College Is More Political Than Ever. But in a New, Insidious Way.
The bad news is that this mostly congenial experience is made possible by a pervasive insularity. To a striking degree, young people now pick their college based in part on the school’s political reputation, make friends with and date other kids with similar political views, choose majors that reinforce their outlook on the world and generally gravitate toward what is ideologically familiar.
This self-sorting not only undercuts the development of the critical thinking skills that a college education is supposed to foster; it also deepens the polarization that is imperiling our country.
Social scientists distinguish between two kinds of polarization, ideological and affective. Ideological polarization occurs when people move further apart in their political beliefs and preferences. But affective polarization, which is the true scourge, takes place when your politics become a core feature of your identity, leading you to have negative feelings toward those who disagree with you.
