Liberalism and its Ambivalence

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This chapter dives into David Brooks' complex relationship with liberalism, exploring his defense of its principles while also expressing concerns about their potential negative impact on society. The discussion touches on the criticism of liberalism, the importance of pre-liberal institutions, and the tension between individual autonomy and the obligation to preserve moral traditions and citizenship.

Yascha Mounk and David Brooks discuss the role of character development in building strong liberal societies.

David Brooks is a writer and a columnist at the New York Times. He is the author of Bobos in Paradise: The New Upper Class and How They Got There and The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement. His latest book is How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen.

In this week’s conversation, Yascha Mounk and David Brooks discuss how he came to coin the term “bourgeois bohemians” (or “bobos”); whether today’s elite shares any traits with the bobo elite that first succeeded the WASPs; and how we can inspire stronger and deeper social connections between individuals of all backgrounds.

This transcript has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.

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