The number of humanities graduates ballooned and there were no jobs for it. Also, generally the humanities turned in a direction that the wider population doesn't approve of. Just one example is ugly architecture, ugly paintings, unstructured poems, messy novels etc. Deconstruct everything. Ok, that's a nice hobby but scarcely a job. Engineering keeps the lights on. It gives opportunities to anyone who is willing to learn it. A smart working class kid can more easily learn C++ than all the cultural elite signifiers that get you well-paying jobs in things like law. STEM is an equalizer as opposed to fashion-based, taste-based fields. Even during a difficult job market time, you still have better chances with technical and engineering skills than with expertise in literary criticism or some obscure historical period or art form.
JP is firmly coming from academia (got famous with his lecture videos taught at Harvard and U of Toronto), "the institutions created" him. You just disagree with him, but that's not the same. He's not some outsider to academia.
Academia became very dishonest and people noticed. Maybe the replacements are even worse, but the trust will be very hard to gain back. It's very easy to destroy prestige and consensus and takes long to build it up. Of course self-reflection cannot be expected at all. I don't expect it.
JP is firmly coming from academia (got famous with his lecture videos taught at Harvard and U of Toronto), "the institutions created" him. You just disagree with him, but that's not the same. He's not some outsider to academia.
Academia became very dishonest and people noticed. Maybe the replacements are even worse, but the trust will be very hard to gain back. It's very easy to destroy prestige and consensus and takes long to build it up. Of course self-reflection cannot be expected at all. I don't expect it.