Wisdom of Crowds
Ross Douthat on Decadence, Wokeness, and UFOs
Jun 2, 2021
Ross Douthat discusses decadence in America, wokeness, and UFOs. Topics include societal stagnation, pandemic effects, wokeness as a new religion, national pride, challenges of a unifying narrative, and impact on popular culture.
52:02
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Quick takeaways
- Contemporary America may be in a state of decadence similar to the Roman Empire, lacking creativity, warmth, and hope, according to Ross Douthat.
- Wokeness in American society lacks a comprehensive metaphysical grounding to sustain a revolutionary program, highlighting its elite vanguard nature and challenges in mainstream cultural embedding.
Deep dives
Ross Douthat discusses the updates in his book between the hardcover and the paperback editions
Ross Douthat explores the changes in his thinking between the hardcover and paperback editions of his book, The Decadent Society. The hardcover edition was published just before the pandemic, while the paperback edition considers the impact of the pandemic on his ideas. Douthat reflects on the long-term state of stagnation and drift in American and Western European societies despite technological advancements. He questions whether the pandemic marks the end of this decadent era or a potential turning point.
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