The Edvocate

Top Menu

Main Menu

  • Start Here
    • Our Brands
    • Governance
      • Dr. Lynch’s Personal Website
      • Careers
    • Write For Us
    • Books
    • Contact Us
    • Edupedia
  • PreK-12
    • Assessment
    • Assistive Technology
    • Child Development
    • Classroom Management
    • Early Childhood
    • EdTech & Innovation
    • Education Leadership
    • Equity
    • First Year Teachers
    • Gifted and Talented Education
    • Parental Involvement
    • Policy & Reform
    • Special Education
    • Teachers
  • Higher Ed
    • Best Colleges and Universities
    • Best College and University Programs
    • Diversity
    • HBCU’s
    • Higher Education
    • Higher Education EdTech
    • International Education
  • Advertise
    • Request a Product Review
  • The Tech Edvocate Awards
    • The Awards Process
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2020 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2019 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2018 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2017 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Award Seals
  • Apps
    • GPA Calculator for College
    • GPA Calculator for High School
    • Cumulative GPA Calculator
    • Grade Calculator
    • Weighted Grade Calculator
    • Final Grade Calculator
  • The Tech Edvocate
  • Pedagogue
  • The Edvocate Podcast

logo

The Edvocate

  • Start Here
    • Our Brands
    • Governance
      • Dr. Lynch’s Personal Website
        • My Speaking Page
      • Careers
    • Write For Us
    • Books
    • Contact Us
    • Edupedia
  • PreK-12
    • Assessment
    • Assistive Technology
    • Child Development
    • Classroom Management
    • Early Childhood
    • EdTech & Innovation
    • Education Leadership
    • Equity
    • First Year Teachers
    • Gifted and Talented Education
    • Parental Involvement
    • Policy & Reform
    • Special Education
    • Teachers
  • Higher Ed
    • Best Colleges and Universities
    • Best College and University Programs
    • Diversity
    • HBCU’s
    • Higher Education
    • Higher Education EdTech
    • International Education
  • Advertise
    • Request a Product Review
  • The Tech Edvocate Awards
    • The Awards Process
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2020 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2019 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2018 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2017 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Award Seals
  • Apps
    • GPA Calculator for College
    • GPA Calculator for High School
    • Cumulative GPA Calculator
    • Grade Calculator
    • Weighted Grade Calculator
    • Final Grade Calculator
  • The Tech Edvocate
  • Pedagogue
  • The Edvocate Podcast
  • How to Become an Education Administrator in Louisiana

  • How to Implement Flipped Instruction into Your Classroom

  • How to Become an Education Administrator in Kentucky

  • How to Become an Education Administrator in Kansas

  • Teaching & Learning Strategies, Concepts, and Terms That Every Teacher Must Know: Letters W-Z

  • How to Become an Education Administrator in Illinois

  • How to Become an Education Administrator in Iowa

  • Teaching & Learning Strategies, Concepts, and Terms That Every Teacher Must Know: Letter V

  • How to Become an Education Administrator in Idaho

  • Teaching & Learning Strategies, Concepts, and Terms That Every Teacher Must Know: Letters U

OpEducation
Home›OpEducation›Disengaged Students, Part 6: What Happened to Political Discourse?

Disengaged Students, Part 6: What Happened to Political Discourse?

By Matthew Lynch
January 30, 2017
Spread the love

In this 20-part series, I explore the root causes and effects of academic disengagement in K-12 learners and explore the factors driving American society ever closer to being a nation that lacks intellectualism, or the pursuit of knowledge for knowledge’s sake.

While the anti-intellectual mindset is deeply entrenched in American culture, it is seldom discussed. Those who accuse the popular culture of ‘dumbness’ are viewed as offensive and even elitist. Those who say that they find Americans less cultured or intelligent than citizens of other nations are convicted of unpatriotic behavior in the court of public opinion. As a result, little is written about the decline of public knowledge, and when relevant statistics are published they usually come with no commentary. The truth is often hard to hear, but it remains true.  Contemporary Americans are far behind the rest of the civilized world in intellectual terms, and even far behind the Americans of 70 years ago.

No Time for Rational Thought

Americans lack patience when it comes to listening to serious discussion of political issues. The average length of a political message dropped from 42.3 seconds to just 7.8 seconds from 1968 to 2000. Candidates who will not encapsulate what they represent in less than 8 seconds are viewed as weak communicators. Thus Americans place a higher value on the presentation of platforms than on the actual content of a particular candidate’s beliefs.

Take the 2012 Presidential campaigns, for example. The now-iconic Facebook photo of Barack Obama embracing Michelle Obama after victory had been declared garnered over 1 million “likes” in under an hour. The same image with the words “four more years” actually broke Twitter’s record for most retweets in less than an hour, with 350,000. The viral photo is a fitting representation of the role that social media played in the election cycle for the first time. There were people talking about the Presidential election on Facebook and Twitter in 2008, but not in the same numbers or with the same social savvy. Mitt Romney’s campaign did not utilize social media channels as expertly as the Obama team, and on several occasions the viral nature of the Internet hurt the Romney camp.

Romney faced a firestorm of public outcry when he described Americans with incomes too low for taxation as self-declared victims with a high sense of entitlement and a low sense of responsibility.  The comments were secretly recorded at a fundraising event and Romney later admitted he should have stated his position in a more “elegant” fashion. However, he stood by the principle of his statement – that opponent Barack Obama’s tax plan was attractive to people on the lower end of the socio-economic scale. Critics panned Romney for his obvious lack of connection with “average” Americans, and the general public followed suit. That particular recording has been described as the beginning of the end of the Romney Presidential run.

But were Mitt Romney’s comments made in what he thought was a private venue really that different from what he was saying in pre-written addresses across the country? A wealthy capitalist himself, Romney had made similar, more elegantly spoken statements in the past. In fact, anyone who took the time to listen to what he and his running mate Paul Ryan were saying on a daily basis in disclosed meetings would have seen that his super-secret, supposedly character-revealing statements were really not all that secret or revealing. The American people had neither the time nor the concern to truly hear what Romney had to say about their economic states until it was condensed into a short, scandalous, overplayed clip.

Were We Ever Rational Conversationalists?

Susan Jacoby observes in The Age of American Unreason that the Americans of a century ago were much more active than their descendants in seeking out opposing views, even if there was no chance that the information would change their minds. When political candidates held rallies to push their agendas, they spoke to a mixed audience of supporters and detractors.

Jacoby says that when she went on tour to promote her first book, Freethinkers: A History of American Secularism, she was prepared to argue her points with those who found her writing off-base. She says that she looked forward to the debate. Jacoby quickly discovered, however, that the only people showing up to her book events were “the converted.” The people in the audience had exactly the same views and she was essentially “preaching to the choir.” She would not have to defend her points because the people who disagreed with her simply would not show up.

Jacoby mentions this example in the introduction of her second book to illustrate the contrast between the open environment for discourse and curiosity about other opinions that once existed in America on the one hand, and the current state of narrow-mindedness across the belief spectrum on the other. She says “The unwillingness to give a hearing to contradictory viewpoints…represents a departure from the best side of American popular and elite intellectual traditions.”

The effort of defending one’s own views and lending an ear to opposing ones has come to be seen as excessive. This is what might be expected of an over-stimulated, instantly gratified American public that has no use for personal fact-finding missions. It is much easier to wait for outrageous scandals and 400-word summary blog posts that outline the “10 Reasons to Vote for Obama” than to dig into details. Anti-intellectualism then becomes a state of deliberate unknowing and uncaring.

Will the next generation of thinkers care enough to hear all sides of an issue? Or accept the first sound bite that is appealing?

 


Spread the love
Tagsanti-intellectualismdisengaged students serieseducation reformSusan Jacoby
Previous Article

Micro-Scholarships a New Funding Source for College

Next Article

Should My Child Have a Cellphone? Appropriate ...

Matthew Lynch

Related articles More from author

  • Matthew LynchPolicy & Reform

    Why The U.S. Education System is Failing: Part II

    December 10, 2015
    By Matthew Lynch
  • listMatthew LynchPolicy & Reform

    3 Entities That Rebelled Against Standardized Testing in the US

    March 10, 2016
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Matthew LynchPolicy & Reform

    Why The US Education System is Failing: Part IV

    October 27, 2016
    By Matthew Lynch
  • EdTech & InnovationOpEducation

    Disengaged Students, Part 14: Educational Technology – Intellectual or Anti?

    February 28, 2017
    By Matthew Lynch
  • OpEducation

    Disengaged Students, Part 9: How Religion Can Discourage Rational Thought

    February 10, 2017
    By Matthew Lynch
  • EdTech & InnovationMatthew LynchOpEducation

    Disengaged Students, Part 7: Too Much Information Access?

    February 5, 2017
    By Matthew Lynch

3 comments

  1. Anthony Nelson 30 January, 2017 at 19:47 Reply

    The word democracy stands for being open to opinions and the voice of the people from different ends and making a point of addressing those opinions based on a final decision made by the leader.The decision made should cover each and every aspect of the questions and opinions voiced and seek to address the common interest of the people.Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but it is wise as Mathew has mentioned to always do background checks on the leaders we elect with a promise to bring change and common good to the nation.

  2. Thomas Branson 1 February, 2017 at 05:24 Reply

    Thanks, Mathew, for the excellent series of articles on disengaged students. America has a nation needs to cultivate a culture that always does background checks and has time to investigate information shared to them.A deep understanding of all the aspects of an opinion notwithstanding all perspectives of a given message shared publicly.We should breed an informed nation that its core value should be a democracy and equal opportunity to all.

  3. Cheryl Kosmo 21 August, 2018 at 12:20 Reply

    I think one of the reasons for less bi-partisan discourse is that the public has less patience for opposing viewpoints and it results in a hostile and contentious environment. People don’t feel safe to express opposing views so they don’t attend events where they know they will be in the minority.

Leave a reply Cancel reply

  • Artificial IntelligenceEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTech

    The Effects of Artificial Intelligence on Education

  • Artificial Intelligence

    26 Ways That Artificial Intelligence (AI) is Transforming Education for the Better

  • Artificial Intelligence

    In a World of Artificial Intelligence, Where Does Emotional Intelligence Fit In?

Search

Registration and Login

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Newsletter

Signup for The Edvocate Newsletter and have the latest in P-20 education news and opinion delivered to your email address!

Subscribe to The Edvocate Podcast

Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsAndroidby EmailRSS
  • Recent

  • Popular

  • Comments

  • How to Become an Education Administrator in Louisiana

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 16, 2021
  • How to Implement Flipped Instruction into Your Classroom

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 15, 2021
  • How to Become an Education Administrator in Kentucky

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 15, 2021
  • How to Become an Education Administrator in Kansas

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 14, 2021
  • Teaching & Learning Strategies, Concepts, and Terms That Every Teacher Must Know: Letters W-Z

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 14, 2021
  • 18 Reasons the U.S. Education System is Failing

    By Matthew Lynch
    April 3, 2017
  • The Top 5 Unexpected Benefits of Early Childhood Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    February 29, 2016
  • 7 Benefits of STEM Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 12, 2019
  • The Dark Side of Educational Technology

    By Matthew Lynch
    October 15, 2016
  • Transformational vs. Contemporary Leadership Styles

    By Matthew Lynch
    February 28, 2016
  • Campuses Have Used IoT Projects to Promote Convenience, Security, and Comfort for Students - The Tech ...
    on
    January 15, 2021

    What Universities Have the Highest Rates of Sexual Assaults Per Capita

    […] security remains a ...
  • Europeans Reveal What 72 Things Weirded Them Out While Visiting America In This Viral Thread
    on
    January 12, 2021

    18 Reasons the U.S. Education System is Failing

    […] www.theedadvocate.org ...
  • Implementing Digital Literacy in the Classroom – MarkerSpace America
    on
    January 11, 2021

    8 Essential Digital Literacy Skills That Students Need

    […] of resources, tools, ...
  • Teaching Your Child to Read – Pedagogue
    on
    January 11, 2021

    Reading Tips for Reluctant Students

    […] do they do ...
  • Is Accreditation Necessary For Private Schools? – Pedagogue
    on
    January 11, 2021

    Should You Teach at a Public or Private School?

    […] there are many ...

Ask an Expert

  • Ask An Expert

    How Dumbed Down Education Is Creating a National Security Crisis

    Spread the loveFor the past few decades, our country’s educational system has seen both struggle and tremendous change. With the various ailments plaguing our educational system, education reforms have attempted ...
  • Ask An Expert

    21 Inspirational Quotes That Nelson Mandela Made About Education

    Spread the loveWe all have our heroes. Those human beings that seem larger than life and almost achieve Godlike status. One of my heroes is the late-great Nelson Mandela, who ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssistive TechnologyCareer ReadinessChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital LeadershipDisabilitiesDiversityEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFirst Year TeachersFreshHigh SchoolK-12Middle SchoolModern ParentingParent & Family TechParental InvolvementParentingPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformPreK-12Special EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachers

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 7: How Digital Age Teachers Can Win Over Parents

    Spread the loveEducation is a collaborative process, as it takes many stakeholders working in unison to help students succeed academically. One of the most integral parts of this collaborative team ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital LeadershipDisabilitiesEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationK-12Online Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTesting

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 6: 8 Ways That Digital Age Teachers Avoid Burning Out

    Spread the loveBeing a teacher is a tough job. So much so, many new teachers end up leaving the field within their first three years. To ensure that the next ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisBullyingChild DevelopmentChild Development TechClassroom ManagementCurrent Ed NewsDigital LeadershipEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEdTech Startups & BusinessesEducation LeadershipEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechK-12Matthew LynchModern ParentingOnline Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTestingYear-Round Schooling

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 5: The Archetype of a Great Teacher

    Spread the loveOne of the questions that I am frequently asked is, what does a good teacher look like? I respond by mentioning my 10th-grade Biology teacher, Mrs. Minor, and ...

International Education

  • International Education

    How Can We Improve Teacher Training in the World’s Poorest Countries?

    Spread the loveAccess to education is a basic human right and a subject of importance in every part of the world. The desire and dedication to go to school are ...
  • International Education

    How COVID-19 is Creating a Global Education Crisis

    Spread the loveWhile the novel coronavirus has brought the entire world to a standstill, it’s the education sector that will suffer the most consequences. Almost all across the globe, the ...
  • International Education

    Which Countries Provide Free Education At A University Level?

    Spread the loveAlmost two dozen countries provide free or nearly-free university-level education to their citizens. Some even allow students from other countries to participate in their free education programs; some ...
  • International Education

    Teachers’ Pay Must Be at the Heart of Global Education Reform

    Spread the loveWhile most in the education field believe they are underpaid for the work they do, there are many people who argue that teachers’ pay is fair. Some of ...
  • International Education

    Innovative Approaches to Global Education Challenges

    Spread the loveGlobal education is an ideology that deals with the enhancement of individual perception of the whole world. It is an approach that helps us to become global citizens. ...

Early Childhood Education

  • Child DevelopmentEarly ChildhoodParenting

    40 Questions to Ask When Choosing Your Child’s Preschool

    Spread the loveIn six months or so, we plan to move my 4-year old son Matthias to a new preschool. We are looking for a location that is close to ...
  • Child DevelopmentEarly ChildhoodModern ParentingParenting

    Should You Choose a Play-Based or Academic Based Preschool For Your Children?

    Spread the loveAs parents await their child’s first school years, it is unclear what they should expect when they finally send their three- to five-year-old children to a preschool. Many ...
  • Early ChildhoodEquity

    The Foundational Principles of Anti-Racist Early Childhood Education

    Spread the loveFor children to have an anti-racist early childhood education, many steps must be taken by parents and educators. Some of these steps occur before children even set foot ...
  • Early Childhood

    Growing And Guiding Early Childhood Education Leadership

    Spread the loveEducational leadership is vital in any school whether it is elementary, middle, or high school. Depending on the school’s age range it is important for the leadership (which ...
  • Early Childhood

    Reducing The Role Of Implicit Bias In Early Childhood Education Settings

    Spread the loveImplicit bias is defined as the attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions in an unconscious manner. While bias is inescapable, that does not mean ...

Gifted and Talented Education

  • Gifted and Talented Education

    The Edvocate’s Guide to Working With Twice-Exceptional Students

    Spread the loveTwice-exceptional is a term used to explain kids who have exceptional talents in some educational areas and challenges in others. In some instances, a twice-exceptional learner could theoretically ...
  • Gifted and Talented Education

    Implementing Curriculum Compacting in Your Classroom

    Spread the loveAll educators agree that differentiating instruction for students is very important. Yet, many districts cannot put this policy into practice. An almost unlimited amount of remedial curricular content ...
  • Gifted and Talented Education

    What Does Academic Enrichment Involve?

    Spread the loveAcademic enrichment activities in the class can take numerous forms and do not always involve prescribed lessons from the curriculum. Enrichment encourages learners to take a more expansive ...
  • Gifted and Talented Education

    What is Academic Enrichment?

    Spread the loveSome learners struggle to keep up in class. Other learners have the opposite challenge. For some learners, their learning moves through content too slowly, causing a lack of ...
  • Gifted and Talented Education

    The Edvocate’s Guide to Cluster Grouping

    Spread the loveCluster grouping is a method educators utilize to meet gifted kids’ educational needs. If cluster grouping isn’t practiced at a certain grade level or a certain school, contemplate ...

Black Boys in Crisis Series

  • Black Boys in Crisis

    The Importance of Mentoring Young African-American Males

    Spread the loveTeachers need to realize that at home, in their neighborhoods, and in school, many students face difficulties that can interfere with learning. Compared to their middle-class counterparts, it ...
  • Black Boys in CrisisDiversityEquity

    7 Ways That Black Students are Discriminated Against in U.S K-12 Schools

    Spread the loveAfrican Africans have a long history of being mistreated in the United States, starting with slavery. It should come as no surprise that their children face the same ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital LeadershipDisabilitiesEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationK-12Online Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTesting

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 6: 8 Ways That Digital Age Teachers Avoid Burning Out

    Spread the loveBeing a teacher is a tough job. So much so, many new teachers end up leaving the field within their first three years. To ensure that the next ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisBullyingChild DevelopmentChild Development TechClassroom ManagementCurrent Ed NewsDigital LeadershipEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEdTech Startups & BusinessesEducation LeadershipEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechK-12Matthew LynchModern ParentingOnline Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTestingYear-Round Schooling

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 5: The Archetype of a Great Teacher

    Spread the loveOne of the questions that I am frequently asked is, what does a good teacher look like? I respond by mentioning my 10th-grade Biology teacher, Mrs. Minor, and ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisBullyingChild DevelopmentChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDisabilitiesDiversityEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGifted and Talented EducationHigh SchoolHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechK-12Middle SchoolModern ParentingOnline Learning & eLearningParent & Family TechParentingPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformSecondary EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTesting

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 4: How to Create a Culturally Responsive Classroom

    Spread the loveBuilding a culturally responsive classroom is hard. To help you along your journey, here is your guide to exploring and respecting the cultural backgrounds of your students while ...

RSS Matthew on Education Week

  • Au Revoir from Education Futures November 20, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • 6 Steps to Data-Driven Literacy Instruction October 17, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • Four Keys to a Modern IT Approach in K-12 Schools October 2, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • What's the Difference Between Burnout and Demoralization, and What Can Teachers Do About It? September 27, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • Revisiting Using Edtech for Bullying and Suicide Prevention September 10, 2018 Matthew Lynch

About Us

The Edvocate was created in 2014 to argue for shifts in education policy and organization in order to enhance the quality of education and the opportunities for learning afforded to P-20 students in America. What we envisage may not be the most straightforward or the most conventional ideas. We call for a relatively radical and certainly quite comprehensive reorganization of American’s P-20 system.

That reorganization, though, and the underlying effort, will have much to do with reviving the American education system, and reviving a national love of learning.  The Edvocate plans to be one of key architects of this revival, as it continues to advocate for education reform, equity, and innovation.

Newsletter

Signup for The Edvocate Newsletter and have the latest in P-20 education news and opinion delivered to your email address!

Contact

The Edvocate
5322 Markel Road, Suite 104
Richmond, VA 23230
(601) 630-5238
advocatefored@gmail.com

Follow us

Copyright (c) 2021 Matthew Lynch. All rights reserved.