Introduction
In 1987, Allan Bloom published a book that would stir up a great deal of controversy. The Closing of the American Mind examined the state of higher education in the United States and painted a bleak picture. Bloom argued that American universities had abandoned their mission to educate students and instead became factories for producing young people who were ignorant, unthinking, and indifferent to the values of their society. The Closing of the American Mind was highly controversial, but it remains an important and provocative work. By teaching students to accept a particular perspective uncritically, Universities are doing a disservice to both students and society.
Discussion
In The Closing of the American Mind, Bloom discusses the failings of higher education in America and how it has led to a society that cannot think for itself. He argues that the way universities are run today, with an emphasis on catering to students’ feelings and emotions instead of teaching them how to think, is ultimately damaging to society. Bloom also discusses other key points, such as the rise of political correctness on college campuses and how it has stifled free speech (Bloom, 1987). He blames this trend on the fact that most students today are not taught how to think for themselves and instead are indoctrinated with pre-determined beliefs. Bloom’s book is a passionate plea for educators to start teaching their students how to think critically and for students to start demanding more from their universities. Bloom takes on everything from the university’s role to the nature of art and culture. He attacks the popular idea that everyone is entitled to an opinion, and he argues that society is in decline because people have abandoned traditional values.
The Closing of the American Mind has become a cultural touchstone in liberal education since its publication in 1987. It has been cited by White House staffers and is still frequently referenced in contemporary debates about higher education. At the heart of Bloom’s argument is the idea that liberal education is critical to the well-being of a nation and should help teach students how to think for themselves. He explains what he believes are the real consequences if people fail to promote open-mindedness and true intellectual inquiry. He warns that an over-emphasis on career preparation could lead people into an age of social and political conformity. Bloom also laments the influence of popular culture on the younger generations, suggesting that society has placed too much emphasis on individual freedom, leading to a culture of relativism where all truths are seen as equal (Marks, 2021). He argues that this prevents meaningful learning, as students cannot think critically or form their own opinions without being swayed by popular opinion. These points remain relevant today, and students need to learn how to think critically and explore their thoughts and beliefs through reading, writing, and other forms of expression to be true agents of change within society.
Allan Bloom’s main points are important to consider and reflect on in today’s world. He saw what he felt was a decline in education and the loss of essential knowledge and wisdom. However, he also advocated for students to use their personal experiences to learn what is important in life. He argued for teachers to challenge students and help them think deeply about complex topics, which still holds today. The book also speaks to the power of relationships between teachers and students, friends, classmates, and family members, and how valuable it can be if people take the time to engage with each other (Bloom, 1987). Bloom believed that conversations with people with different backgrounds and beliefs foster a deeper understanding of the world. It is something all people can benefit from, especially today when there are so many opportunities for a connection online. Finally, Bloom spoke about the importance of passion in life. He asserted that passion provides a purpose, drives people toward their goals, and ultimately makes them feel alive. He encouraged readers to discover their passions early on in life to have the best chance of success. Applying these key points helps people remain motivated even when times get tough, or things seem overwhelming, keeping them motivated and energized as they work towards their goals.
According to Bloom, the root of the current educational and cultural crisis can be traced back to two landmark historical events: The Protestant Reformation and the French Revolution. The Protestant Reformation, which began in the 16th century, led to a break from the Catholic Church and a proliferation of new sects and denominations. It led to a fragmentation of Western thought as each sect developed its unique interpretation of Christianity. The French Revolution began in 1789 and was a bloody uprising that overthrew the monarchy and established a secular republic (Marks, 2021). The event marked the beginning of the Age of Enlightenment, a period of intellectual ferment in which thinkers such as Voltaire and Jean-Jacques Rousseau sought to apply reason and scientific methods to all aspects of society. Bloom argues that these two events have had a profound impact on American education and culture. The Protestant Reformation led to a rejection of authority and an emphasis on individual interpretation. The French Revolution led to an emphasis on rationalism and scientism. Together, these two movements have resulted in an educational system and culture obsessed with facts and data but lacking any sense of meaning or purpose.
Bloom offers a unique perspective on what makes a liberal arts education successful: He believes that an education should have both theoretical instruction and practical application. By combining these two forms of knowledge, students can gain the necessary skills to understand the ideas they are learning and apply them to the world around them (Thomas, 2018). Bloom also focuses on the importance of cultivating one’s moral character, as he believes this is essential in developing meaningful relationships with one’s peers. In addition, Bloom looks at how educational institutions can use questions and discussions to encourage students to think more deeply about their studies. By having meaningful conversations in a classroom, students can be exposed to different ways of thinking and learn more than just factual information from their professors. Therefore, Bloom provides a strong argument for why universities should focus on providing their students with an informative and thought-provoking education.
In the Closing of the American Mind, Bloom argues that modern, postmodern culture is leading to a “closing” of the American mind – meaning that while America was once a bastion of free thought and intellectual exploration, it has now become a place where people often take things at face value and do not challenge accepted ideas (Thomas, 2018). To illustrate his point, Bloom examines several aspects of modern culture, from music to television, and how they affect how people think. He argues that much of popular music today is nothing more than “songs about feelings” that do not encourage critical thinking or challenge accepted beliefs. TV shows rarely challenge viewers to think critically or explore topics that might make them uncomfortable. Internet-driven media has caused many people to develop tunnel vision and become entrapped in their echo chambers.
After that, Bloom revisits the subject of values in contemporary culture. According to him, all current Western governments were established solely based on reason, “without appeal to revelation or tradition.” These current regimes’ worldview is based on enlightenment principles (Bloom, 1987). Men have lost faith in God and the natural world due to this philosophical shift toward reason alone. As a result, a new set of values was developed because it is now believed that previous conceptions of good and evil were founded on antiquated religious beliefs.
Modern philosophy holds that God did not create man and give him human nature; rather, man creates God and imposes his own beliefs upon Him. Because these new values are not founded on objective standards, they must necessarily be relativistic. Nietzsche believed that “culture is the only framework for accounting for what is particularly human in man (Thomas, 2018). In contrast to other living things, man is a pure becoming being, and it is via culture that he transcends nature. Because of Enlightenment views, the entire world was limited to being explained by reason. However, reason disproves this worldview and indicates the necessity for the supernatural to take precedence over the natural. The separation of science and religion resulted from this repudiation of reason in the service of reason and the decrease of the value of rational explanations. However, science and religion were no longer compatible after the Enlightenment, so they must be separated from one another. Furthermore, religion is regarded as a myth, and modern science is unquestionably accurate.
According to Bloom, this change in ideals took place at American universities in the 1960s. Due to the false assumption that the movements backed by the masses were of a higher moral value than the education the universities had initially given, universities ignored their objective to indoctrinate value systems and the value of this education. They started only to teach the values that aligned with their ideologies (Thomas, 2018). University core curriculums were eliminated and replaced with courses emphasizing “individual growth.” It implied that university curricula were not based on tradition but on the day’s fashions, which frequently stunted actual educational advancement. The new perspective on education encouraged a new morality. The old definition of morality was submission to power; the new definition was a rebellion against authority. This novel concept might have been better described as “anti-morality” rather than “morality.” According to Bloom, tradition has been lost as a result of being abandoned and forgotten. Traditions are passed down from one generation to the next, and since the previous generation broke this succession, restoring them will take work. Consequently, the breakdown of the educational system caused the West to collapse.
Conclusion
In conclusion, The Closing of the American Mind is a book that is still very relevant today. The issues that Allan Bloom brings up are still evident in society, and in some ways, they might be even more relevant today. The book is well-written and thought-provoking, and it is worth reading. Bloom paints a bleak picture of our society, where people are increasingly closing themselves off from new ideas and limiting their capacity for honest thought and intellectual exploration. The Closing of the American Mind encourages readers to shake off the chains of this closed-mindedness and open up their minds to new ideas to reach their full potential.
References
Bloom, A. D. (1987). The closing of the American mind. Simon and Schuster.
Marks, J. (2021). Let us be reasonable: A conservative case for liberal education. Princeton University Press.
Thomas, D. J. (2018). The State of American Policing: Psychology, behavior, problems, and solutions. Praeger, an imprint of ABC-CLIO, LLC.