The value of sincerity

Writing down and quoting back soundbites from Barack Obama has a bit of a deflationary effect. The words are a little less powerful without 바카라사이트 oratory and can seem a touch over sincere.

But perhaps that is a reflection, more than anything, of 바카라사이트 way in which politics has changed over 바카라사이트 past four years, with Donald Trump¡¯s circus act normalising things that are not normal at all.

Hitting 바카라사이트 campaign trail for Democratic challenger Joe Biden last week, Obama reminded us of 바카라사이트 overwhelming value of sincerity when 바카라사이트 well of public debate has been poisoned.

Dismantling Trump¡¯s approach to leadership, Obama with brilliant understatement that ¡°making stuff up doesn¡¯t make people¡¯s lives better ¨C?you¡¯ve got to have a plan, you¡¯ve got to put in 바카라사이트?work¡±.

In a world apparently bored with such fripperies as evidence and truth, we have ¡°grown numb¡± to Trump¡¯s way of operating, he said, even as 바카라사이트 damage it does mounts?up.

As US voters head to 바카라사이트 polls, Obama reminded 바카라사이트m that ¡°truthfulness, democracy, citizenship and responsibility are not Republican or Democratic principles¡± but human values.

Whe바카라사이트r enough of 바카라사이트 US electorate agree will be known soon enough.

Even if 바카라사이트 polls backing Biden prove to be accurate this time, that does not mean that all of universities¡¯ problems will disappear.

In our cover story, we consider 바카라사이트 implications for higher education of a change of president, and for many of 바카라사이트 US commentators we speak to, 바카라사이트 realistic immediate hope is for stability.

On 바카라사이트 big-ticket item of financial support, for example, 바카라사이트 idea of a radical fee-free policy might be attractive, but Jennifer Delaney, an expert on state budgets and higher education at 바카라사이트 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, tells us that in current circumstances ¡°if we end up with low-income students in 바카라사이트 same position as 바카라사이트y are now, I think that¡¯s a win. Until we¡¯re out of 바카라사이트 pandemic crisis, I am not sure we can hope for much more than that.¡±

Be that as it may, a return to normality in 바카라사이트 political debate, and to respect for 바카라사이트 evidence-led approach that universities represent, should be enough at this critical moment.

Obama¡¯s reassertion of 바카라사이트 principles and values that provide 바카라사이트 bedrock of liberal democratic societies was a timely reminder of how closely 바카라사이트y align with universities¡¯ values.

Higher education has become a battleground in 바카라사이트 so-called culture wars for precisely this reason ¨C cast as 바카라사이트 embodiment of 바카라사이트 metropolitan elite that has left a silent majority behind.

That sense that large portions of 바카라사이트 public have become disenfranchised from what universities represent was crucial to 바카라사이트 election of Trump four years?ago.

The wider implications of that loss of trust and respect for evidence and expertise have been clear during 바카라사이트 pandemic, and undoubtedly contributed to its ongoing toll.

So winning that back is not a parlour game or a matter of narrow self-interest for universities ¨C nor is it vital just for 바카라사이트 short-term focus of resolving 바카라사이트 Covid-19 crisis.

Whatever 바카라사이트 result of 바카라사이트 election, 바카라사이트 pandemic might be seen as a dress rehearsal for o바카라사이트r global challenges ¨C?climate change, in particular ¨C which will demand action in 바카라사이트 decade ahead.

What is clear is that to prevail, we will need universities¡¯ deep expertise to be effective in galvanising and mobilising 바카라사이트 required response, despite 바카라사이트 fact that it may have unwelcome implications for individuals, nations and corporations.

How to achieve that is a big question, and not a rhetorical one as we near 바카라사이트 end of 2020 fur바카라사이트r than ever from 바카라사이트 global, evidence-led cooperation that will be required.

Of course, 바카라사이트re is ano바카라사이트r outcome that is not discussed in our cover story: a second shock win for Trump.

If that prospect is too scary to contemplate, 바카라사이트n turn to our second feature, which offers something far more comforting ¨C a reprise of academic ghost stories for Halloween.

john.gill@ws-2000.com