Religion and language

[Strider]

It actually goes well beyond our education system. It's the entire mindset of our culture that's the problem. "Book-learning" is looked down upon and and seen as abnormal, and the social pressure to conform to this way of thinking is powerful. We're pressured by our culture to first and foremost be a "regular Joe," and what that consists of is avoiding any sort of intellectualization. An intelligent person in this country can often times find themselves in situations where they have to dumb themselves down in order to fit in.

Precisely. Not only is education and those who pursue it suspect, both are vilified. One cannot be both smart and good. To be clever is to invite folly and mischief. The fact that most Hollywood villains are criminal masterminds is no mere coincidence.