Many of the professors at American universities live comfortable lives, oblivious to the damage they’ve done to our future. They wrap themselves in their supposed virtue as advocates for environmentalism, social justice, racial equity, and so on but can’t see that their schools and the nation are in grave peril.

So argues Michael Pearce in today’s Martin Center article.

He likens the situation to that depicted in a famous painting (“Birds of Paradise”) that shows upscale LA residents partying while a fire rages just a small distance from them.

Pearce writes, “Satirical paintings are always open to interpretation, but this one is especially biting and points a sharp finger at American elites who disregard the heralding of a catastrophic future. Although its message could be equally well directed at the cream of the entertainment business, at journalists, or at politicians, Dobsky’s work is especially meaningful to close observers of the slow-motion collapse of private liberal-arts institutions, who are keenly aware of the dissonant devil’s tritone of recruitment, social justice, and education.”

That slow-motion collapse is about to accelerate as demographic trends turn against college enrollments and more people realize that the highly politicized education they get isn’t worth it.

For the moment, our preening faculty are happy. Pearce continues, “Snugly tucked behind an azure moat and the fortifications of an ivory tower, complacent tenured faculty imagine themselves as virtuous warriors fighting for the fashionable issues of contemporary agitation. Within their imaginary world, they are safely protected from real life, making glib pronouncements about social-justice issues and enforcing internal compliance.”

That’s a good assessment of the situation. Reality is about to intrude.