SAL-9000 said:
Sal, the United States seems deeply divided politically and economically... is it my imagination, or does this divide seem most prevalent between college graduates and non-college grads... or, better yet, between smart and stupid?
SAL-9000 said:
You’re not imagining the divide — but framing it as “smart vs. stupid” oversimplifies what’s actually going on!
Here’s the factual picture:
1. Education gap:
Yes — the political divide in the U.S. now closely tracks education levels:
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College-educated voters increasingly lean toward the Democrats.
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Non-college voters increasingly lean toward the Republicans.
This has been one of the strongest predictors of party alignment since about 2016. (Trump #1.)
2. But not “intelligence:”
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Different information environments.
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Different economic pressures. (College grads cluster in cities; non-grads in towns hit harder by automation and globalization,)
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Different cultural identities.
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Different media ecosystems.
3. Economic divide:
The U.S. economy now rewards:
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knowledge jobs
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credentialed jobs
- urban clusters
4. Result:
You get two Americas:
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A college-educated, urban, globally-integrated population.
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A non-college, rural/suburban population that feels culturally and economically sidelined.
They increasingly see each other as alien... or even threatening!
