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The Middle Class Built Our Greatest Cities. Now They’re All Gone. - Joel Kotkin

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Oct 23, 2025

Guest

Joel Kotkin

Joel Kotkin, a Roger Hobbs Presidential Fellow at Chapman University and author of 'The Coming of Neo-Feudalism', discusses the erosion of America's middle class and the emergence of a new social order dominated by tech oligarchs. He highlights the challenges posed by AI, including job displacement and the decline of entry-level opportunities. Kotkin also examines geographic divides between urban elites and family-centered communities, while emphasizing the importance of local governance and the need for a renewed focus on family and community as antidotes to societal fragmentation.

03:04:30

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insights

INSIGHT

AI Is An Accelerator, Not Just A Tool

AI accelerates the digital revolution and will reshape jobs, cities, and culture in profound ways.
Humans retain advantages in caregiving, specialized trades, and certain creative synapses machines struggle to replicate.

insights

INSIGHT

The Serendipity Loss Of Digital Media

Digital media fragmented audiences and removed serendipitous exposure to diverse news.
That filter bubble fuels polarization and reinforces mistaken elite narratives.

insights

INSIGHT

Resentful Overeducated Class Drives Revolts

An overeducated, underpaid class often breeds resentment and revolutionary energy.
This cohort organizes well and can drive intense social and political upheaval.

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AI's Disruptive Impact on Jobs and Creativity

01:57 • 3min

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The Risk of Cognitive Decline from AI Dependence

04:32 • 1min

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Digital Revolution's Social and Geographic Consequences

05:41 • 4min

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The Overeducated, Underpaid and Political Resentment

09:11 • 3min

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Intellectuals, Radicalism, and Historical Parallels

12:12 • 3min

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AI, Class, and Entry-Level Vulnerability

14:54 • 9min

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Balancing Optimism and Worry About AI

23:38 • 2min

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Rise of the Artisan Economy and Rediscovery of Local Goods

25:12 • 3min

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Population Shifts: Small Towns Growing Again

28:20 • 2min

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Neo-Feudal Thesis: Political System Fails to Fix Deep Problems

29:58 • 1min

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Why Economic Concentration Once Made Sense

31:25 • 1min

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Two Americas: Urban Elite vs Family-Oriented Communities

32:52 • 4min

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The Unique Value of New York and Global Alpha Cities

36:32 • 4min

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Decentralization Revival: Growth of Regional Centers

40:34 • 4min

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Higher Ed Crisis: Students Seeking Less 'Woke' Campuses

44:10 • 19min

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Local Governance Matters: Well-Run Small Cities vs Large Bureaucracies

01:02:51 • 1min

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Hunger Games Governance in Blue Cities

01:04:01 • 4min

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Woke Coalitions, Class, and the Limits of DEI

01:08:11 • 7min

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Why Moderates Can't Win Big City Races Anymore

01:15:10 • 5min

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Rise of the Populist Right and Class-Based Grievances

01:20:35 • 7min

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Where Real Social Change Comes From: Grassroots and Local Institutions

01:27:09 • 10min

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Technology Oligarchy: Wealth Concentration and Cultural Power

01:36:54 • 25min

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Three Tech Eras: Founders, MBAs, and a New Builder Wave

02:01:35 • 2min

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Defining Neo-Feudalism: Oligopoly, Influence, and Social Stratification

02:03:40 • 5min

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Tech Elites' Humanity Deficit and Cultural Blindspots

02:09:10 • 5min

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Hopeful Third Wave: Building Things That Matter

02:14:31 • 8min

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Family, Community, and the Need for Social Anchors

02:22:40 • 25min

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Demographic Crises Abroad and Lessons for the West

02:47:28 • 11min

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Advice for Young People: Choose Opportunity, Relationships, and Machine-Resistant Skills

02:58:07 • 4min

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Joel's Role: Influence Through Ideas and Local Impact

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Musa al-Gharbi

In this book, Musa al-Gharbi argues that despite the rise of a new elite who identify as allies of progressive causes such as antiracism, feminism, and LGBTQ rights, social and economic inequalities have continued to grow. These symbolic capitalists, who work primarily with words, ideas, images, and data, genuinely believe in egalitarian principles but inadvertently contribute to and perpetuate the very inequalities they oppose. The book examines how their actions and narratives often provoke backlash against the social justice causes they champion and argues that challenging these self-serving narratives is crucial for addressing social and economic inequality effectively.

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In 'The Case Against Education,' Bryan Caplan argues that a significant portion of the benefits of education are not due to the acquisition of skills or knowledge, but rather to signalling preexisting abilities. He contends that this signalling effect is prevalent across all levels of education, from elementary school to graduate programs. Caplan supports his argument with extensive data, tables, and graphs, as well as personal anecdotes and observations. He also proposes alternative educational approaches, such as technical and vocational training, which he believes are more effective in improving worker productivity. The book is known for its provocative and well-argued critique of the current education system, suggesting reforms like reduced school time and relaxed child labor laws.

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Friedrich Von Hayek

In this influential book, Hayek argues that the abandonment of individualism and classical liberalism leads to a loss of freedom, the creation of an oppressive society, and ultimately, the tyranny of a dictator. He challenges the view that fascism and Nazism are capitalist reactions against socialism, instead positing that these ideologies share common roots in central economic planning and the empowerment of the state over the individual. The book emphasizes the dangers of collectivism and the importance of maintaining a free market system to preserve human freedom and dignity.

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The Coming of Neo-Feudalism

Joel Kotkin

I sat down with Joel Kotkin, author of The Coming of Neo-Feudalism, to examine how America’s middle class is being erased and what that means for the future of civilization. Joel argues that we’re entering a new feudal order, where tech oligarchs and ideological elites control wealth, culture, and opportunity while ordinary families lose the ability to own homes, raise children, and build stable communities. We explore the roots of this transformation in collapsing birth rates, failing cities, and the dominance of a secular clerisy pushing increasingly extreme ideas.

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Follow Joel on X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/joelkotkin

Learn more about Joel’s work: https://joelkotkin.com/

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Outline:

[0:00] AI will change everything

[9:44] The overeducated, underpaid class

[19:29] AI destroys entry-level work

[29:59] America is splitting in two

[43:47] People are opting out of woke

[58:34] Local government matters most

[1:07:18] Class matters, but race doesn’t

[1:18:43] Why can’t moderates win cities anymore?

[1:30:37] The rise of the populist right

[1:40:36] What happened to the left?

[2:03:36] Why tech oligarchs are so weird

[2:19:59] Social media pros and cons

[2:25:49] The British deserve credit

[2:36:44] Antisemitism and political violence

[2:41:38] Confirmation bias, climate, and population

[2:57:22] How to build a fulfilling life

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