Satyajit Das Reviews 'On Pedantry' by S.Q. Visser

Satyajit Das, a former banker and author, reviews S.Q. Visser's book 'On Pedantry: A Cultural History of the Know-It-All' (Princeton Press, 2025). Das critiques the book for failing to define pedantry clearly, shifting between meanings, and focusing on anti-intellectualism rather than pedantry itself. Visser, a Dutch Professor of Renaissance textual culture, traces the term 'pedant' to Renaissance Italian tutors and covers 2,500 years in three parts. Das argues the book is a social history of negative stereotypes against intellectuals, not a cohesive argument. He notes omissions like AI and internet trolling, and criticizes the use of cultural examples such as Woody Allen's 'Irrational Man'. The review highlights the book's lack of a clear core position and its attempt to cater to both popular and academic audiences. Das concludes that the book undercuts its own arguments and misses an opportunity to examine modern anti-intellectualism, referencing Brexit and Trump administrations.