"A serious problem in America is the gap between academe and the mass media, which is our culture. Professors of humanities, with all their leftist fantasies, have little direct knowledge of American life and no impact whatever on public policy"

Camille Paglia’s statement highlights a profound disconnect between two influential realms: academe, particularly the humanities, and the mass media, which she equates with broader American culture. According to Paglia, this schism is a "serious problem" because it isolates scholars from mainstream discourse and societal realities. While professors in the humanities, often associated with progressive or leftist ideological leanings, engage in theoretical critique, their insights seldom filter into the debates, narratives, or policies that shape daily American life. The mass media, by contrast, is portrayed as the dominant shaper and reflector of popular consciousness, essentially, the arena where culture is made and remade.

Paglia critiques humanities professors for existing within "leftist fantasies", suggesting their theories and discussions are largely speculative, perhaps utopian or detached from the lived experiences of ordinary Americans. She implies there is an academic insularity, a tendency for professors to discuss complex theories without engaging with or understanding the practicalities and priorities of the broader society surrounding them. This insularity renders academia ineffective in influencing public policy, as the academic discourse does not find its way into the decision-making processes or the platforms of mass communication that drive and inform policy debates.

Underlying Paglia’s assertion is skepticism toward the relevance and influence of academic leftism, hinting that despite the prevalence of critical theories within the humanities, these perspectives remain confined to the classroom or academic journals and fail to engage with, or shape, America’s public life. Meanwhile, the mass media’s narratives, news, entertainment, commentary, both mirror and mold the priorities, values, and perceived problems of the culture. Ultimately, Paglia’s remark is both an observation and a challenge: bridging the chasm between academic discourse and everyday cultural reality is necessary if intellectual work is to contribute meaningfully to collective life and governance.