Anti-Intellectualism in the American Right

It so happens that our political landscape has so changed as to include certain conservative views that make illegitimate the striving of college students, and to paint a picture of the University as if it were a "Liberal Factory." On that ground, it is claimed, people should be wary of universities, and especially of their faculty: they might turn you into a Marxist, if you aren't careful.

Ordinarily, I would argue that anyone who makes such a claim is immediately out of the conversation. This view is clearly self-defeating. However, the view is becoming more and more pervasive as time goes by. It goes far beyond asking "Why philosophy?" so far, in fact, as to claim that by subjecting yourself to the liberal ideology of collegiate institutions, you make yourself into a liberal.

I submit to you that his is a classic example of a claim that "proves too much." If a conservatively-minded young collegian goes to college, and comes out four years later a "liberal" only by being exposed to "liberal" ideology, "conservativism" must be a very weak position indeed!

Moreover, I find it to be oddly self-serving for people who have not gone to college to argue that the intellectuals and academics are the idiots. If that were the case, the less you accomplish, the greater reason you have for patting yourself on the back.

One suggestion for where this came from is the age-old Faith vs. Reason debate, if "conservativism" is properly identified with christian theology. (I do not think it should be. I think, instead, that Jesus of Nazareth would rather be called "socialist" by today's conservative christians, see Luke 18:18-25). However, upon closer inspection, we find no traces at all of such a debate. If the objection was that the university is a purveyor of the Theory of Evolution, this debate fits. However, this is not the objection, or at least it doesn't seem to be. The objection is rather that the university system has an ideological bias in favor of the politically left. These are (in reality) distinct issues. Although, perhaps an objection formed in the widest possible way could include them both: that is, an objection against critical thinking, or questioning our beliefs. In such a case, the objector might claim that any such questioning is impious.

Then the weaker position, the conservative position, has a survivalist reason for not thinking colleges are good things: the position won't hold up to criticism. Can this really be what they are saying?

How do you reason with such a person? You can't. To reason with them is to beg the question.