The infiltration of alternative values in academia, such as safetyism and feel-goodism, has distorted human sciences and compromised the pursuit of truth.
Affirmative action in higher education raises questions about the effectiveness of achieving equality while balancing diversity with academic merit.
The failure to defend and preserve the achievements of liberal societies has allowed illiberal ideologies to take hold, impacting immigration policies and eroding national identity.
Deep dives
Feminization of academia and its impact on values
Amy discusses the influence of the increasing number of women in academia on the infusion of alternative values into higher education. She refers to these values as the values of the nursery and kindergarten, which include safetyism, feel-goodism, not upsetting or challenging others, suspicion toward the competitive nature of capitalism, and less importance placed on getting at the truth. She explains that these values have skewed the curriculum and distorted various human sciences, compromising the pursuit of truth. Amy also touches on how the dominance of these values has affected society at large, such as the decline in marriage rates among the educated class.
Affirmative action and racial admissions
Amy addresses the topic of affirmative action and racial admissions in higher education. She points out that there are existing restrictions on how racial identity can be used in admissions due to federal regulations, but private institutions have more discretion. She predicts that if the Supreme Court does not intervene, elite universities will continue their business as usual, limiting the number of Asians, increasing the number of blacks and Hispanics, and implementing double standards. Amy also questions the effectiveness of affirmative action in achieving equality, highlighting the challenge of balancing diversity with academic merit.
The repercussions of failing to defend liberal societies
Amy delves into the failure to defend and preserve the achievements of liberal societies, which has allowed illiberal ideologies like wokeness and anti-racism to take hold. She suggests that this failure can be seen as a consequence of reactions to Hitler's actions during World War II. Amy points to the impact on immigration policies and the erosion of national identity, arguing that there is a need to differentiate between refugees and economic migrants. She highlights the importance of strong borders, sovereign nations, and citizens' control over their countries for the maintenance of liberal values, peace, and democracy.
The Importance of Self-Help and Abolishing Social Programs
The podcast episode discusses the idea that blacks would benefit more from self-help and the abolition of certain social programs and welfare-based initiatives. The speaker argues that beyond eliminating discrimination, there is little that can be done to assist the black community at this point. They assert that many difficulties faced by blacks are due to self-sabotage, which is a controversial perspective in today's society. This viewpoint challenges the prevalent belief that all groups must achieve equal outcomes by any means necessary.
The Lack of Conservative Thought in Academic Education
The podcast episode highlights the absence of conservative political and legal thought in university education, particularly within courses that focus on race and social issues. The speaker notes that while there is an emphasis on topics like poverty, redistribution, and critiques of capitalism, there is little exposure to conservative ideas and thinkers. This one-sided education limits students' understanding of diverse perspectives and fails to provide them with a well-rounded understanding of political and social theories. The speaker argues for the importance of including conservative thought in academic curricula to promote intellectual diversity and critical thinking.
In today's episode I interview Professor Amy Wax from Penn Law School. If you don't know Amy Wax, buckle up, you're in for a real treat. Amy is truly one of a kind and you'll know what I mean after you listen to the episode.
I named this episode “Fight the Good Fight” because Amy Wax reminds me of the crucial importance of fighting for what you believe in. And not just fighting against what you don’t. Here are some links to help you get more out of this episode:
• Here's a LINK to Amy's 2009 book "Race, Wrongs and Remedies" • Macarthur Park Restaurant in Palo Alto • Amy's Philadelphia Inquirer Op Ed which caused so much controversy: LINK • Amy Wax's syllabus for her course on "Conservative Political Thought": LINK • The Thomas Sowell Reader mentioned in the episode: LINK • Podcast statistics HERE
THERE ARE 3 WAYS TO SUPPORT THE SHOW:
1) Support the show financially by subscribing with a monthly contribution on Patreon: www.Patreon.com/SowellGenius The money raised through Patreon supports our efforts to popularize the books and ideas of Thomas Sowell. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) Rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts. This helps a lot by nudging the show to the top of Google searches. I really appreciate the many positive reviews, especially this one by Jonsby: "This is one of the few podcasts that I actually slow down so I can savor it!" -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) Purchase our Thomas Sowell Post It Note pads: You can find all 100 digital images of the post it notes HERE, feel free to download them and use them however you like.
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