Current Reading

This blog is primarily for me to blog my responses to books that I'm reading. Sometimes I blog about other stuff too, though.

Poverty by America by Matthew Desmond.

Word cloud

Word cloud

Thursday, December 17, 2015

Trump Card

I am usually uninterested in using this blog to discuss the politics of the  non-academic world, but I will make an exception because I had an insight into an analogy between academic politics and national politics.

Everyone who reads this blog (I am generously assuming that I have multiple readers...) knows that I am mystified by academics who respond so well to thoroughly establishment figures when they talk about transformation and radical change.  How will the Director of a government-funded and foundation-funded STEM Education Initiative, a person with countless establishment awards, saying all of the buzzwords that establishment figures cherish, actually shake anything up?

Well, consider the Trump campaign.  Marvel at all of the social conservatives who are flocking to the campaign of a casino owner who is on his third marriage.  Look upon the cultural conservatives who rail against east coast elitists as they cheer for a Manhattan billionaire.  Look at the people who consider this billionaire the voice of the common man.

Now do you get it?