How to Make America Smart Again

Roosevelt Montás is an outspoken advocate for a humanistic liberal arts education rooted in transformative texts, particularly the Great Books tradition. As director of Columbia’s Center for the Core Curriculum from 2008 to 2018, he did more than anyone else to safeguard and sustain a set of foundational courses and essential knowledge that all students are required to engage with and master.

A Dominican immigrant who discovered the power of classical texts as a Columbia undergrad, Montás argues that exposure to foundational works of literature, philosophy and political thought is not an elitist pursuit, but a democratizing force—one that offers students, regardless of background, the tools for intellectual and moral self-discovery.

His book Rescuing Socrates: How the Great Books Changed My Life and Why They Matter for a New Generation is both a memoir and a defense of a curriculum built on primary texts that engage students with profound moral, philosophical and political questions. He contends that reading thinkers like Plato, Augustine, Montaigne and Freud is not about preserving Western heritage for its own sake, nor about upholding reactionary or exclusionary ideals, but about fostering deep, personal engagement with ideas that transcend time, place and social class.

Montás’s argument is radically egalitarian: He believes that great works are not just the province of elite students at Ivy League institutions, but that they belong to everyone. His vision is in direct contrast to critics who argue that Great Books curricula reinforce Eurocentrism or outdated traditions. Instead, he insists that the texts themselves are not the problem—it is how they are framed, taught and contextualized that matters.

Montás’s advocacy for a curriculum rooted in transformative texts is not about nostalgia for a “golden age” of education or the exclusion of diverse voices. Rather, his approach highlights several key principles.

1. Great Books Are a Tool for Self-Discovery, Not Indoctrination. The power of texts like Plato’s Republic or Augustine’s Confessions lies not in their authority but in their ability to engage readers in deep existential and ethical questions. Students read these texts not to be told what to think, but to grapple with ideas, contradictions and enduring dilemmas.

2. The Canon Should Expand, Not Contract. Montás does not argue for a rigid, exclusionary list of books. Instead, he embraces a canon that evolves and expands, incorporating voices that challenge traditional narratives while still engaging with foundational works. He sees the Great Books tradition as a conversation rather than a monologue, where students encounter both canonical figures and thinkers from historically marginalized groups.
3. Engagement With Difficult Ideas Is Essential to Democracy. A democratic society requires citizens who can think critically, engage in deep reasoning and wrestle with complex ethical issues. The study of transformative texts is not about nostalgia or cultural conservatism but about cultivating intellectual independence.
4. The Great Books Curriculum Is a Radical Democratic Tradition. Montás’s argument aligns with the philosophy of thinkers like W. E. B. Du Bois and John Dewey, who saw education as the foundation of democratic engagement. He challenges the assumption that the Great Books are inherently conservative or that they only serve the privileged. In his own life, as a working-class immigrant, he found Socratic questioning and philosophical inquiry to be liberating rather than exclusionary.

His perspective is especially pertinent in an era when higher education is increasingly pressured to emphasize vocational training over intellectual inquiry and as reading and writing requirements continue to diminish. Montás reminds us that a college education should not be merely about job preparation but about learning to think, reflect and engage with the world in a meaningful way.

Why Montás’s Vision Matters

Montás is not a “closet reactionary,” but rather a radical advocate for intellectual empowerment through the humanities. His work defies simplistic ideological binaries: He is neither a defender of a rigid, exclusionary canon nor an opponent of progressive change. Instead, he makes the case that deep engagement with transformative texts—whether classical or contemporary—is a necessary, life-changing endeavor that belongs to everyone, not just the privileged few.

The Campaign to Dumb Down America: How Higher Education Lost Its Way

We often hear about the threats to education from political polarization, but the real crisis is more insidious: a broad cultural shift that has deprioritized deep learning, rigorous intellectual engagement and the foundational knowledge necessary for an informed citizenry.

This is not a conspiracy of the right or the left—it is a product of market forces, technological shifts and a culture that increasingly values efficiency, credentialing and convenience over substantive education.

Paradoxically, the college-for-all movement, once envisioned as a pathway to greater public enlightenment, has instead contributed to a lowering of academic standards rather than a true expansion of intellectual opportunity.

Instead of fostering a nation of well-rounded, critical thinkers, it has led to widespread curricular dilution, declining reading and writing expectations, and a devaluation of the humanities, serious arts and foundational scientific literacy.

Here’s how higher education lost rigor and depth:

1. The Decline of the Humanities and the Marginalization of the Serious Arts. Over the past few decades, we have witnessed a massive retreat from the humanities and the arts. Literature, philosophy, history and classical studies have been sidelined, often dismissed as impractical in an economy driven by technological and financial concerns. The arts, once considered vital to a well-rounded education, have been relegated to the margins, seen as luxuries rather than essential components of cultural literacy.

This decline is not just about shifting student interests—it is institutional. Many universities have:

• Reduced or eliminated foreign language requirements, leaving graduates monolingual in an increasingly globalized world.
• Cut funding for the arts, sending a message that artistic and creative endeavors are nonessential.
• Minimized or abandoned core humanities requirements, allowing students to avoid engagement with foundational texts and philosophical traditions.

A well-educated society does not just need engineers, business majors or computer programmers—it needs citizens who can think deeply about history, ethics, aesthetics and the human condition. The dismissal of the humanities as impractical has left many students technically skilled but culturally illiterate—able to code an algorithm but unable to engage meaningfully with the ethical questions surrounding artificial intelligence, genetic engineering or political decision-making.

2. The Absence of a Serious Foundation in Science, Mathematics and Quantitative Methods. The decline of rigor is not limited to the humanities—it extends into the sciences and mathematics as well. Despite increasing rhetoric about the importance of STEM education, most college graduates lack even a basic grasp of quantitative reasoning. Many universities have reduced or eliminated serious math, statistics and data literacy requirements, leaving graduates ill equipped to interpret data, analyze probability or understand the basic scientific principles behind public policy debates. Meanwhile, crucial disciplines such as the behavioral, brain and life sciences—which offer fundamental insights into human cognition, social behavior and decision-making—are not given the prominence they deserve. A society that fails to educate its citizens about scientific reasoning, probabilistic thinking and human psychology is one that will remain vulnerable to misinformation, conspiracy theories and simplistic ideological narratives.
3. The Shift to Asynchronous, Low-Engagement Online Learning. One of the most damaging developments in higher education has been the expansion of asynchronous, low-engagement online learning, often promoted as an innovation that increases access. While online education can be valuable in some cases, the widespread shift toward impersonal, self-paced coursework—without regular, substantive interaction with content specialists—has significantly degraded the quality of higher education.

Students taking prepackaged courses often receive a surface-level understanding of a subject without the intellectual depth that comes from engaging with a professor and peers in real time. The lack of face-to-face discussion, critical debate and direct mentorship means that students may complete coursework without ever experiencing intellectual challenge or transformation.

Many universities, eager to cut costs and increase revenue, have embraced massive online programs that reduce faculty involvement, shifting the burden of learning entirely onto students without ensuring that they receive meaningful engagement. The expansion of online education in the name of accessibility has, in many cases, lowered academic expectations and reduced the transformative potential of higher learning. Instead of broadening intellectual horizons, it has often reduced education to checking boxes on a course management system.

4. The Weakening of General Education and the Fragmentation of Knowledge. In many institutions, general education requirements—the backbone of a truly liberal education—have been watered down beyond recognition. Students are now able to fulfill distribution requirements with narrow, hyperspecialized courses rather than broad, integrative classes that provide a foundational intellectual framework.

• A student might fulfill a history requirement with a narrowly focused pop culture course rather than a serious engagement with historical processes and analysis.
• A science requirement might be met by a course on Science and Cinema rather than one that teaches the fundamentals of biology or chemistry.

A number of institutions have abandoned structured core curricula altogether, allowing students to graduate without ever being exposed to fundamental works, scientific reasoning or philosophical inquiry.

Instead of preparing students to think across disciplines, this fragmented, à la carte approach leaves many graduates lacking a coherent intellectual foundation. The result? A generation of students who have acquired isolated pieces of knowledge but lack the ability to synthesize or apply them meaningfully.

The Consequences of a Dumbed-Down Education System

The consequences of this shift are profound.

• A decline in critical thinking: Without exposure to rigorous debate, logical reasoning and philosophical inquiry, students leave college unable to evaluate arguments or think independently.
• Scientific and mathematical illiteracy: Graduates struggle to interpret data, assess risks or engage in informed discussions about science, health and public policy.
• Greater political and ideological tribalism: Without a shared intellectual foundation, society becomes more polarized, as individuals gravitate toward simplistic narratives rather than engaging in nuanced, evidence-based discussions.

If we truly want to make America smart again, we must reject the culture of shortcuts, diluted curricula and intellectual complacency—and instead embrace a renewed commitment to rigor, inquiry and the lifelong pursuit of knowledge.

Making America Smart Again

In recent years, we have been called to Make America Great Again and Make America Healthy Again. But if we are serious about securing the nation’s future, perhaps it is time to focus on something even more fundamental: Making America Smart Again.

At a time when intellectual rigor is under siege—when attention spans are shrinking, grade inflation is rising and the public discourse is increasingly shaped by sound bites and outrage rather than depth and reason—it is imperative that we reassert the value of deep learning, critical inquiry and genuine academic challenge.

For too long, American education has drifted toward lower expectations, diluted curricula and an aversion to intellectual struggle. Standardized testing has encouraged rote learning over deep comprehension, and the pressure to maximize graduation rates has led institutions to prioritize ease over excellence. In many schools and universities, students encounter less reading, less writing and fewer opportunities for serious engagement with complex ideas. The result is a generation of students who may have credentials but lack the habits of mind necessary for thoughtful citizenship, innovation and leadership.

The Crisis of Academic Decline

We can measure the decline in academic rigor in several ways.

• The reading crisis: Students today read fewer books, and those they do read are often simplified versions of more challenging works. Even college curricula have been trimmed to accommodate shorter attention spans.
• The writing crisis: Many students graduate high school—and even college—without ever having written a serious research paper. The ability to construct an argument, synthesize sources and revise work thoughtfully is fading.
• Grade inflation: A’s have become the norm rather than the exception, even as expectations decline. When excellence is devalued, effort becomes optional.
• The decline of intellectual struggle: We have confused difficulty with cruelty, leading many institutions to lower their standards rather than challenge students to rise to them. True learning requires discomfort, effort and the occasional sting of failure.
• The death of the robust curriculum: Once, a liberal arts education was a rigorous initiation into the great ideas of history. Today, many programs have stripped away core requirements, replacing them with courses designed more to entertain than to challenge.

What Would It Mean to Make America Smart Again?

Reversing the intellectual decline in American education requires more than just minor tweaks to curricula or standardized test reforms. It demands a cultural shift—one that values deep learning, intellectual struggle and the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake. To make America smart again, we must restore academic rigor, revive intellectual curiosity and insist on a broad and substantive education that prepares students for the complexities of life, work and citizenship.

1. Expect Well-Roundedness: A Broad Foundation for a Complex World. A smart society is not one in which students are narrowly trained for a single career path, but one in which they are exposed to a broad range of intellectual disciplines. Specialization has its place, but a well-educated citizen should have at least a foundational grasp of multiple domains of knowledge—not just for professional success, but for cultural literacy and informed citizenship.

We must move away from hyperspecialized electives and return to broad, integrative courses that foster interdisciplinary thinking. We must also rebuild a robust general education curriculum that requires every student to engage with serious works of literature, philosophy and history, that ensures that every graduate has strong quantitative and scientific literacy, that reinforces the importance of foreign language study and global perspectives and restores writing as the cornerstone of intellectual development.

• Quantitative literacy: Every student should be comfortable with numbers, statistics and data interpretation. In an age when misinformation spreads rapidly, an inability to think mathematically is a dangerous liability.
• The arts and humanities: Exposure to literature, philosophy and the visual and performing arts fosters creativity, empathy and an appreciation for human expression. These disciplines are not luxuries; they are essential to a rich intellectual life.
• Foreign languages: Americans are notoriously monolingual. Learning another language not only expands cognitive abilities but also fosters cross-cultural understanding.
• The social sciences: Students should be exposed to major theories in psychology, sociology, economics and political science. Understanding human behavior, social structures and economic systems is crucial for navigating modern life.
• The frontiers of science: In an era of rapid technological advances, students should have a basic grasp of developments in neuroscience, artificial intelligence, genetics, cosmology and environmental science. Science is not just for scientists; it is the foundation of the modern world.

A smart nation does not produce citizens who are narrowly trained in one field and ignorant in others. It cultivates well-rounded thinkers who can engage with the full complexity of the world.

2. Restoring the Canon Without Rigidity. A rich, substantive curriculum should be neither an exercise in nostalgia nor a static list of Great Books set in stone. However, it must be rigorous and rooted in intellectual tradition. Too often, the response to critiques of the traditional canon has been to dilute curricula, stripping away difficult, formative texts in favor of contemporary readings that may be more accessible but lack the depth and complexity needed for serious intellectual engagement.

Instead of abandoning the canon, we should revitalize it, treating it not as a museum exhibit but as a living conversation between past and present. The works of Plato, Shakespeare, Locke, Wollstonecraft, Du Bois and Baldwin are not relics of a bygone era—they are essential texts that help us grapple with enduring questions about justice, power, freedom and identity. But engaging with the canon does not mean exclusion; it means teaching students to see how the ideas of the past shape the debates of today. It also means integrating historically underrepresented voices while maintaining high academic standards.

A student who graduates without ever having read The Republic, The Federalist Papers or The Souls of Black Folk—or without understanding the basic tenets of evolutionary theory, economic principles or the foundations of scientific reasoning—has been undereducated. Intellectual depth requires more than surface-level engagement with contemporary issues; it requires understanding the intellectual scaffolding that built the modern world.

3. Reclaiming Writing as an Intellectual Discipline. If we want students to think clearly, we must require them to write clearly. Writing is not just a skill—it is a mode of intellectual engagement, a tool for clarifying thought and a discipline that demands rigor. Yet too many students leave high school and even college without ever having written a serious research paper. They are taught to fill in blanks, summarize articles and churn out five-paragraph essays, but not to build an argument, synthesize sources or revise their work with care and precision.

To make America smart again, we must reinstate writing as a central pillar of education. Every student should graduate having written extensively—analyzing literature, making historical arguments, engaging with data and constructing logical, evidence-based claims. This means requiring students to write substantive essays across disciplines, not just in English class. It also means teaching students to rewrite, to edit and to refine their ideas, just as scholars and professionals must do in their work.

A nation that cannot write well cannot think well. A citizenry that relies on slogans, memes and oversimplifications to form its opinions is vulnerable to manipulation. Precision in writing fosters precision in thinking, and both are essential to a functioning democracy.

4. Reviving Intellectual Curiosity and Debate. One of the great tragedies of contemporary education is that students are too often trained to be compliant rather than curious, to echo received wisdom rather than challenge it. A truly smart nation does not shy away from difficult conversations—it embraces them.

A robust education should not just teach students what to think but how to think. This means exposing students to a diversity of perspectives, not as an exercise in ideological tokenism but as an essential component of intellectual growth. Students should engage deeply with ideas that challenge their assumptions. They should debate the merits of capitalism and socialism, grapple with the ethical dilemmas of AI and genetic engineering, and examine historical narratives from multiple viewpoints.

This also means protecting intellectual diversity in higher education. Universities should be places where students are encouraged to question authority, interrogate ideas and develop their own arguments—not institutions that shield them from discomfort. If we believe in the value of education, we must resist the impulse to turn classrooms into ideological safe spaces. Real learning requires wrestling with complexity, not retreating from it.

The High Stakes of Intellectual Decline

Making America smart again is not about nostalgia for a mythical golden age of education—it is about preparing future generations for the demands of the 21st century. The decline of intellectual rigor is not just an academic issue; it has profound implications for democracy, innovation and social cohesion.

A nation that values shallow thinking over deep inquiry, compliance over curiosity and credentialism over true education will find itself incapable of solving its most pressing problems. To reverse this decline, we must demand more—not less—of our schools, our students and ourselves.

Education is not just about preparing for a career. It is about preparing for life. And a nation that neglects its intellectual development does so at its own peril. It is time to raise the bar. It is time to make America smart again.

Rigorous education is not elitist; it is empowering. The highest expectations should not be reserved for a select few but should be the standard for all students. We do young people no favors by shielding them from challenge.

Cultivating a National Culture of Learning

Education should not be confined to classrooms, nor should intellectual curiosity fade after graduation. A truly enlightened society fosters lifelong learning, encourages critical inquiry and values knowledge not merely as a means to a career but as an essential part of human flourishing. To build a society that values books over clickbait, inquiry over ideology and intellectual humility over simplistic certainty, we must rethink our cultural, institutional and technological approaches to learning.

1. A Cultural Shift: Elevating Books, Deep Thinking and Intellectual Curiosity. Our culture is saturated with instant gratification—short-form content, viral sound bites and algorithm-driven media that prioritize engagement over depth. If we want a nation that values books over clickbait, we must make deep thinking and intellectual engagement socially desirable rather than niche pursuits.

• Publicly celebrate intellectual achievements: We glorify athletes and entertainers, but we should also elevate scholars, scientists and authors. Imagine a world where major newspapers and social media platforms devote as much attention to groundbreaking historical research or scientific discoveries as they do to celebrity gossip.
• Reclaim the bookstore and the library as cultural hubs: Independent bookstores, libraries and reading clubs should be reinvigorated as centers of discussion, debate and intellectual community—places where ideas are explored, not just consumed. More funding for libraries, book festivals and author talks can help restore reading as a communal, rather than solitary, activity.
• Encourage slow media: Support journalism that prioritizes depth over clickbait. We need publications that reward investigative reporting, long-form essays and nuanced debate rather than engagement-driven outrage cycles. A society that values books over clickbait must make intellectualism visible, respected and aspirational.

2. Inquiry Over Ideology: Teaching People to Think, Not Just What to Think. In an age of political and ideological polarization, education must emphasize inquiry, skepticism and the ability to engage with opposing viewpoints. Intellectual integrity requires teaching students and citizens alike to prioritize evidence over dogma, complexity over certainty and debate over conformity.

• Make philosophy and rhetoric core subjects: Students should learn not just facts, but how to reason, construct arguments and recognize logical fallacies. Formal education should instill the tools of critical inquiry from an early age.
• Encourage intellectual courage: People must be willing to question their own beliefs. Schools, workplaces and public discourse should reward those who engage with challenging ideas rather than shutting down conversations that cause discomfort.
• Expand public debate and discussion forums: Universities, libraries and cultural institutions should host public discussions where people from different backgrounds engage in real intellectual exchanges. The goal should not be to “win” debates, but to sharpen thinking and expose blind spots.

If we truly want inquiry over ideology, we must build a culture where questioning and revising one’s views is seen as a strength, not a weakness.

3. Intellectual Humility: Learning to Embrace Complexity. One of the greatest threats to a learning culture is the illusion of certainty—the belief that we already have all the answers and that dissenting perspectives are not worth engaging. Intellectual humility means recognizing the limits of one’s knowledge, being open to new information and accepting ambiguity.

• Reward complexity over simplistic narratives: Schools, media and political discourse should emphasize the importance of grappling with difficult, multidimensional issues rather than reducing them to black-and-white slogans.
• Normalize changing one’s mind: Instead of treating ideological shifts as a sign of weakness or inconsistency, we should celebrate people who evolve in response to evidence. In politics, academia and everyday life, the ability to learn and adapt should be seen as a virtue.
• Reinstate intellectual debate as an enduring tradition: In past centuries, great minds wrote letters, debated in public and engaged in vigorous but respectful disputes. Today’s culture of sound bites and social media pile-ons discourages such engagement. Instead, we should revive the tradition of deep, meaningful discussion across ideological divides.

A culture of learning requires intellectual humility—an acknowledgment that we are all students in an endlessly complex world.

4. Lifelong Learning: Making Education a Permanent Part of Society. For learning to extend beyond graduation, we must integrate intellectual growth into the very fabric of daily life. Education should not be seen as something one completes but as an ongoing journey.

• Expand public access to learning: Free or low-cost online courses, public lectures and adult education programs should be widely available. Every community should have accessible learning spaces—whether through libraries, universities or cultural centers.
• Make workplaces centers of continued education: Employers should invest in intellectual enrichment, not just professional training. Encourage book clubs, debates and discussion groups within workplaces.
• Leverage technology for deep learning: While technology has contributed to intellectual shallowness, it can also be harnessed for education. We need more platforms that encourage in-depth study—curated courses, expert-led discussions and digital humanities projects—rather than passive scrolling and algorithm-driven content.
• Rethink retirement as a time for scholarship: Lifelong learning doesn’t just benefit young people. Why not create academic programs for retirees, where people can pursue subjects they never had time to explore? Intellectual engagement should not have an expiration date.

If we want a nation that values books over clickbait, inquiry over ideology and intellectual humility over simplistic certainty, we must build institutions, traditions and habits that make lifelong learning not just possible, but inevitable.

A Smarter Society Is a Stronger Society

To build a society that truly values knowledge, we must make deep learning part of our collective identity. This means fostering a cultural reverence for books and intellectual pursuit, ensuring that education prioritizes inquiry and complexity over ideology and creating opportunities for people of all ages to continue learning.

An intellectually rich society is a more resilient society. It is one that challenges misinformation, embraces curiosity and rewards deep engagement with ideas. A country that aspires to greatness must first aspire to wisdom. And that begins with a national culture of learning—one that never stops questioning, never stops reading and never stops thinking.

The Stakes Could Not Be Higher

The strength of a nation is not measured merely by its economy or its military but by the depth of its ideas, the clarity of its discourse and the rigor of its thinking. In an era of misinformation, declining civic literacy and technological distractions, the need for an intellectually engaged citizenry has never been greater. If America is to lead in the 21st century—not just in wealth or power but in wisdom—it must first make America smart again.

This is not about nostalgia for a past golden age but a recognition that serious learning, deep engagement and intellectual rigor are the foundations of a flourishing democracy. It is time to raise—not lower—the bar.