances and Soft Power

It’s not just about what’s happening in our own backyard. Scientific leadership isn’t something you achieve in isolation; it requires collaboration with global partners — I know this because my husband is always zooming with people from other countries. But here’s the catch: in recent years, there’s been a dangerous pivot in U.S. politics towards isolationism. Instead of focusing on strengthening international alliances, we’ve embraced an “America First” stance that makes it harder to work with others on global challenges like climate change, cybersecurity, and public health.

China, on the other hand, is playing the long game with its Belt and Road Science Plan, expanding its influence by fostering global scientific partnerships, especially in developing countries. As the U.S. withdraws from these spaces, China is swooping in, claiming scientific leadership—and, more importantly, the influence that comes with it.

Meanwhile, the U.S. is at risk of becoming isolated, sitting out in the cold while China’s network of global research partnerships continues to grow.

Politicizing Technology and Education Policy

Now, here’s where it gets messy. China’s technological dominance isn’t just about having money to throw at problems—it’s about bipartisan cooperation to fund R&D and prioritize things like workforce development in STEM fields. But in the U.S., politics is making it harder to even agree on basic scientific priorities. When climate science becomes a political football, when public health research is tainted by partisan agendas, and when efforts to legislate research directions are rooted in ideology instead of evidence, we’re shooting ourselves in the foot.

In the meantime, China is quietly building up its own education system, investing in research and development, and making sure their scientists don’t have to fight to keep their research free from political interference. As the U.S. gets mired in culture wars over curricula, book bans, and climate denial, we’re falling behind.

Destabilizing Democratic Governance

Here’s the kicker: the heart of scientific progress lies in stable, transparent institutions. Democracy is supposed to protect intellectual freedom, foster innovation, and provide a safe space for scientists to operate. But when our democratic norms are under attack—through things like election denialism, insurrection, and the erosion of trust in public institutions—it sends a message to the world that the U.S. isn’t as stable as it once was.

In contrast, China, with its technocratic authoritarianism, is positioning itself as a model of “stability.” And they’re using our own internal strife to paint democracy as chaotic, weak, and ineffective. When democracy loses its credibility, it erodes the conditions necessary for free inquiry, and that’s exactly what makes countries like China so dangerous—they don’t have to worry about a messy political system slowing them down.

In Conclusion: A National Security Liability

Anti-intellectualism might seem like a harmless cultural trend, but when it chips away at the foundations of science, education, and international collaboration, it becomes a full-blown national security threat. The U.S. has long been a leader in innovation, driven by intellectual curiosity, collaboration, and free inquiry. But right now, we’re on the edge of giving up that position to China, all because we can’t seem to get out of our own way.

If we don’t take action to support intellectual freedom, scientific discovery, and global collaboration, we’re setting ourselves up to be left behind. China is playing the long game—and we can’t afford to keep letting anti-intellectualism sabotage our future.

What do you think? Is anti-intellectualism weakening America’s ability to compete with China? Let’s continue the conversation in the comments below.