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Victor Davis Hanson examines the confluence of trends — a contempt for American history; the decline of the rule of law; the intellectual rot of the academy; the rise of ingratitude and cultural contempt — that are weakening the foundations of American society.
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I just turned 64. Listening to V.D.H. reminded me of what I didn’t, until I was 54, hear suggested as a reason for getting an education.
I heard, when I was a teenager, that people should get an education in order to be able to live economically, emotionally and intellectually richer lives. Later in my life, in 1987, when I was a 30 year old mother of a 10 and 5 year old and taking my first college courses, I observed in the social atmosphere of my public college campus the prevailing attitude that anyone taking courses for any reason other than a career related one was clueless and a flake. So the reason dished out to students as the purpose for getting an education, I noticed, had been narrowed to getting richer or more secure economically. (Well, there was some nod to the idea that the classes would make us wiser, or more competent, in a way that would help us to help, or avoid harming, others, I suppose. That meaning could certainly be imagined in the message of two identical posters I remember seeing on the college campus. The poster caption was: “If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.)
Until I was 54, I never heard it suggested that people should get educated in order to be better able to handle their freedom responsibly for everyone’s sake.
cultural literacy
I haven’t listened to this yet but years ago when I went to college I was absolutely blown away about how angry so many smart people were about being forced to take liberal arts classes. They thought it was a waste of money and they thought you were stupid if you didn’t see it that way.
We need to have a conversation about what the hell we are doing. What is actual human capital development?
I just got to the part about tearing down statues of Abraham Lincoln and so forth. Since the communists have control of the education system, this is a very scary situation.
WOOPS
This is actually off his John Batchelor interview. lol I’ll get to this one next
Better Help was positively reviewed by Dr. Todd Grande. He’s serious as a heart attack. You can find it on his YouTube channel. That reminds me I intended to use it for something.
I would really like it if Victor Davis Hanson would do a show with an Austrian like Tom Woods where they talk about how the financial system creates social problems etc. The lack of leadership on this is killing the conservatives and libertarians.
https://nypost.com/2021/01/07/human-rights-attorney-accused-of-posing-as-latina-for-years/?utm_source=Gmail
Given the Commies that are teaching those liberal arts classes these days, I can understand the anger.
I tried to audit a History of WWII class at UW Madison back in 1991 when I was working in the city. The first day of class the teacher announced that this was not a military history class, but would be examining the war and era from the point of view of race and gender [almost his exact words. It’s been 30 years, but it was probably the first time I’d heard that phrase used in real life, so it stuck with me]
Accreditation needs to be wiped out one way or another. What is the point anymore?
It’s a minority of people that care about books or history. Most education is absolutely wasted on people who will are incapable of being interested in anything.
I can understand the anger too. Life is short. I would especially resent being compelled to sit through that garbage in order to fulfill some credit requirement.
Accreditation does not net out anymore. It should just be totally free market with no structure at all.
Most people aren’t incapable of being interested in anything. I failed U.S. History in high school, because I was so bored I practically couldn’t stay awake. In 2020 I listened, spellbound, to the Land of Hope lectures at the Hillsdale college website. I know I would have done well if that had been the quality of my high school U.S. History class .