What Kind of Elite Do We Want?

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It is tempting to dismiss T.S. Eliot’s musings on class, society, and education as the complaints of a cranky reactionary. But the great Anglo-American poet is worth reckoning with - if for no other reason than how profoundly he challenges the democratic norms that in the 21st century we simply assume as first principles. Jonathan and Ryan take a look at Eliot’s chapter on education from his book Notes Towards the Definition of Culture, and they try to square Eliot with the egalitarian promises of the American Dream.

T.S. Eliot’s Notes Towards the Definition of Culture: https://amzn.to/3fkKCLJ

Alan Jacobs’ The Year of Our Lord 1943: https://bookshop.org/a/25626/9780190864651

New Humanists episode on Jacobs’ book (Part I): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/transhumanism-in-the-year-of-our-lord-2021-pt-1-episode-ii/id1570296135?i=1000525644529

New Humanists episode on Jacobs’ book (Part II): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/transhumanism-in-the-year-of-our-lord-pt-2-episode-iii/id1570296135?i=1000527530441

Richard M. Gamble’s The Great Tradition: https://bookshop.org/a/25626/9781935191568

Scott Newman’s The Liar’s Club: Looking Back on Princeton: https://quillette.com/2021/12/09/ivy-league-liars-club/

Peter Hitchens’ A Church That Was: https://www.firstthings.com/article/2016/05/a-church-that-was

Thomas Gray’s Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44299/elegy-written-in-a-country-churchyard

Anthony Esolen’s The Boy Genius: https://www.touchstonemag.com/touchstone-conference/2018/the-boy-genius-esolen.php

Kurt Vonnegut’s Welcome to the Monkey House (contains the Harrison Bergeron story): https://bookshop.org/a/25626/9780385333504

T.S. Eliot’s Usk: https://www.poetrynook.com/poem/usk

New Humanists is brought to you by the Ancient Language Institute: https://ancientlanguage.com/

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Music: Save Us Now by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com