Political Polarization and Education

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"In theory, of course, education is supposed to help us think independently, to weigh evidence and make up our own minds. But that's not how it works in the real world. Highly educated people may call themselves independents, but when it comes to voting they tend to pick a partisan side and stick with it. College-educated voters are more likely than high-school-educated voters to vote for candidates from the same party again and again.

"That's because college-educated voters are more ideological. As the Emory political scientist Alan Abramowitz has shown, a college-educated Democrat is likely to be more liberal than a high-school-educated Democrat, and a college-educated Republican is likely to be more conservative than a high-school-educated Republican. The more you crack the books, the more likely it is you'll shoot off to the right or the left."

-- David Brooks for The NY Times

Mr. Brooks explores the ever deepening political polarization that preys upon our republic. This idea that more education only drives one deeper into one's beliefs - prejudices? - is a striking one, running counter to our more dreamy notions of education and erudition. One thinks of the Alexander Hamilton quote brought up by Mr. Ron Chernow:

"Men are rather reasoning than reasonable animals, for the most part governed by the impulse of passion."

More education and study may only ground more deeply our passions and predispositions.

( Brooks column )

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Political Polarization and Education

~
"In theory, of course, education is supposed to help us think independently, to weigh evidence and make up our own minds. But that's not how it works in the real world. Highly educated people may call themselves independents, but when it comes to voting they tend to pick a partisan side and stick with it. College-educated voters are more likely than high-school-educated voters to vote for candidates from the same party again and again.

"That's because college-educated voters are more ideological. As the Emory political scientist Alan Abramowitz has shown, a college-educated Democrat is likely to be more liberal than a high-school-educated Democrat, and a college-educated Republican is likely to be more conservative than a high-school-educated Republican. The more you crack the books, the more likely it is you'll shoot off to the right or the left."

-- David Brooks for The NY Times

Mr. Brooks explores the ever deepening political polarization that preys upon our republic. This idea that more education only drives one deeper into one's beliefs - prejudices? - is a striking one, running counter to our more dreamy notions of education and erudition. One thinks of the Alexander Hamilton quote brought up by Mr. Ron Chernow:

"Men are rather reasoning than reasonable animals, for the most part governed by the impulse of passion."

More education and study may only ground more deeply our passions and predispositions.

( Brooks column )

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