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New technologies and increased access to education have provided a constant stream of information. But what happens when these societal gains also help fuel a surge in narcissistic, misguided commentary that cripples informed debate on any number of issues? A quick trip through WebMD or Wikipedia does not create expertise, but these days, all voices demand to be taken with equal seriousness, and claims to the contrary often are dismissed as undemocratic elitism. More information has not made us any smarter. Rather, it has enabled and propagated a wave of ill-informed and angry citizenship, breeding distrust of intellectual achievement and expertise. How do we defend against this threat to our well-being and to the future of our democratic institutions?
Professor Tom Nichols (National Security Affairs, U.S. Naval War College) brings his own deep expertise and substantial policy experience as a strategist, commentator, and best-selling author to these pressing issues of our current political climate.
Co-sponsored by the Political Science Department through the Francis A. Harrington Public Affairs Fund and the Higgins School of Humanities at Clark University