“For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” – 2 Timothy 4:3-4
We are living in that time.
Social media has created a world where attention is the currency and popularity often matters more than truth. Misinformation spreads faster than facts, and “likes” are given more weight than peer-reviewed studies. Now, with the rise of artificial intelligence, the stakes are even higher. AI has the power to produce incredible tools for research, but in uneducated or careless hands, it becomes yet another amplifier of noise — a faster way to spread half-truths, myths, and even lies.
The Erosion of Academia in the Digital Era
Academia was built on rigor — studying primary sources, conducting careful experiments, documenting evidence, and subjecting ideas to review and debate. Today, far too many bypass that discipline, relying instead on what an influencer says in a 30-second clip or what AI produces without understanding its sources. Instead of research, we see regurgitation. Instead of discernment, we see confirmation bias.
But the problem doesn’t stop with students or social media. The workforce itself has devalued education. Employers demand credentials yet often underpay those with multiple degrees. Professionals who invested years in study and tens of thousands in tuition are treated as interchangeable, while flashy resumes or networking connections sometimes carry more weight than actual expertise.
The Department of Education also bears responsibility. Too often, it does little to ensure that degrees translate into economic security or real value in the labor market. This creates a culture where education is seen not as an investment but as a gamble, where the pursuit of knowledge is overshadowed by the fear of debt and underemployment.
Why Real Research Matters
Real research forces us to slow down, wrestle with complexity, and question our assumptions. It requires accountability, humility, and patience. These are values that social media and surface-level AI use rarely encourage. To return to a culture of truth, we must reaffirm the importance of study — not just scrolling. We must encourage our students, mentees, and peers to use these new tools not as shortcuts, but as aids to deeper inquiry.
A Call for Stewardship
The scripture warns us: people will chase teachers who tell them what they want to hear. Social media and uncritical AI are those “teachers” today. But if we are intentional, we can reclaim the tools and use them responsibly. AI can help us analyze vast data. Social media can share important insights with global reach. But both require educated, ethical, and accountable hands.
The future of knowledge — and the integrity of academia and work — depends not on the tools themselves, but on the stewards who use them and the systems that value them.
👉 Closing Thought: At JustINSPIRE Mentoring, we are committed to teaching young men the difference between noise and knowledge, between myths and truth. We challenge them not just to consume information but to research, question, and think critically. And we will continue challenging schools, employers, and our own Department of Education to place real value on education, research, and the people who dedicate their lives to it.
