101.  Education: The Common Currency of Society

If you have traveled anywhere in the world, you have experienced the hassle of dealing with monetary exchange rates. A universal common currency, although a pipedream, would be a real godsend. But it’s not likely.  On the other hand, there is—or should be--a common currency that influences and enhances the social order by providing a civil forum in which to pursue different perspectives and world views with the goal of expanding understanding and knowledge beyond the boundaries of individual experience. That would be education, and in particular higher education. This hifalutin vision once defined America’s higher ed community and gave it a venerated and valued position in society. But today higher education is just one of many arenas where political and social issues are played out in contentious conflicts marked by misinformation and effrontery rather than collegiality and cooperation.  In this episode I’ll look at how and why this has happened and how to counteract the effects of the current situation.   EdUp Insights with Bill Pepicello is part of the EdUp Experience Podcast Network