Plato’s Cave and the Rise of the Highly Educated Radical
The article examines the growing trend of highly educated individuals committing acts of political violence, questioning how an education system might contribute to such extremism. It highlights cases like Cole Tomas Allen, a Caltech graduate who attempted to assassinate the U.S. president, and links their actions to a broader crisis of truth and moral certainty. The author argues that the erosion of shared values and the reduction of truth to power dynamics in academia may be fueling this dangerous phenomenon.
- ▪Cole Tomas Allen, a Caltech graduate and computer science student, attempted to assassinate the U.S. president and cabinet members.
- ▪The article cites other educated individuals involved in political violence, including Luigi Mangione and a physics prodigy linked to a Brown University shooting.
- ▪One survey indicates Americans with graduate degrees are about twice as likely to support political violence compared to those with less education.
- ▪The author suggests that academic teachings that equate truth with power may contribute to radicalization among the highly educated.
- ▪The piece frames these incidents as symptoms of a deeper civilizational crisis regarding truth, justice, and moral judgment.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Plato’s Cave and the Rise of the Highly Educated Radical“The question is not only why so many of our countrymen are willing to commit violence. It is why so many of the willing are so highly educated,” writes Jacob Howland. (Photo by Art Images via Getty Images)Professors have taught generations of students to reduce individuals to the flat abstractions of identity groups, politics to zero-sum relations of power, and truth to the fiat of those who rule.By Jacob Howland05.01.26 — Things Worth Remembering--:----:--Upgrade to Listen5 minsProduced by ElevenLabs using AI narrationHow does a society with no widely shared vision of truth endure?Last Saturday night, a 31-year-old computer science graduate—described by his professor as “a very good student”—checked into the Washington Hilton and…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Free Press.
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