The United States is both practical and idealistic writes Siva Vaidhyanathan as he paraphrases the conclusions of Thorstein Veblen, a sociologist and economist who wrote at the turn of the 20th century. Almost from the start, our educational system represented those polarities: Harvard, Yale and Princeton were created to train clergy, while Johns Hopkins and Chicago Universities were dedicated to pure research. (“A Study in Total Depravity,” by Siva Vaidhyanathan, The Baffler, #28, 2015 pgs. 180-186.) That duality is reflected in our culture: Americans both resent and embrace prestige, and both defer to and ridicule intellectual sophistication. Americans worship technology but dismiss science. (Ibid pg. 186.)
With regard to the pursuit of prestige, Vaidhyanathan writes, it may be a driving factor in the rising cost of college tuition. Costs rise, he suggests, because the public wants them to rise. Consumers mistake expense for quality. Those who pay the higher price do so for the bragging rights that come with wealth. That’s what Veblen’s meant by the term, “conspicuous consumption.” Parents, Vaidhyanathan argues, want to “boast of a child attending Bennington (and their ability to foot the bill) with stickers on the Audis…” (Ibid pg. 182) Institutions of higher education not only feed that impulse but augment it by courting large numbers of admission applications for the purpose of boasting a high rejection rate. It’s a game, the author insists, because the price of tuition isn’t serious and is often discounted once a student is accepted. What matters is the price before the “sale.”
Unfortunately, those who can’t afford bragging rights are suffering from the rising tide. Tuitions at State universities are increasing, though for different reasons. Vaidhyanathn explains: 1) State governments are slashing support for education, 2) insurance costs are rising, and 3) federal funding is diminishing – a statement disputed by others. (Blog 6/1/15) Unfortunately, “mogul abuse” is filling the vacuum government has left. (ibid pg. 184) He describes it as a condition where money pours in from business entrepreneurs who wish to transform higher education into a kind of job corp where short term hiring needs trump a rounded education. (Blog 4/19/13) Money from these sources enhances the schism between practical and idealistic goals. (Ibid pg. 185)
When Vadhyanathan’s applies Veblen’s theories to higher education, he invites us to rethink what we imagined we knew about the rising costs of tuition. If conspicuous consumption is a factor, how absurd. As to the purpose of a higher education, that already seems up for debate. Many are asking whether or not universities are meant to turn out doctors and lawyers, stock brokers and engineers; or are they meant to be centers of unbridled curiosity where knowledge is prized as an end in itself? If the answer is the latter, perhaps a higher education isn’t for everyone. We could train our practitioners at a reduced cost. Some leaders in the field of technology have suggested just that. But, Veblen may be right. Some of us may enjoy counting the cost
courtesy of wellyousaythat.blogspot.com
