Ross Douthat, author and columnist, discusses the concept of decadence in American culture. He explores how technology, politics, and religion play a role in escaping societal stagnation. Topics discussed include the history of innovation, cultural repetitiveness in movies, the impact of the sexual revolution, and favorite movies and books.
Decadence in modern society refers to a stage in a civilization's history when it has achieved a certain level of wealth, power, and cultural achievement, but starts to stall out, characterized by economic stagnation, political decay, and cultural repetition and exhaustion.
Technological progress in modern times has become more mono-dimensional, primarily focused on tech advancements, with limited transformative breakthroughs, leading to a sense of plateauing and a lack of major innovations that can drive society forward.
Deep dives
Defining Decadence in Modern Society
Decadence in modern society refers to a stage in a civilization's history when it has achieved a certain level of wealth, power, and cultural achievement, but starts to stall out. This includes economic stagnation, political decay, and cultural repetition and exhaustion. It is not just about immorality or indulgence, but rather a feeling of futility and disappointment with a sense that the future is not what was promised. Decadence is characterized by a lack of innovation, entrenched political stalemates, and repetitive cultural and intellectual arguments. Successful societies are more prone to decadence as they reach a peak and struggle to find new frontiers or breakthroughs.
Technological Progress and Decadence
Technological progress in modern times has become more mono-dimensional, primarily focused on tech advancements. While there have been breakthroughs in certain areas like information technology, overall productivity growth has stalled, indicating a narrow focus on technological advancements. Silicon Valley has seen pockets of innovation, but compared to earlier periods, innovation has become more limited. The expectation of major breakthroughs in areas like genetic engineering, artificial intelligence, and self-driving cars has been tempered by the challenges and complexities involved. Despite genuine technological advances, there is still a sense of plateauing and a lack of transformative breakthroughs that can drive society forward.
Cultural Repetitiveness and Stalemate
Cultural repetitiveness in modern times is evident in creative fields like movies, where there is a heavy reliance on sequels, reboots, and blockbuster franchises rather than original stories. This reliance on established intellectual properties reflects economic incentives and a lack of imaginative storytelling. The boom in young adult fiction also exhibits a similar trend, where narratives tend to be stuck at an adolescent level with a focus on origin stories and simplified relationships, lacking adult sexuality or emotional depth. The cultural exhaustion and repetition contribute to a sense of stagnation and a retreat from narrative richness and storytelling complexity.
Hope in the Midst of Decadence
While societies can experience periods of decadence, it does not mean complete hopelessness or dystopia. There are sources of hope that can lead to renewal and revival. History has shown that societal transformations often result from catalysts that incorporate technology, politics, and religion. It may not necessarily start with a religious revival, but could emerge from advancements in various fields or challenges to the status quo. Cultural renewal can arise from the creation of new art forms, religious revivals, renewed emphasis on family and fertility, and a discontent with the prevailing state of decadence. Furthermore, personal experiences like raising children can ground individuals and provide a sense of purpose outside the realms of decadence.
Decadence isn’t a word most of us use on a daily basis, and yet author and columnist Ross Douthat believes that it perfectly captures the state of a largely stagnant and sclerotic American culture.
In his book, The Decadent Society, Douthat explores both the meaning of decadence and the trajectory that led us there. But in addition to diagnosing our state of cultural stagnation, he points with great hope toward societal renewal:
“I think the escape from decadence is probably a dynamic thing where technology, politics, and religion are all sort of operating together, but it's hard to imagine it happening without a really strong religious element within it.” - Ross Douthat
This conversation is being released for the first time as part of our podcast series on the Challenges of Modernity, and we hope you’ll both enjoy it and that it provokes you to consider those paths toward societal renewal that give Douthat hope.