CNN’s Fareed Zakaria criticizes woke universities, urging them to abandon their misguided foray into politics
Fareed Zakaria Slams Woke Universities: Time to Refocus on Research and Learning
In a scathing critique on CNN’s “Fareed Zakaria GPS,” Fareed Zakaria called out woke universities for their misguided foray into politics, urging them to return to their roots of academic excellence and leave behind their diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
Zakaria’s impassioned segment was prompted by the recent struggles of three Ivy League presidents during their testimonies before the U.S. Congress. These leaders stumbled to acknowledge that advocating for the genocide of Jews on college campuses would violate their schools’ policies.
“To truly grasp their performance, we must understand the significant shift that has occurred at elite universities. They have transformed from centers of excellence into institutions driven by political agendas,” Zakaria explained, backing his argument with compelling statistics that reveal a decline in public opinion regarding higher education.
“American universities have forsaken their pursuit of excellence in favor of various agendas, many of which revolve around diversity and inclusion,” Zakaria emphasized. He further criticized this shift, stating that it has transformed these institutions into breeding grounds for political and social engineering, rather than academic merit.
Zakaria didn’t hold back in his criticism, lambasting universities for their obsession with woke culture and their discriminatory practices against white individuals. He also ridiculed the notion of “majoring in diversity, equity, and inclusion,” asserting that it lacks any academic substance.
“The most glaring lack of diversity at universities is political diversity, which undoubtedly hampers their ability to analyze complex issues. Yet, this issue is consistently ignored, underscoring that these goals are not truly focused on achieving excellence,” Zakaria argued. “From this culture of diversity, we have witnessed the rise of concepts like safe spaces, trigger warnings, and microaggressions.”
He continued, “Universities now advise students to censor their speech, actions, and even attire to avoid offending certain minority groups. As this culture of virtue signaling grows, we saw universities eagerly aligning themselves with the George Floyd protests. Interestingly, few took such steps during 9/11 or the Iraq war.”
Highlighting the consequences of this politicization, Zakaria concluded, “America’s top colleges are no longer revered as bastions of excellence but rather as partisan entities. Consequently, they will continue to be buffeted by political storms as they arise. It is time for them to abandon this misguided venture into politics, refocus on their core strengths, and rebuild their reputations as centers of research and learning.”
Watch the segment here:
America’s top universities should abandon their long misadventure into politics, retrain their gaze on their core strengths, and rebuild their reputations as centers of research and learning.
My take: pic.twitter.com/smjkQ9fngE
— Fareed Zakaria (@FareedZakaria) December 10, 2023
What are the implications of universities being “echo chambers” of political correctness and groupthink?
Ke ideology and their negligence of research and learning. He argued that the focus on diversity and inclusion has overshadowed the true purpose of universities, which is to provide a rigorous academic education.
“Universities should be bastions of knowledge, where critical thinking and intellectual exploration thrive. Instead, they have become echo chambers of political correctness and groupthink,” Zakaria asserted. He lamented the lack of intellectual diversity on campus, with conservative viewpoints often marginalized or silenced.
Zakaria highlighted the irony in universities advocating for inclusivity while stifling dissenting opinions. “How can we expect students to develop critical thinking skills if they are not exposed to a wide range of perspectives?” he questioned.
Moreover, Zakaria pointed out the detrimental effects of the woke agenda on academic freedom. “Professors and students alike feel pressured to conform to the prevailing ideology, lest they face backlash and career repercussions,” he warned. This stifling of academic freedom hampers the pursuit of truth and the advancement of knowledge.
Zakaria called on universities to refocus on their core mission of research and learning. He urged them to prioritize academic excellence, rigorous scholarship, and open intellectual inquiry. He emphasized that universities should be places where ideas are challenged, debated, and refined, rather than censored and shut down.
To regain public trust and restore their credibility, Zakaria proposed that universities abandon their obsession with diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and recommit to fostering a culture of intellectual growth and academic rigor. He encouraged universities to invest more in faculty development and research, ensuring that they remain at the forefront of knowledge creation.
While acknowledging the importance of diversity and inclusion, Zakaria reminded universities that these objectives should not come at the expense of academic excellence. He called for a balance between inclusivity and meritocracy, where individuals are valued based on their abilities and contributions rather than their identities.
In conclusion, Zakaria’s critique of woke universities resonates with those who believe in the essential role of academia in fostering intellectual growth and advancing knowledge. He calls for a reevaluation of priorities, urging universities to return to their roots of academic excellence and refocus on research and learning. By doing so, universities can regain their credibility and fulfill their true purpose as bastions of knowledge and critical thinking.
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