Emma Green

So I met him this summer and, you know, the Trump agenda on higher ed has been unfolding.

And he was very introspective because he was willing to say, I think the Biden administration did some things that, you know, didn't fully recognize what was happening in this moment.

And I am reflecting on this populist anger that has been undermining higher education.

I've interviewed him many times.

It's not a new problem, right?

People have been talking about the lack of ideological diversity on campus for a really long time.

And I don't think people who challenge that status quo, especially at the elite level, I don't think they're making it up.

I think what Robbie George said is real, that it's kind of like you're the one conservative that they keep over as a pet in the corner.

The giraffe.

That's right.

They make sure they have you to show that they have you.

Wow, that's like a, you know, at least 10,000 more words that I have to write for you, David.

Fair enough.

Give me the assignment.

Fair enough.

I think what I was describing earlier about this...

potent mixture that we have in the culture right now where there are these political cultural clashes centered on campuses paired with populist discontent about how hard it is to get ahead and how higher ed isn't helping people get ahead i think there's probably an echo of that here right which is there's a perception that if you're going to go to college well at least you might as well get an engineering degree because what are you going to do with an english major right

And here you are, David.

You did well for yourself.

You proved them wrong.