Mommy, what's an intellectual?

[Gordon Fitch]

Christopher Rhoades Dÿkema:
> An example of "populism," as discussed recently here, at its worst.
> > The most revealing response was supplied by the American writer Joyce
> > Carol Oates. 'The term "intellectual" is a very self-conscious one in
> > the United States,' she said. 'To speak of oneself as an
> > "intellectual" is equivalent to arrogance and egotism, for it suggests
> > that there is a category of persons who are "not-intellectual".'
> > ...

"Suggests" is incorrect.  If one constructs a meaningful
category of intellectuals, perforce there must as well be a
non-empty category of non- or unintellectuals, who presumably
do not do or cannot do the things intellectuals do.  But what
do intellectuals do that other kinds of people don't do?