Victor Davis Hanson: Charlie Kirk’s Fight to Rescue a Generation From University Indoctrination

Sep 19, 2025

The discussion dives into the challenges of liberal academic influence on universities and the urgency to address it. Victor Davis Hanson highlights Charlie Kirk's unique approach of confronting this issue directly, emphasizing practical organizing over traditional academic politics. They explore the economic and social factors affecting youth engagement and the importance of mobilizing young voters for the 2024 elections. The conversation concludes with a call to action, urging listeners to continue Kirk’s mission by actively participating in the political landscape.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

INSIGHT

Targeting Campus Indoctrination

Charlie Kirk targeted campus indoctrination as the root source of many cultural shifts.
Victor Davis Hanson argues combating campus dogma addresses broader political and social problems.

INSIGHT

Youth Problems Drive Politics

Kirk focused on the cultural and economic causes that drive political choices among youth.
Hanson links prolonged adolescence and economic hardship to shifting political allegiances.

INSIGHT

Youth Outreach Changed Election Results

Hanson credits Kirk's youth outreach with improving Trump's youth vote between 2020 and 2024.
He links that shift in several swing states to Kirk's organizing and messaging efforts.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

Universities have long been captured by liberal academics, and the fight for America's youth on campus at times feels hopeless. What made Charlie Kirk effective was that he did not run from that problem but ran head-on into it.

Victor Davis Hanson explains this key aspect of Charlie Kirk’s legacy, emphasizing how his approach was effective, and what our job is now to carry on his mission in saving our country from the campus on today’s episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words.”

“He did not go in the traditional academic pathway. He dropped out of college at 18. And he had to live by his wits, not in the artificial bubble of academia or the la-la land of the campus, where there are no consequences to behavior. … He learned to organize and galvanize people in a practical way.

“And he said, ‘The universities are training generation after generation after generation in this seriously dangerous leftist dogma.’ In other words, if you're worried about this bizarre transgender movement, this cult-like effort to have biological men compete in women's sports, to take one example; or you're worried about the idea that you can steal $950 and not be prosecuted; or if you think that race is essential and not incidental to who you are—where did these things come from? And he said they came from the campus.”

👉Don’t miss out on Victor’s latest videos by subscribing to The Daily Signal today. You’ll be notified every time a new piece of content drops: https://www.youtube.com/dailysignal?sub_confirmation=1

👉If you can’t get enough of Victor Davis Hanson from The Daily Signal, subscribe to his official YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@victordavishanson7273

👉He’s also the host of “The Victor Davis Hanson Show,” available wherever you prefer to watch or listen. Links to the show and exclusive content are available on his website: https://victorhanson.com

(0:00) Introduction

(1:01) Charlie Kirk's Mission and Approach

(1:50) Addressing Youth Issues

(4:17) Charlie Kirk's Unique Path

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices