PREVIEW: SPECIAL EDITION - Ari Weitzman interviews staff writer from The Atlantic Tyler Austin Harper about the Mellon Foundation and higher education. - Tangle

Podcast Summary: Tangle – Special Edition: Ari Weitzman Interviews The Atlantic's Tyler Austin Harper on the Mellon Foundation & Higher Education
Date: March 10, 2026

Overview:

This episode of Tangle features an in-depth conversation between host Ari Weitzman and Tyler Austin Harper, staff writer at The Atlantic, focusing on the pivotal role of the Mellon Foundation in shaping the landscape of humanities funding in higher education. The discussion examines the implications of Mellon’s outsized financial influence, the philosophical case for the humanities, and the broader stakes for American academia and society.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Origins and Influence of the Mellon Foundation

Background: Founded in the 1960s by Andrew Mellon's children, the Mellon Foundation has grown into an $8 billion force, primarily funding the American arts and humanities.
Shifting Focus: The most dramatic shift occurred in 2018 with the appointment of Elizabeth Alexander as president, who redirected funding towards social justice work within the humanities.
Scale of Power: In 2024, Mellon's grants ($540 million) dwarfed the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) ($78 million), making Mellon the most significant driver in the field.
- Quote:
  
  "Mellon in the same year dispensed $540 million. So half a billion dollars—about, you know, roughly seven times more or something like that."
  – Tyler Austin Harper (06:34)

2. The Problem with a Private Monopoly on Humanities Funding

Freedom of Inquiry at Risk: One central ideal of the humanities is the freedom to pursue diverse intellectual interests. When one funder dominates, the scope of inquiry narrows to align with that funder's values and ideology.
- Quote:
  
  "Mellon went from being an organization that funded a pretty wide range of different kinds of research, teaching initiatives, etc., to funding things within a much more narrow ideological bandwidth."
  – Tyler Austin Harper (10:09)
Public vs. Private Influence: The NEH was intentionally designed to avoid political bias—but as federal funding shrinks, private influence via Mellon fills the vacuum.
- Quote:
  
  "It never occurred to the people writing that report [on the founding of the NEH] that what you actually have to worry about is private industry might step in and rule with an iron fist... that has really created a power vacuum for Mellon as a private enterprise that is expressly political to step in and fill."
  – Tyler Austin Harper (13:25)

3. Questioning the Value of the Humanities (14:47)

Civilizational Importance: Harper contends humanities are intrinsic to civilization, shaping our understanding of concepts like intelligence, democracy, and literacy across history.
- Quote:
  
  "I don't think you can have civilization in the absence of the humanities."
  – Tyler Austin Harper (16:40)
Practical Relevance: Even in contemporary debates (e.g., artificial intelligence), foundational questions about mind, intelligence, and embodiment stem from longstanding humanities debates.

4. The Return-on-Investment Debate for Humanities Majors (19:06)

Student/Parent Dilemma: With soaring tuition—$95,000/year at colleges like Bates—families want proof of financial payoff.
Harper’s Advice & Economic Reality:
- Public universities with strong humanities programs are more sensible choices.
- Despite popular belief, many humanities grads do well professionally; philosophy majors, for instance, see strong long-term earnings.
- The tech mantra “learn to code” overlooked that AI and automation threaten coding jobs, making humanities skills (e.g., critical thinking, writing) potentially more future-proof.
- Quote:
  
  "It did not seem to occur to them... that the first jobs that would be automated are not the jobs of people like me with a humanities degree, but their jobs."
  – Tyler Austin Harper (22:18)

5. Societal Choices & the Path Forward (24:12)

Individual vs. Structural Decision-Making: The fate of the humanities is shaped less by single actors and more by broader societal choices: where students enroll, what funders support, which policies are advanced.
The Harpers' Reflection: The absence of governmental support has forced Mellon into an outsized role, which wasn't its intended place.
- Paraphrased Quote:
  
  "Funding the humanities is not Mellon's role. It's the position that it's in now because of abdication."
  – Ari Weitzman referencing a quote from a Mellon family member (24:55)

Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

On Melon's Influence (06:34):
"Mellon in the same year dispensed $540 million. So half a billion dollars—about... seven times more [than NEH]."
On the Dangers of Private Dominance (10:09):
"Mellon went from funding a wide range… to funding things within a much narrower ideological bandwidth."
On the Core Purpose of Humanities (16:40):
"I don't think you can have civilization in the absence of the humanities."
On Value for Money and AI (22:18):
"It did not seem to occur to them... the first jobs automated are not those of people like me with a humanities degree, but their jobs."
On Why Mellon’s Dominance Exists (24:55):
Paraphrased: “Funding the humanities is not Mellon's role. It's the position that it's in now because of abdication.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

[03:54] — Tyler’s background & setting the stage
[05:15] — Mellon’s history and current scale of influence
[09:43] — The shift to social justice/ideological funding
[12:20] — NEH’s founding, abdication, and the rise of Mellon's dominance
[14:47] — The case for humanities in a STEM-focused world
[19:06] — The student debt dilemma and value of humanities degrees
[23:38] — The shifting labor market and humanities' unexpected resilience
[24:12] — Societal choices and the future—what’s actually at stake and what needs to change

Overall Tone & Takeaways

The discussion is thoughtful, skeptical, and probing—Harper balances a defense of humanistic knowledge with frank acknowledgment of economic and policy realities. Both speakers express concern over the consequences of privatized funding and question whether American society is willing to re-invest publicly in the humanities—a commitment they argue is vital for a healthy democracy and intellectual landscape.

For listeners looking for a deep dive into who really shapes university learning, what’s at stake in the humanities debate, and why even computer scientists should read philosophy, this Tangle episode is a must-listen.