How the Elite rigged Society (and why it’s falling apart) | David Brooks
What this covers
“Put moral formation at the centre of your society”
David Brooks' speech was challenging and thought provoking, calling for us to reassess what we think cultural renewal looks like and to reconnect to our spiritual roots.
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David Brooks is a bestselling author, columnist for The New York Times, and a contributor to The Atlantic. He is also a commentator on The PBS Newshour. His latest book is How To Know A Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen. __
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Brooks argues that the American educated elite have destroyed the social, moral, and institutional fabric of society through rigged meritocracy and privatized morality, but national renewal is possible through spiritual resources, creative minorities modeling better ways of living, and defiant humanism that sees the fullness of human dignity in others.
- The educated elite designed a meritocracy around their own skills, creating a caste system where wealthy children are 77 times more likely to attend Ivy League universities than poor children
- By privatizing morality and rejecting shared moral order, elite culture has created epidemic loneliness, despair, and suicide rather than material poverty
- Historical periods of national crisis (1830s, 1860s, 1890s, 1960s) were resolved through rupture and repair, driven by creative minorities discovering better ways to live, not political change
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Nations grow not through 'a happy merry ride' but through a process of 'rupture and repair'—when society and culture are in crisis, nations figure it out and revive.
“we've grown not through a happy merry ride we've grown through a process of rupture and repair when society and culture is in crisis and we figure it out”
Walter Lippmann warned in 1955 that if morality depends on individual feeling rather than universal principles, civilization itself becomes impossible: 'if what is right and wrong depends on what each individual feels then we are outside the bounds of civilization.'
“back in 1955 a great American journalist named Walter Litman understood this was going to be a b big problem he said if what is right and wrong depends on what each individual feels then we are outside the bounds of civilization”
According to Walter Bagehot, culture changes when a creative minority finds a beautiful way to live and the rest of society copies that way of life, as demonstrated by the early church, the Clam Sect, Bloomsbury, and the conservative movement in America.
“it's done as Walter batet put it if you want to Wi people over enjoy the things that conservatives enjoy culture changes when a creative minority find a beautiful way to live culture changes when a small group of people find a better way to live and the rest of us copy that's the story of the early church it's the story of the clam sect they weren't my cup of tea but it's a story of Bloomsbury I was mentored by William F Buckley it's a story of the conservative movement in America”
Culture changes on a spiritual level when societies put moral formation at the center, recognizing that no system can be perfect enough that people in it don't have to be good—a principle articulated by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn.
“culture changes on a spiritual level tselot said you can't create a system so perfect that the people in it don't have to be good it's when you put moral formation at the center of your society”
James Baldwin taught that 'when you walk down the street every person you meet you could be that person, that could be you, you could be that monster, you could be that Saint'—teaching that people have the capacity to become either virtuous or vicious, and we must decide who we will be in relation to others.
“he says you know there isn't as much Humanity as one would like but there's enough and what you've got to remember is that when you walk down the street every person you meet you could be that person that could be you you could be that monster you could be that Saint you could and you have to decide who you're going to be”
The educated elite's worst damage was spiritual, not material: they privatized morality by rejecting shared moral order and instead telling people to 'find your own truth,' which destroyed the sense of universal moral principles that held society together.
“the worst things we did were spiritual we privatized morality and destroyed the moral order uh George Marsen is a great historian who said what gave Martin Luther King's rhetoric its power was the sense there's a moral order built built into the universe that if slavery is not wrong nothing is wrong if segregation is not wrong nothing is wrong we took that essential moral order that holds people together and we decided it's up to you to find your own truth find your own values”
The educated elite designed a meritocracy rigged around the skills they themselves possess, leading to systemic inequality: by age 12 affluent children are four grade levels ahead; by university age rich kids are 77 times more likely to attend Ivy League than poor children; 54% of people at elite workplaces attended the same 34 elite colleges.
“we designed a meritocracy design designed around the skills we ourselves possess and rigged the game so we succeeded and everybody else failed by age 12 children American children of affluent kids are four grade levels above everybody else by University the age rich kids are 77 times more likely to go to university or to ivy league university than kids from poor schools”
54% of people at elite American workplaces attended the same 34 elite colleges, demonstrating that the educated elite created a caste system rather than genuine meritocracy.
“in adulthood 54% of the people at Elite workplaces went to the same 34 Elite colleges so we ended up creating a cast system people with high school degrees die nine years sooner than people with college degrees”
Jesus taught 'blessed are the meek, blessed are the poor in spirit,' providing spiritual resources for valuing those the world devalues and countering elite meritocratic thinking.
“we have the voice of Jesus even if you're not Christian blessed are the meek blessed are the poor in spirit that's a source of great strength in my country”
Edmund Burke taught that culture is complicated and that we should operate on society the way we would a father—gradually and carefully—providing foundation for conservative gradualism.
“we have the voice of Edmund Burke that we should be modest about what we can know because culture is really complicated and we should operate on society the way we would operate on our father gradually and carefully”
Judeo-Christian faith is fundamentally based on service to the poor, service to the immigrant, and service to the stranger, making Trump's destruction of the AIDS relief program a contradiction of faith itself.
“conser the other belief system that they are destroying us judeo-christian Faith judeo Christ faith is based on service to the poor service to the Immigrant service to the stranger”
Genesis's doctrine that all humans are made in God's image is the foundation of democracy.
“we have the voice of Genesis that we're all made in God's image that's the foundation of democracy”
Exodus teaches that people wander through wilderness and eventually reach the promised land, providing a narrative arc of suffering leading to redemption.
“we have the voice of Exodus that we wander through the Wilderness and we eventually get to the promised land”
In the 1890s America had failed at industrialization but responded with a civic renaissance of civic organizations that filled in the hole and created a sane society.
“1890s we had failed at industrialization we had a Civic Renaissance of all these Civic organizations that filled in the whole and created a sane Society”
Those who don't read history are tempted to think 'this time is different,' but America is currently in another period of rupture and repair like the past.
“the temptation of those who don't read history is to think this time is different we're in another period of rupture and repair”
People asked to describe transformative moments in their lives never cite positive experiences like vacations but rather suffering—death of loved ones, loss, or major life transitions—because suffering interrupts the narrative they believe about themselves and reveals deeper truth.
“I often ask people tell me about a time that made you who you are as a human being and they never say I want a fantastic vacation in Hawaii they never say that they say I went through a really hard time the death of someone the loss of someone moving away from home entering a new vocation”
Paul Tillich, the theologian, argued that moments of suffering interrupt your life and reveal that you are not who you thought you were; they carve through the basement of your soul and expose a cavity below, showing you yourself in a deeper way than before.
“Paul tiik the Theologian said those moments of suffering interrupt your life and they remind you you're not the person you thought they were they carve through the floor of your basement of your soul and they reveal a cavity below and they carve through that floor and they reveal a cavity Below”
Historical periods of national crisis have recurred across the world and nations have repeatedly revived: between 1820-1848 America recovered, Britain in the 1980s, Australia in the 1970s, Germany and Japan after WWII, South Korea in the 1980s, Rwanda after 1994, and Chile in the 1990s.
“we've been through periods of national crisis before across the world Nations have constantly hit a spiritual and cultural crisis and then revived this country between 1820 and 1848 I was here in the 1980s Britain recovered in the 1980s Australia in the 1970s Germany and Japan after World War II South Korea in the 1980s Rwanda after 1994 Chile in the 1990s”
Culture changes at the civic level when 'a thousand voices and a thousand different organizations create civic institutions that provide healing and relationship in society'—this is how culture change actually occurs through institutional multiplication.
“it happens at the Civic level when a thousand voices and a thousand different organizations create Civic institutions that provide healing and relationship in society that's how culture changes”
James Baldwin, despite being treated shabbily by American society because of his race and other factors, had a right to be bitter but instead uttered 'the ultimate humanist statement'—this is the ultimate refusal to be destroyed by injustice.
“James Baldwin was treated shabbily by my Society because of his race and other things but he had a right to be bitter but even in that circumstance he uttered the ultimate humanist statement”
America has experienced epidemic increases in mental health crises, suicide, and despair: 45% of high school students report persistent hopelessness and despondence; since 2000, Americans without close personal friends increased fourfold; people in the lowest happiness category increased 50% since 2000.
“without a strong moral order it's hard to have trust it's hard to find your your meaning in life and so America and I think Britain too has become a sadder Society rise in mental health rise in suicide 45% of high school students say they are persistently hopeless and despondent four since 2000 the number of Americans without close personal friends is up by fourfold since 2000 the number of people who say they have no who say they are in the lowest happiness category is up by 50%”
The worst things the educated elite did were not material but spiritual: they privatized morality and destroyed the moral order by deciding that what is right and wrong depends on individual feeling rather than cosmic moral truth, severing the shared sense of moral order that historically held communities together.
“the worst things we did were not Material America has a very strong economy the worst things we did were spiritual we privatized morality and destroyed the moral order uh George Marsen is a great historian who said what gave Martin Luther King's rhetoric its power was the sense there's a moral order built built into the universe that if slavery is not wrong nothing is wrong if segregation is not wrong nothing is wrong we took that essential moral order that holds people together and we decided it's up to you to find your own truth find your own values”
Since 2000, the number of Americans without close personal friends has increased fourfold, the number reporting no friends has increased 50%, and 45% of high school students report persistent hopelessness and despondency, indicating rising social isolation and mental health crisis.
“rise in mental health rise in suicide 45% of high school students say they are persistently hopeless and despondent four since 2000 the number of Americans without close personal friends is up by fourfold since 2000 the number of people who say they have no who say they are in the lowest happiness category is up by 50%”
The meritocratic system created by the educated elite has produced a caste system with cascading life outcomes: people with high school degrees die 9 years sooner than people with college degrees, are 5 times more likely to have children out of wedlock, and are 2.4 times more likely to say they have no friends.
“we ended up creating a cast system people with high school degrees die nine years sooner than people with college degrees people with high school degrees are five times more likely to have kids out of wedlock people with high school degrees are 2.4 times more likely to say they have no friends”
By age 12, children from affluent American families are four grade levels ahead of all other children; by university age, wealthy children are 77 times more likely to attend Ivy League universities than children from poor schools.
“by age 12 children American children of affluent kids are four grade levels above everybody else by University the age rich kids are 77 times more likely to go to university or to ivy league university than kids from poor schools”
Walter Lippmann warned in 1955 that if right and wrong depend on individual feeling, then 'we are outside the bounds of civilization,' because without a strong moral order it's hard to have trust or find meaning, leading to rising mental health crises, suicide, and loneliness.
“George Marsen is a great historian who said what gave Martin Luther King's rhetoric its power was the sense there's a moral order built built into the universe... Walter Litman understood this was going to be a b big problem he said if what is right and wrong depends on what each individual feels then we are outside the bounds of civilization”
Elite narcissism causes these leaders to eviscerate every belief system they touch: they destroy conservative institutional beliefs, reject steady gradual change in favor of disruption, abandon constitutional government for 'I alone can fix it' thinking, and destroy moral norms while claiming to be conservative.
“second Elite narcissism causes them to eviscerate every belief system they touch conservatives believe in healthy societies are built on healthy institutions they're an anti-institutional conservatives believe in steady and gradual change Edmond Burke their disruption conservatives believe in constitutional government Donald Trump says I alone can fix this conservatives believe in moral Norms they're destroying moral Norms”
The speaker has identified three major failures of the educated elite: destroying the social fabric through inequality, destroying the moral fabric through privatizing morality, and destroying the institutional fabric.
“so I've describ three different things we educated Elites brought you we destroy the social fabric through inequality we destroyed the moral fabric through privatizing morality and we destroyed the institutional fabric”
The educated elite leaders of the Trump movement are fundamentally anti-left and destructive rather than pro-conservative: they lack a positive conservative vision for society and are driven purely by the desire to destroy institutions the left has come to dominate.
“and the key factor of the educated Elite is that they're not pro-conservative they're anti-left they don't have a positive Vision conservative vision for society they just want to destroy the institutions that the left now dominates”
Judeo-Christian faith is built on service to the poor, service to the immigrant, and service to the stranger; the speaker witnessed 25 million lives saved through faith-based AIDS programs in Africa, but Trump eviscerated that program as his first action.
“conser the other belief system that they are destroying us judeo-christian Faith judeo Christ faith is based on service to the poor service to the Immigrant service to the stranger I went to numibia South Africa throughout the 1990s and 2000s and I watched people die of AIDS then I went back with my friend Mike Gerson and I saw those 25 million lives saved I saw people living lives of dignity and so what's the first thing Donald Trump did he eviscerated that program”
America is moving from a hyper-individualistic culture toward a communal culture; while the speaker dislikes the social justice movement and Maga movement, both represent attempts to find community—showing that hunger for community is real even if the expression is flawed.
“we are moving I think from a hyper individualistic culture the last years toward a communal culture I didn't like the social justice movement but it was an attempt to find Community I'm not particularly a big fan of Maga but it's an attempt to find Community”
Donald Trump, Elon Musk, JD Vance, and other figures the speaker associates with populism are actually members of the educated elite (attending University of Pennsylvania, Yale, Princeton, or comparable Ivy League schools) who became billionaires, not populist outsiders.
“Donald Trump and Elon Musk went to the University of Pennsylvania and IV League school and became billionaires JD Vance went to Yale Pete hexi went to the Princeton Yale Steven Miller went to Duke Fox News typ like Laur Ingram went to Dartmouth and they represent the educated Elite”
Conservative principles include belief in healthy institutions, steady gradual change (Burkean gradualism), constitutional government, and moral norms—all of which Trump-aligned elite leaders explicitly reject.
“conservatives believe in healthy societies are built on healthy institutions they're an anti-institutional conservatives believe in steady and gradual change Edmond Burke their disruption conservatives believe in constitutional government Donald Trump says I alone can fix this conservatives believe in moral Norms they're destroying moral Norms”
The educated elite have produced political leaders like Donald Trump, Elon Musk, JD Vance, and others from Ivy League backgrounds who are not genuinely conservative but rather 'anti-left'—they lack a positive conservative vision and merely want to destroy institutions the left dominates.
“The third thing the educated lead has done and this may not please you is we produced Donald Trump uh some people think Donald Trump is a populist Donald Trump and Elon Musk went to the University of Pennsylvania and IV League school and became billionaires JD Vance went to Yale Pete hexi went to the Princeton Yale Steven Miller went to Duke Fox News typ like Laur Ingram went to Dartmouth and they represent the educated Elite and the key factor of the educated Elite is that they're not pro-conservative they're anti-left they don't have a positive Vision conservative vision for society they just want to destroy the institutions that the left now dominates”
America has a very strong economy despite the spiritual and moral crises described, indicating that material prosperity does not ensure civilizational health.
“the worst things we did were not Material America has a very strong economy the worst things we did were spiritual”
People with high school degrees die nine years sooner than people with college degrees, are five times more likely to have children out of wedlock, and are 2.4 times more likely to report having no friends, demonstrating the caste system effects of educational inequality.
“people with high school degrees die nine years sooner than people with college degrees people with high school degrees are five times more likely to have kids out of wedlock people with high school degrees are 2.4 times more likely to say they have no friends”
Elite narcissism causes destruction of every belief system the educated elite touch, violating conservative principles at every turn: they reject healthy institutions, embrace disruption over gradual change, violate constitutional governance, reject moral norms, and destroy faith-based communities.
“second Elite narcissism causes them to eviscerate every belief system they touch conservatives believe in healthy societies are built on healthy institutions they're an anti-institutional conservatives believe in steady and gradual change Edmond Burke their disruption conservatives believe in constitutional government Donald Trump says I alone can fix this conservatives believe in moral Norms they're destroying moral Norms”
The response Baldwin articulates—seeing others in 'the fullest deepest and most respectful way that God imagined they would be seen'—is 'defiant humanism,' a humanist stance that insists on human dignity even in harsh and brutal times.
“even in harsh and brutal times were called upon to see each other in the fullest deepest and most respectful way that God imagined that they would be seen thank you very much”
The speaker is a conservative who believes America has inherited a great spiritual legacy that Michael Oakeshott called 'the great conversation,' which includes multiple voices: Genesis (all made in God's image—foundation of democracy), Exodus (wandering wilderness to promised land), Jesus (blessed are the meek and poor), Alexander Hamilton (poor boys and girls should rise and succeed), Edmund Burke (modest change, careful operation on society), and John Stuart Mill (diversity and pluralism lead to adventures in living).
“I'm a conservative I believe the that we are inheritors of a great spiritual Legacy what Michael Oak called the great conversation we have the voice of Genesis that we're all made in God's image that's the foundation of democracy we have the voice of Exodus that we wander through the Wilderness and we eventually get to the promised land we have the voice of Jesus even if you're not Christian blessed are the meek blessed are the poor in spirit that's a source of great strength in my country we have the voice of Alexander Hamilton poor boys and girls should rise and succeed we have the voice of Edmund Burke that we should be modest about what we can know because culture is really complicated and we should operate on society the way we would operate on our father gradually and carefully we have the joy voice of John Stewart Mill we value diversity and pluralism because it leads to what he called adventures in living”
Trump's first major action eviscerated a program that had saved 25 million lives from AIDS in Africa, contradicting the Judeo-Christian faith that is based on service to the poor, immigrant, and stranger.
“I went to numibia South Africa throughout the 1990s and 2000s and I watched people die of AIDS then I went back with my friend Mike Gerson and I saw those 25 million lives saved I saw people living lives of dignity and so what's the first thing Donald Trump did he eviscerated that program my friends in America are conservative evangelicals in government who want to fight sex trafficking poverty they want to preserve National Security Donald Trump is declaring war on those Christians”
Peter Hegseth gave away American bargaining chips with Putin before any negotiations had even begun, showing incompetence in managing national security.
“P heith gave away our bargaining chips with Putin before we even had negotiations”
These anti-left elite leaders are astoundingly incompetent: Peter Hegseth gave away bargaining chips with Putin before negotiations; Elon Musk has 25-year-olds firing people who control nuclear codes; and the situation is comparable to Sam Bankman-Fried gaining control of the nuclear arsenal.
“they're astoundingly incompetent I have a lot of sympathy with what drove people to vote for Trump but I I'm telling you as someone who's on the front row to what's happening do not hit your wagon to that star thank you you're supposed to boo P heith gave away our bargaining chips with Putin before we even had negotiations Elon Musk has 25y olds firing people who were controlling our nuclear codes it's like Sam bankman freed got control of our Nu nuclear Arsenal”
Conservative evangelicals in American government work to fight sex trafficking, poverty, and preserve national security, and Trump is 'declaring war on those Christians' by destroying their programs.
“my friends in America are conservative evangelicals in government who want to fight sex trafficking poverty they want to preserve National Security Donald Trump is declaring war on those Christians”
Elon Musk has 25-year-olds firing people who control nuclear codes, representing a catastrophic risk to national security comparable to giving Sam Bankman-Fried control of the nuclear arsenal.
“Elon Musk has 25y olds firing people who were controlling our nuclear codes it's like Sam bankman freed got control of our Nu nuclear Arsenal”
The Trump movement's incompetence is demonstrated by specific instances: Peter Hegseth gave away bargaining chips with Putin before negotiations began, and Elon Musk is having 25-year-olds fire people controlling nuclear codes, comparing it to Sam Bankman-Fried controlling the nuclear arsenal.
“I have a lot of sympathy with what drove people to vote for Trump but I I'm telling you as someone who's on the front row to what's happening do not hit your wagon to that star thank you you're supposed to boo P heith gave away our bargaining chips with Putin before we even had negotiations Elon Musk has 25y olds firing people who were controlling our nuclear codes it's like Sam bankman freed got control of our Nu nuclear Arsenal”
Cultural change is about shifting the heart and providing new answers to the question 'how should I live my life?'—it's about 'soulcraft' and operates differently than political change, which can be done through power, but cultural change must be done through modeling beautiful ways of living.
“cultur change is about a shifting of the heart it's a Prov providing new answers to the question how should I live my life it's about soulcraft and it isn't done the way you do political change culture change Works differently it's done as Walter batet put it if you want to Wi people over enjoy the things that conservatives enjoy culture changes when a creative minority find a beautiful way to live culture changes when a small group of people find a better way to live and the rest of us copy that's the story of the early church it's the story of the clam sect they weren't my cup of tea but it's a story of Bloomsbury”
Dostoevsky taught that 'you can't create a system so perfect that the people in it don't have to be good,' meaning spiritual and moral formation must be at the center of any healthy society.
“tselot said you can't create a system so perfect that the people in it don't have to be good it's when you put moral formation at the center of your society”
Civic-level cultural change happens when a thousand voices and a thousand different organizations create civic institutions that provide healing and relationship in society.
“finally it happens at the Civic level when a thousand voices and a thousand different organizations create Civic institutions that provide healing and relationship in society that's how culture changes”
There is 'not as much Humanity as one would like but there's enough,' and the key is recognizing that every person you meet could be you and you could be them, requiring you to decide who you're going to be.
“you know there isn't as much Humanity as one would like but there's enough and what you've got to remember is that when you walk down the street every person you meet you could be that person that could be you you could be that monster you could be that Saint you could and you have to decide who you're going to be now”
Moments of personal suffering interrupt life and reveal truths about oneself that happy moments never do; people who are 'broken open' by suffering rather than merely broken are transformed, and nations that choose to be broken open by crisis rather than defeated can revive and rebuild.
“I often ask people tell me about a time that made you who you are as a human being and they never say I want a fantastic vacation in Hawaii they never say that they say I went through a really hard time the death of someone the loss of someone moving away from home entering a new vocation Paul tiik the Theologian said those moments of suffering interrupt your life and they remind you you're not the person you thought they were they carve through the floor of your basement of your soul and they reveal a cavity below and they carve through that floor and they reveal a cavity Below in moments of suffering you see yourself in a more Deep Way than you ever did before and in those moments of suffering you can either be broken or you can be broken open and people who are transformed decide I'm going to be broken open and Nations that are going to be transformed by moments of suffering say we're going to be broken open”
Even amid brutal circumstances and suffering (the speaker was observing conflict in the Middle East after October 7th), James Baldwin expressed 'defiant humanism'—the belief that you could be any person you encounter, and they could be you, and therefore you must see each other in the fullest, deepest, most respectful way God imagined.
“I was at a bar about two months after October 7th and if you had seen me there you would have thought sad Guy drinking alone I call it reporting so I'm scrolling through Twitter and it has all these brutal images from the Middle East but I come across a video of James Baldwin and he says you know there isn't as much Humanity as one would like but there's enough and what you've got to remember is that when you walk down the street every person you meet you could be that person that could be you you could be that monster you could be that Saint you could and you have to decide who you're going to be now James Baldwin was treated shabbily by my Society because of his race and other things but he had a right to be bitter but even in that circumstance he uttered the ultimate humanist statement you could be that person that person could be you and the phrase that rang in my head when I heard that was defiant humanism that even in harsh and brutal times were called upon to see each other in the fullest deepest and most respectful way that God imagined that they would be seen”
Simone Weil said that 'attention is the purest form of generosity,' providing a guide for how personal-level cultural change happens—relating to others with attentive and generous gaze.
“Simone VY said attention is the purest form of generosity”
James Baldwin, despite being treated poorly by society because of his race and other factors, maintained that there is enough humanity in the world and that each person must decide who they will be, showing the possibility of defiant humanism.
“James Baldwin was treated shabbily by my Society because of his race and other things but he had a right to be bitter but even in that circumstance he uttered the ultimate humanist statement you could be that person that person could be you”
Culture change is fundamentally different from political change: it is about 'soulcraft,' not power. It works through providing new answers to the question 'how should I live my life?'
“cultur change is about a shifting of the heart it's a Prov providing new answers to the question how should I live my life it's about soulcraft and it isn't done the way you do political change culture change Works differently”
Culture changes on a personal level when people relate to each other with 'attentive and generous gaze'—a phrase from Simone Weil who said attention is the purest form of generosity.
“culture changes on a personal level when we relate to each other with attentive and generous gaze Simone VY said attention is the purest form of generosity”
Paul Tillich taught that moments of suffering interrupt life and reveal truths about the self not accessible through happiness; they carve through the floor of the basement of the soul and reveal cavities below, offering opportunity to be either broken or broken open.
“Paul tiik the Theologian said those moments of suffering interrupt your life and they remind you you're not the person you thought they were they carve through the floor of your basement of your soul and they reveal a cavity below and they carve through that floor and they reveal a cavity Below”
Walter Bagehot taught that culture changes when a creative minority finds a beautiful way to live and the rest of the society copies them—this is how the early church, Quaker sect, and Bloomsbury changed culture.
“it's done as Walter batet put it if you want to Wi people over enjoy the things that conservatives enjoy culture changes when a creative minority find a beautiful way to live culture changes when a small group of people find a better way to live and the rest of us copy that's the story of the early church it's the story of the clam sect they weren't my cup of tea but it's a story of Bloomsbury”
Cultural change is moving from a hyper-individualistic culture toward a communal culture; even movements the speaker doesn't fully endorse—social justice movements and MAGA—represent attempts to find community.
“we are moving I think from a hyper individualistic culture the last years toward a communal culture I didn't like the social justice movement but it was an attempt to find Community I'm not particularly a big fan of Maga but it's an attempt to find Community”
America has repeatedly recovered from spiritual and cultural crises through cycles of rupture and repair: 1770s the colonial order fell away, 1830s Andrew Jackson ended East Coast elite dominance, 1860s Lincoln addressed slavery, 1890s created civic organizations for post-industrial society, 1960s overthrew conformist culture.
“we've been through periods of national crisis before across the world Nations have constantly hit a spiritual and cultural crisis and then revived this country between 1820 and 1848 I was here in the 1980s Britain recovered in the 1980s Australia in the 1970s Germany and Japan after World War II South Korea in the 1980s Rwanda after 1994 Chile in the 1990s my own country we've done this again and again we've grown not through a happy merry ride we've grown through a process of rupture and repair when society and culture is in crisis and we figure it out 1770s the Old Colonial order had to go sorry 1830s the East Coast Elite had too much power Andrew Jackson brought an era of populism 1860s the slavery order had to go Abraham Lincoln brought forth National Redemption 1890s we had failed at industrialization we had a Civic Renaissance of all these Civic organizations that filled in the whole and created a sane Society 1960s the conformist culture of the 1950s had to go and we had the changes that came there”
The educated elite inherit a great spiritual legacy—what Michael Oak called 'the great conversation'—including the voices of Genesis (we're all made in God's image as foundation of democracy), Exodus (wandering through wilderness to promised land), Jesus (blessed are the meek and poor), Alexander Hamilton (poor children should rise), Edmund Burke (modest gradualism), and John Stuart Mill (diversity enables adventures in living).
“we have spiritual resources I'm a conservative I believe the that we are inheritors of a great spiritual Legacy what Michael Oak called the great conversation we have the voice of Genesis that we're all made in God's image that's the foundation of democracy we have the voice of Exodus that we wander through the Wilderness and we eventually get to the promised land we have the voice of Jesus even if you're not Christian blessed are the meek blessed are the poor in spirit that's a source of great strength in my country we have the voice of Alexander Hamilton poor boys and girls should rise and succeed we have the voice of Edmund Burke that we should be modest about what we can know because culture is really complicated and we should operate on society the way we would operate on our father gradually and carefully we have the joy voice of John Stewart Mill we value diversity and pluralism because it leads to what he called adventures in living”
Michael Oakeshott called the Western spiritual heritage 'the great conversation'—a vocabulary of ideas and voices (Genesis, Exodus, Jesus, Hamilton, Burke, Mill) that provides resources for renewal.
“what Michael Oak called the great conversation we have the voice of Genesis that we're all made in God's image... we have the voice of Exodus... we have the voice of Jesus... we have the voice of Alexander Hamilton... we have the voice of Edmund Burke... we have the voice of John Stewart Mill”
John Stuart Mill valued diversity and pluralism because they lead to 'adventures in living'—showing that conservative tradition supports plurality of perspectives and modes of life.
“we have the joy voice of John Stewart Mill we value diversity and pluralism because it leads to what he called adventures in living”
Alexander Hamilton believed that poor boys and girls should rise and succeed, providing conservative support for social mobility without the meritocratic rigging.
“we have the voice of Alexander Hamilton poor boys and girls should rise and succeed”
Cultural change happens on three additional levels: personal (relating to others with 'attentive and generous gaze'; Simone Weil called attention the purest form of generosity), spiritual (putting moral formation at the center of society, not believing a perfect system eliminates need for good people), and civic (a thousand voices and a thousand organizations creating civic institutions that provide healing and relationship).
“culture changes on a personal level when we relate to each other with attentive and generous gaze Simone VY said attention is the purest form of generosity culture changes on a spiritual level tselot said you can't create a system so perfect that the people in it don't have to be good it's when you put moral formation at the center of your society and finally it happens at the Civic level when a thousand voices and a thousand different organizations create Civic institutions that provide healing and relationship in society that's how culture changes”
The temptation of those who do not read history is to think that 'this time is different,' but the pattern of rupture and repair shows that America is in another period of rupture and repair, suggesting recovery is possible.
“the temptation of those who don't read history is to think this time is different we're in another period of rupture and repair”
In moments of suffering, people can either be broken or broken open; those transformed choose to be broken open. Nations transformed by suffering also choose to be broken open rather than remain broken, and this is how national renewal occurs.
“and in those moments of suffering you can either be broken or you can be broken open and people who are transformed decide I'm going to be broken open and Nations that are going to be transformed by moments of suffering say we're going to be broken open”
Conservative evangelicals in government want to fight sex trafficking, poverty, and preserve national security, but Trump is declaring war on these Christians, forcing a choice between faith commitments and political loyalty.
“my friends in America are conservative evangelicals in government who want to fight sex trafficking poverty they want to preserve National Security Donald Trump is declaring war on those Christians”
The speaker traveled to Namibia and South Africa throughout the 1990s and 2000s watching people die of AIDS, then returned with Mike Gerson and witnessed 25 million lives saved through a program Trump later destroyed.
“I went to numibia South Africa throughout the 1990s and 2000s and I watched people die of AIDS then I went back with my friend Mike Gerson and I saw those 25 million lives saved I saw people living lives of dignity”
The educated elite have destroyed three distinct things: the social fabric through inequality, the moral fabric through privatizing morality, and the institutional fabric through anti-institutional leaders.
“so I've describ three different things we educated Elites brought you we destroy the social fabric through inequality we destroyed the moral fabric through privatizing morality and we destroyed the institutional fabric”
George Marsden is a great historian who explained that Martin Luther King's rhetoric was powerful because it invoked a sense that there is a moral order built into the universe—'if slavery is not wrong nothing is wrong; if segregation is not wrong nothing is wrong.'
“George Marsen is a great historian who said what gave Martin Luther King's rhetoric its power was the sense there's a moral order built built into the universe that if slavery is not wrong nothing is wrong if segregation is not wrong nothing is wrong”
In the 1770s the old colonial order had to go; in the 1830s the East Coast elite had too much power and Andrew Jackson brought an era of populism.
“1770s the Old Colonial order had to go sorry 1830s the East Coast Elite had too much power Andrew Jackson brought an era of populism”
The speaker comes from the educated elite—his parents were historians of Victorian England, and he was hired as conservative columnist at the New York Times and worked on PBS NewsHour, which serve affluent, seasoned audiences.
“so I have a confession to make I'm a member of the educated Elite my parents were historians of Victorian England”
In the 1960s the conformist culture of the 1950s had to go and cultural changes followed, demonstrating that society recognizes when old orders are no longer viable.
“1960s the conformist culture of the 1950s had to go and we had the changes that came there”
In the 1860s the slavery order had to go and Abraham Lincoln brought forth national redemption; the pattern shows that when old systems become untenable, transformative leaders emerge to create renewal.
“1860s the slavery order had to go Abraham Lincoln brought forth National Redemption”
The saying about the University of Chicago is 'it's where fun goes to die'; it's a Baptist school where atheist professors teach Jewish students about Thomas Aquinas, representing highly educated elite culture.
“the admissions officers at Columbia Wesley and brown universities decided I should go to the University of Chicago and some of you may know the saying about Chicago it's where fun goes to die my favorite saying about Chicago it's a Baptist school where atheist professors teach Jewish students St Thomas aquinus so it's very educated Elite”
The speaker belongs to an educated elite whose parents were historians of Victorian England and whose household culture emphasized intellectual achievement and emotional restraint ('think yish act British').
“I'm a member of the educated Elite my parents were historians of Victorian England our Turtles when I was growing up were named Israeli and Gladstone the culture in our home was think yish act British very stiff upper lip we showed no emotion”
Being conservative columnist at the New York Times was like being 'Chief Rabbi at Mecca'—an uncomfortable position where the speaker had little company or alliance.
“I was hired to be the conservative columnist of the New York Times a job I likened to being the Chief Rabbi at Mecca uh not not a lot of company there”
Two months after October 7th, the speaker was in a bar scrolling through brutal Middle East images on Twitter when he encountered a James Baldwin video that reminded him there isn't as much humanity as one would like, but there is enough.
“I was at a bar about two months after October 7th and if you had seen me there you would have thought sad Guy drinking alone I call it reporting so I'm scrolling through Twitter and it has all these brutal images from the Middle East but I come across a video of James Baldwin and he says you know there isn't as much Humanity as one would like but there's enough”
The speaker wanted to become a writer from age 7 after reading Paddington Bear, and this identity remained central throughout his life.
“when I was seven I read a book called paddings in the bear and decided I want to become a writer and that was Central to my identity ever since”
The educated elite created the internet, brunch, and mocktails—'you're welcome'—representing their cultural innovations.
“we members of the educated Elite did some good things we created the internet brunch and mocktails you're welcome”
William F. Buckley mentored the speaker, representing the conservative movement in America and exemplifying how culture changes through creative minorities.
“I was mentored by William F Buckley it's a story of the conservative movement in America”
In high school, the speaker wanted to date a woman named Bernice who chose someone else, and his reaction was to judge the other person by his own metric: 'I write way better than that guy'—showing he had internalized elite meritocratic values.
“in high school um uh what you call like fourth form or something like that um I wanted to date a woman named Bernice and she didn't want to date me she dated some other guy and I remember thinking what is she thinking I write way better than that guy and so those were my values”
The speaker's observation of a 93-year-old lady at the airport illustrates the demographic reality of PBS NewsHour's audience: somewhat seasoned (elderly), and so if she doesn't want the program, her mother loves it, representing skewed viewership.
“if a 93y old lady comes up from me the airport I know what she's going to say I don't want your program but my mother loves it”