What's the difference between a traditional and organic intellectual?

Eager to find a popular culture reference to illustrate the difference between an organic and a traditional intellectual, I was pleased to search no further than my YouTube playlist.

Antonio Gramsci's notion of an intellectual is dual:

An Organic Intellectual uses their educational nous to raise the consciousness of the social class from whence they came; be it working or middle class. Even though an Organic Intellectual raised working class, or even under class, may enter a middle class or upper class by definition of their educational or employment status they do not defend the higher class structures that separate society; instead they help educate their class of origin against accepting that seemingly status quo and they agitate for change.

The Traditional Intellectual instead assimilates into a higher class and encourages the perpetuation of the preferred status quo of the ruling class: the morals, values and teachings of a dominant class culture. This status quo is achieved through institutions, media and what is considered by the ruling class as high culture. It is insidiously kept in circulation by common maxims that we all use, such as, "A rising tide lifts all ships."

This difference is nicely illustrated in the 1969 song by Peter  Sarstedt, "Where do you go to my darling?":

My analysis of the song to help explain the difference between an Organic and a Traditional Intellectual is thus:

Two children born in Naples beg in rags and have a burning ambition to be rid of their lowly born tags. One grows up to be a successful singer/song writer and remembers/sings of his pain (folk style). By doing so, he raises the consciousness and provides hope to others they they too can get out of the poverty that binds them through structural inequalities. He agitates with words that the upper class status quo has not served the other child and that her denial of reality has greater mental health consequences.

The other child grows up, continues with her dishonesty (lies, forgery and stealing) and aligns herself with the aristocracy, rich and famous. While she fully enjoys the trimmings of an iconic upper class she denies her roots and acts to instead enforce the dominance of a bourgeois lifestyle as normal.  She maintains her new status quo by assimilating to it and indulging in its value of individualism, and protection of capitalist principals where money rules.

I think this song, although apparently fictious, nicely shows how two people from the same time and space can be influenced to accept or deny the cultural and social forces that keep the rich rich and the poor poor. One uses his experience to help educate others from that same class (Organic Intellectual) while the other uses their upwardly mobile status as a confirmation that the traditional status quo is the best way (Traditional Intellectual).

What do you think?

I accept that the female is not in an educative role and therefore cannot be considered a Traditional Intellectual like Jordan Peterson. It is the polarisation following the same experience that caught my ear.

👵🏼 Megan Bayliss

👩🏼‍🎓 PhD candidate: social and cultural resistance