LoisL,Ok, when I wrote about “leadership" being a buzz word I hadn’t yet read the Deresiewicz article. i was responding your use of the word in your sentence:
“His book was an indictment of systemic failure to produce great leadership qualities."
My post was not a good response to your point. It’s just that the word “leadership" is bandied about so much that I overreacted to the word itself. I wasn’t focusing your actual point.
I did read the article, which is very good, and I think he may be right. I did not attend an elite school or university, so I can analyze it only as an outsider. My own mediocre education did not teach much in the way of leadership skills at all.
Lois
I agree with you completely. And, as I understand it, Deresiewicz proposes that this systemic failure is also present in the "Ivy League" schools, in spite of their educational excellence. The difference is the exclusive networking opportunities in that elite social environment, which obviously is a great advantage, but does not require Humanistic commitment and/or leadership qualities. Of course there are notable exceptions who use their elite education for worthy causes.
And I am sure there are many lesser known colleges and universities which teach humanist values (social sciences) in addition to other curricula. But these schools are not usually preferred by the very wealthy and their degrees carry less weight in the upper class circles.