Disrupting disruption in higher ed

“We thought you should know that…we are Trump voters.”

A confession from a new friend. We were enjoying adult beverages during a hot summer evening on my screened-in porch. This was the first time we all hung out socially and they wanted to set the record straight. When you have children they make new friends and eventually, you have to have a social engagement with the parents of said new friends to determine if the parents are ALSO going to be friends. Perhaps knowing I was a locally-elected Democrat, they were graciously providing an opportunity for us to make this a last supper.

“Thank you for sharing, but you’re still going to have to stay for dinner” I said with a smirk.

In the moment, I found this exchange humorous. In retrospect, I think it’s sad that anyone would feel obliged to disclose their voting record for the sake of social harmony. This social phenomenon exists because Donald Trump is/was a massive disruptor. Quite possibly the most polarizing president ever…to the point where neighbors feel obliged to sheepishly disclose their support for him. The simultaneous rise of Bernie Sanders in 2016 proves most Americans wanted disruption, but in that time we’ve been taught a few lessons with regards to the consequences of disruption.