Bravo! Your post #53 was an excellent refutation of the standard Freeper’s response to articles dealing with liberal arts education. It covered the points that I wish I had made, but did not.
I have already saved that post and request your permission to use parts of it to deal with these ignoramuses who worship at the altar of ENGINEERING to the exclusion of a good—and I emphasize “good”—liberal arts education. I will, of course, credit you and indicate that I am quoting you word for word.
I do believe that conservatives need to return to our roots here. Anti-intellectualism is simply incompatible with the sort of in-depth study of the Founding Fathers and of constitutional principles of government that is required to maintain a free republic, let along transmit American cultural values to the next generation.
Thank you for your interest in my work, OldPossum. Feel free to use it elsewhere if you find it helpful.
I do believe that conservatives need to return to our roots here. Anti-intellectualism is simply incompatible with the sort of in-depth study of the Founding Fathers and of constitutional principles of government that are required to maintain a free republic, let alone transmit American cultural values to the next generation.
Does everybody need to go to college? Absolutely not.
However, our American heritage is not one of mob rule or pure populism; it is a heritage of trying to bring “the masses” up to the level that they can be good citizens, effectively participating in government and voting for their own leaders. That requires not only literacy but also an appreciation for American history and founding principles from the general public. At a higher level, it requires leaders who not only understand those principles but can fight off wrong views that compete for the allegiance of Americans, and that requires some pretty in-depth study.
It's a basic principle that before you take down a fence, you'd better try to find out what the fence was put up to keep out. Our Founding Fathers and the last two and a half centuries of American history are the story of erecting fences and defending them. We fail to learn that history at our peril.