Mostly, articles and comments, with a little help from the editor, are intelligent and well thought out.

This is a special boon to those of us of advanced years.

In these days of multiple media, especially since social media was added to the mix, intelligent conversation and argument is becoming increasingly hard to find.

I think this has got to do with changes to education systems over the last 50 years or so.

Once upon a time, people attended universities and colleges to get an education. These days they go there to get a job.

These days, few graduates emerging from these places are broadly educated.

Polymaths are a dying breed. Monomaths are on the ascendancy. A broad education has become a narrow pursuit.

Monomaths are the product of the compartmentalisation of education along occupational lines.

Unless students independently supplement their education with broader reading and investigation, professionals (e.g. doctors and engineers) and trades people (e.g. carpenters and plumbers) are likely to know little about history, literature, the arts and other important subjects.

Why has this happened?

The short answer is the corporatisation of education.

Nowadays universities, colleges and vocational institutions are businesses.

They are driven by corporatist thinking that emphasises efficiency, costs, marketplace competition and too often neglects the public good.

The focus is not on education so much as attracting fee-paying students to generate more revenue and business relationships for said universities, colleges and vocational institutions.

Universities in Australia now typically employ more administrators than lecturers. Commercial sector practices emphasising efficiency and cost-cutting override educational standards.

In many disciplines degrees have been dumbed down and are much easier to get.

In Australia and other developed countries vice-chancellors and senior university administrators now typically get paid in millions of dollars, way ahead of prime ministers and presidents.

Traditional values of inclusivity, social value and excellence have given way to commercialising research and business partnerships.

This corporatisation of universities and emphasis on profit has led to a loss of public purpose and social good and even compromised the pursuit of knowledge.

Our politicians, especially since the advent of Donald Trump, often decry the possible Americanisation of our social systems, particular health and welfare.

I’ve got news for them. Americanisation crept in long ago and the door it came through was opened by our universities and colleges.

So, if you want an intelligent conversation about anything apart from football and beer, best go find someone aged sixty or over.