Lasch Academic Pseudo-Radicalism Summary

Lasch’s Chapter, “Academic Pseudo-Radicalism” begins by offering the tone of higher education, hierarchical and specialized. Lasch argues that one of the most prominent historical aims of higher education was the “democratization of liberal culture.” However, liberal education is not realistic for many students as a result of the increasing tuition costs. Students who do in fact receive liberal education tend to be affluent. Instructors of the affluent, concentrate on a language that focus on the elite and promotes different values that the language advances. Thus, it is through the compilation of these values that one may form an ideology of economics or politics that one may believe in. However, liberal education does not allow for marginalized voices who that do not readily agree to be heard. Lasch asserts, “the only trouble with the …show more content…
Liberal education fosters an environment for white males to be promoted while minorities are excluded and oppressed. Lasch believes that if reformed properly, higher educated can give marginalized voices the opportunity to be heard, while protecting and nurturing difference. Lasch claims, “The need to argue on this common ground—not universal agreement on epistemological foundations—is what creates the possibility of a common ground” (191). Therefore, it is through higher education and equal access to higher education that we may establish this common ground to no longer advance a white elite but advance the notion of cultural pluralism.
Sandel illustrates that liberal political philosophy has its flaws and these flaws can ultimately describe the downfall of the “procedural republic. Sandel presents democracy’s discontent as a product of liberal theory. In his preface, Sandel highlights “the gap between our ideals and institutions” (x).