In 1985, Tom Petty released the song “Southern Accents.” Although it may be less remembered compared to his library of hits, it carries a predictive quality and meaning that has only become more prevalent since its release. 

The song is not overtly political; rather, Petty’s writing is a reflection on his own Southern identity and reconciling pride with struggle and a complex history. However, its themes offer insight into today’s world of political polarization and anti-intellectualism. The opening three lines alone are enough to encapsulate how identity and generalization fuel division.

Petty’s portrait of the South is complex, but the “Yankees” up North don’t see it the same way. Instead, the identity of the South is reduced to the ignorant and uneducated. Such oversimplifications can’t help but be insulting—and so begins the root of polarization and anti-intellectualism, which is not just social media or misinformation and echo-chambers, but insult and alienation. In modern discourse, this view of the South has largely been extended to the conservative ideology as a whole, but it encounters the same problem. Oversimplification drives division. 

As conservatives feel that their cultural identity is continually under attack by “elitist liberals,” they naturally become disinterested in compromising—nobody wants to work with somebody who thinks they're smarter than them. Many conservatives have gone a step further and doubled down, feeling disrespected by intellectualism and perceived elitism; they have become so-called “anti-intellectuals,” skeptical of experts and dismissing pursuits like education and scholarly work. This tendency is especially strong in more rural communities, who hold tightly to their traditions, and was a particular issue during the COVID-19 pandemic with anti-vax and anti-science movements. 

When “anti-intellectuals” turn their back on education and science, it affirms the stereotype and both sides become more stubborn—and more polarized. Anti-intellectualism and polarization form a ferocious cycle, straining institutions and destroying any common ground. Conservatives prioritize “traditional American values” while claiming universities are centers of “liberal indoctrination.” Meanwhile, liberals continue to talk down to them. This was an issue the Obama administration encountered. They often referred to its policies as “smart”—“smart power,” “smarter, more effective government,” etc. However, this language continued to alienate conservatives who were already at odds with Democrats. It was a political turn-off and an insult. 

Anti-intellectualism has had a long history in the U.S., originally in response to how academia challenged religious beliefs and conventional morality, but more contemporary trends originate in the 1960s. It was during this time neoconservatism emerged against the left’s supposed destruction of tradition. Its rise was also driven by a sense of powerlessness and fear of change as the world was revolutionized by science, sometimes at the expense of the old way. The current situation is the climax of a greater historical crescendo. 

When discussing polarization, one cannot ignore how social media and the formation of echo chambers has generated division. However, they should not be mistaken as the root of the issue; rather, they worsen pre-existing tensions. These are merely the byproduct of a deeper, underlying issue. 

Finding a solution will require both sides to relinquish their frustrations and biases. Conservatives will need to resist the urge to reject intellectualism outright, and liberals must engage in a way that fosters respect rather than condescension. Just as Petty saw the Southern identity flattened into a stereotype, today’s political parties are relegated to oversimplifications. All of this generates a cycle of resentment and division. The challenge is not about choosing between tradition and progress, but about choosing to disagree with conscience and learning how to coexist.

Information obtained from Studio ATAO, Pew Research Center, Nature Human Behavior, and Brown University.