Conversations with Peter Boghossian

"I Got Tired of Lying." How Universities FLATTEN Ideas w/ Morgan Marietta

Sep 3, 2025
Morgan Marietta, formerly Dean of Economics, Politics & History at UATX, passionately critiques the dishonesty in academia and the dangers of ideological conformity. He argues that a culture of fear stifles diverse viewpoints and damages education. Marietta highlights the importance of open inquiry, discussing how innovations in dialogue can revitalize honest discourse. The conversation also delves into the complexities of constitutional interpretations and the need for error correction to uphold democratic values in academic settings.
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INSIGHT

Radical Honesty As A University Mission

  • Morgan Marietta says the University of Austin's core mission is radical honesty rather than branded terms like DEI or civil discourse.
  • He left previous academia because he "got tired of lying" and wanted an environment that rewards truth-telling.
INSIGHT

Conformity Corrupts Scholarship

  • Marietta describes a campus culture with a "conformist answer" that's monochrome, boring, and humorless.
  • He argues that pressure to give expected answers corrupts scholars and discourages genuine debate.
ANECDOTE

Reported For Telling Jokes

  • Marietta recalls stopping jokes and controversial topics after being reported and questioned by his department chair.
  • Removing controversy, he says, left political science with nothing meaningful to teach.
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