The Hope for the American University

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I know that there's many academics and even some academic administrators who listen to this podcast regularly is the hope for the American University. One of the things that always strikes me is that the system we have for admissions is deeply fraught in all kinds of ways. Why does it admit more of the students who actually have an intellectual curiosity in the first place?

William Deresiewicz is an American author, essayist, and critic. He taught English at Yale University from 1998 to 2008. He is the author, among other books, of Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life.

In this week’s conversation, Yascha Mounk and William Deresiewicz discuss how the intensely meritocratic nature of elite universities prioritizes striving over deep learning; the instrumentalization of traditional pursuits to the detriment of mastery; and how broader cultural transformations frustrate deep immersion in art, friendship, and learning.

This transcript has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.

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