The Market Place of Ideas

As many of us look to the future of today’s liberal arts universities, we wonder what the future holds for these educational institutions. We wonder how these institutions will evolve and engage the minds of young people, to inspire critical thinking and thoughtful debate. I have always liked the notion of the university system and the focus on teaching and engaging with students through the marketplace of ideas. This kind of system should give ideas, thoughts, philosophies, ideologies, theologies, and religions a fair hearing: a chance to stand on their own ground, and a chance to have these ideas and thoughts vetted and defended through debate, learning, and arguments with others who may hold diverse opinions and not agree with what is being proclaimed.

Many of the top ranked liberal arts universities like Harvard, Columbia, Yale, and Stanford have started to lose their focus on the marketplace of ideas because the professors have been biased by far-left ideology. These universities are slowly changing how they approach teaching liberal arts and the consequences are frightening. If we look at a more traditional definition of liberal arts, we can see how some of these schools are allowing their professors to stray into dangerous territory (see definition below).

A liberal arts education offers an expansive intellectual grounding in all kinds of humanistic inquiry. By exploring issues, ideas and methods across the humanities and the arts, and the natural and social sciences, you will learn to read critically, write cogently and think broadly. These skills will elevate your conversations in the classroom and strengthen your social and cultural analysis; they will cultivate the tools necessary to allow you to navigate the world’s most complex issues. A liberal arts education challenges you to consider not only how to solve problems, but also trains you to ask which problems to solve and why, preparing you for positions of leadership and a life of service to the nation and all of humanity (Princeton University).

In the past, I did not think much about the definition of liberal arts in these universities, since everything was open to debate, with a focus on helping the students think and learn, with the ability to form their OWN opinions. Well, times have changed, as these top universities have allowed the ideology from the far left to take hold and infiltrate their respective institutions. These universities have lost track of the marketplace of ideas, and instead have indoctrinated students on far-left ideology. We are seeing ideas and ideologies like critical race theory, inclusion, and diversity taking on new definitions, to meet the desires of those sharing them (taught as truth – with no debate). This has led to a loss of critical thinking skills, a loss of rational thinking skills, a loss of logical thinking, and a loss of debating skills (with nothing based on biblical truth). We see a generation that has been taught not to think critically, who are indoctrinated in ideas like critical race theory, diversity, and inclusion, with ever changing definitions based on the mob mentality (irrespective of race).

To validate this, all you need to do is look at the current state of our country, its educational institutions, and the people who are appointed to the top political positions. The far left, who are most definitely anti-Christian, have gained political power. With this newfound political power, you can see the far left democrats (many a product of the university system) pushing for chaos and change. If you watch the news today, no matter if it is liberal media or conservative media, you can see the lies, the destruction, and the utter chaos that these people want (they believe you need to dismantle our failed system of liberty built on Christian principles to rebuild an equitable society).

For example, universities like Columbia and Yale are creating areas dedicated only for people of color (we used to call this segregation). Professors from these intuitions are teaching critical race theory, and many of the new diversity and inclusion ideologies as if they are truth, with no vetting in the marketplace of ideas. If you want to debate them, they will get angry and call you a racist, or turn around and walk away. This is what our university system is creating today: a nation of people who are intolerant, lacking the ability to think critically, not willing to listen, and are not logical. Why do you think our elementary schools, junior high schools and high schools are teaching these ideologies? Because that is what the teachers learned in college!

We need to help these institutions to focus back on knowledge, reason, truth, logic, and not the lies of the far left. We also need to start bringing back the truth that is taught in the Bible. Many of these universities like Harvard were founded on Christian truth and liberty. How far these universities have drifted away from the original intentions of the founding fathers.

What can we do? Well, I struggle with this every day. But to start, we can encourage everyone around us to follow the truth of the bible and practice wisdom. Also, we need to ensure that our young people are being taught to think critically and understand biblical truth. Proverbs offers some good advice:

Proverbs 1:2-33 (ESV):

To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth—Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck. My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood; let us ambush the innocent without reason; like Sheol let us swallow them alive, and whole, like those who go down to the pit; we shall find all precious goods, we shall fill our houses with plunder; throw in your lot among us; we will all have one purse”— my son, do not walk in the way with them; hold back your foot from their paths, for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood. For in vain is a net spread in the sight of any bird, but these men lie in wait for their own blood; they set an ambush for their own lives. Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain; it takes away the life of its possessors. Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; at the head of the noisy streets, she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates, she speaks: How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge? If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you. Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded, because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you, when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord, would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof, therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices. For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them; but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster. Apply your heart to instruction and your ear to words of knowledge.

I pray that we can all engage with those around us by sharing the truth in love and helping those who are lost to the university system and far-left to see the grace and love that our Lord and Savior has been waiting to give them. This is the only way to change, through the power of Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit. So, if you have young ones going to school, help them understand the truth; and if you have friends/family in the University’s system, engage with them with the Truth!!