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David Brooks on… Yascha Mounk

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Sep 13, 2025

Guest

David Brooks

David Brooks chats with Yascha Mounk, founder of Persuasion and author of The Identity Trap. They dive into how Yascha's family history influences his views, shedding light on the impact of the Berlin Wall on his Jewish heritage. The discussion navigates the evolution of identity politics and its role in today's political landscape, examining how left ideologies can inadvertently support right-wing populism. They emphasize the necessity for a renewed political narrative for the Democrats to inspire voters as they critique prevailing trends in progressivism and cultural discourse.

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question_answer

ANECDOTE

Family History Shaped Political Views

Yascha Mounk recounts family history shaped by communism, displacement from Poland, and survival strategies during WWII.
He ties that personal background to his early political interest and skepticism of utopian schemes.

question_answer

ANECDOTE

Early Political Drive And Theatrical Beginnings

Yascha describes joining the German Social Democratic Party at 13 by backdating his birth year to 14.
He also recounts early ambitions in theater and working as an assistant director before returning to academia.

insights

INSIGHT

Intellectual History Was Neglected

Mounk explains he found no comprehensive intellectual history of the identity synthesis and compiled one himself.
He argues some scholars avoided documenting it out of political caution or fear of aiding the right.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

History, Identity, and Academic Growth

03:02 • 9min

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Navigating Academic Writing: From Dissertation to Engaging Book

12:30 • 2min

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The Dynamics of Identity Politics

14:52 • 13min

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Shifts in Progressivism and Identity Politics

27:41 • 14min

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Evolving Political Narratives

42:00 • 8min

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Navigating Liberalism in a Divided Era

50:26 • 25min

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Broadening Imagination in Challenging Times

01:15:30 • 2min

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David Brooks interviews Yascha Mounk to mark the paperback edition of The Identity Trap.

Yascha Mounk is the founder and editor-in-chief of Persuasion. His latest book is The Identity Trap, which is out in paperback with a new afterword on September 23.

David Brooks is a columnist for The New York Times and a contributor to The Atlantic. He is a commentator on The PBS Newshour. 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 Yascha’s personal history influences his thought, the intellectual history behind the identity synthesis, and how to create a vision for the Democrats to inspire voters.

Email: leonora.barclay@persuasion.community

Podcast production by Jack Shields and Leonora Barclay.

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LinkedIn: ⁠Persuasion Community⁠

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