Upward Social Mobility and Research Universities

Classic academia, particularly the German research university, was more intellectually productive but inherently elitist. In contrast, the American Prussian research university focused on upward social mobility. However, promising society upward social mobility is impractical due to its relative nature. The concept of the American dream, centered on massive upward mobility through research universities, is considered self-contradictory. The research university model was initially based on academics not competing with each other, enabling focused contributions to human knowledge. Currently, academia drains energies rather than contributing positively. To make the success of researchers legible to society, a substantial amount of funding, around 100 million dollars, is required, not for the researchers themselves but for creating a perception of legitimacy among the public.

Play episode from 17:04

Transcript

Episode notes

The AI-powered Podcast Player

Save insights by tapping your headphones, chat with episodes, discover the best highlights - and more!

Get the app