How to Reconquer a Space for Creativity and Play

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Sally Kohn: You're a recognizable name in the writing world, which is a kind of brand. She asks you what advice would you have for adults who are thinking through how to reconquer that space? Kohn: I'm really wary of dispensing advice on that scale or presuming to think that I can. But it's not one size fits all by any means.

William Deresiewicz is an American author, essayist, and critic. He taught English at Yale University from 1998 to 2008. He is the author, among other books, of Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life.

In this week’s conversation, Yascha Mounk and William Deresiewicz discuss how the intensely meritocratic nature of elite universities prioritizes striving over deep learning; the instrumentalization of traditional pursuits to the detriment of mastery; and how broader cultural transformations frustrate deep immersion in art, friendship, and learning.

This transcript has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.

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