"The same deep forces that afflict many Western nations have wrenched us apart: the transition to a postindustrial economy and the attendant erosion of working-class security, the demographic shift toward a "majority minority" nation, the cultural upheaval that has dethroned men, and especially white men, from their age-old dominance - and the rise of entrepreneurs of outrage eager to exploit all that free-floating anger."
"What's more, schools matter more than they have in the past. First of all, the crisis that we now face is not just partisan but cognitive. Americans don't simply disagree, as we always have, on what is and is not true; rather, we no longer have common criteria for truth. Social media imparts a specious, but very powerful, authority to our prejudices and illusions."
Schools are not the primary cause of polarization; broad economic, demographic, and cultural changes have driven social fracture. Postindustrial economic shifts and erosion of working-class security, demographic transformation toward a "majority minority" nation, and cultural upheavals that unsettle traditional hierarchies have fueled resentment. Entrepreneurs of outrage amplify that free-floating anger. Schools and society interact reciprocally, and deliberate civic education can help repair social bonds. A growing epistemic crisis erodes common criteria for truth as social media and platforms grant authority based on popularity rather than accuracy, making robust civic learning increasingly consequential.
Read at Harvard Gazette
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