A phrenological chart, mapping the different zones of the human brain. “Destructiveness” is near the ear; “Individuality” is right above the nose. Why do we talk about foreheads when discussing culture? The word “highbrow” first appeared in the 1880s; “lowbrow” came into use right after the turn of the century. They came from phrenology, a nineteenth-century pseudoscience based on the (entirely false) idea that the shape of a person’s skull revealed something fundamental about their character. The creative, intellectual parts of the brain were located behind the forehead: thus Anglo-Saxons were superior to other, darker races because of their higher foreheads, or “brows.” Italians, Irishmen, Africans, Asians couldn’t create art on the level of Shakespeare or Milton because their brains simply weren’t built for it. They belonged to the “lowbrow,” on account of their lower foreheads. 

A phrenological chart, mapping the different zones of the human brain. “Destructiveness” is near the ear; “Individuality” is right above the nose.

Why do we talk about foreheads when discussing culture? The word “highbrow” first appeared in the 1880s; “lowbrow” came into use right after the turn of the century. They came from phrenology, a nineteenth-century pseudoscience based on the (entirely false) idea that the shape of a person’s skull revealed something fundamental about their character. The creative, intellectual parts of the brain were located behind the forehead: thus Anglo-Saxons were superior to other, darker races because of their higher foreheads, or “brows.” Italians, Irishmen, Africans, Asians couldn’t create art on the level of Shakespeare or Milton because their brains simply weren’t built for it. They belonged to the “lowbrow,” on account of their lower foreheads. 

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    A phrenological chart, mapping...different zones of the human brain. “Destructiveness” is...
  7. jahnnasbrain reblogged this from theatlantic and added:
    anyone who’s known me more than about, oh, five minutes knows that i despise any distinctions of “high” art versus “low”...
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  12. watsonwelch reblogged this from theatlantic and added:
    Despite how much of a ridiculous pseudoscience phrenology was, it’s eerie to think that neurology would later prove that...
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  16. theredshoes reblogged this from theatlantic and added:
    You know who was really into phrenology? CHARLOTTE BRONTE. (Yes, I can make anything about the Brontes. Anything.)...
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  20. chrischappel reblogged this from theatlantic and added:
    TIL that high/low-brow refers to phrenology and is pretty fucking racist.
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