Mana Afsari, a keen writer and contributor with notable experience from the RAND Corporation and Aspen Institute, dives into the intriguing motivations of young men who support Trump. She discusses her viral essay exploring how these ambitious individuals are drawn to right-wing spaces due to a perceived lack of support from the Democratic Party. The conversation touches on the complexities of their political identities and aspirations, revealing a generational divide that challenges stereotypes and provides new insights into the modern conservative movement.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit wisdomofcrowds.liveWith the Gaza ceasefire possibly collapsing any minute, we return to the topic of the October 7 Hamas terrorist attacks and the ensuing war in the Holy Land. Specifically, Shadi Hamid and Damir Marusic discuss the tension between a belief in universal human rights, on the one hand, and allegiance to one’s ethnic and religious roots, on the other. Joining Shadi and Damir is friend of the pod Peter Beinart, contributing writer for the New York Times and editor-at-large of the magazine, Jewish Currents. In recent years, Beinart has emerged as a leading Jewish voice wrestling with the moral questions surrounding the Israel-Palestine conflict. His new book, Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning, describes the different ways that Jews have wrestled with the morality of the war in Gaza. Peter is an observant Orthodox Jew, and this book documents how his criticism of the war has affected (and even broken) several of his friendships in his community.Peter affirms a belief in the universality of human rights and obligations to all human beings. But, he confesses, “there’s another voice inside my head: don’t be naive, this is a world of power in which people either look out for their own, or nobody looks out for you.” Is it possible to reconcile these two thoughts? Shadi argues for the universalist point of view: given the high number of civilian deaths in the Gaza war, shouldn’t it be obvious that our allegiance to universal values should take priority over everything else? Shouldn’t we have more “sensitivity for civilian deaths”? Damir presses from the opposite, particularist perspective. He’s been reading the Bible. There is, Damir says, a biblical sense for “the destiny of the Israelites to the land” of Israel. Moreover, Damir argues, even if Israel is powerful today, and even if Israel did not need to wage war on the scale that it did in Gaza, not too long ago, Israel actually was existentially threatened by its neighbors. Moreover, Iran is still a real threat today. This is a heart-wrenching, wide-ranging episode that covers several controversial topics: the parallels between the war in Ukraine and the war in Gaza; whether Israel can be called an Apartheid state; how to interpret the historical books of the Bible, in particular the Book of Joshua; and much more. In our bonus section for paid subscribers, Peter and our hosts discuss why the Israeli Left is dead and why Yair Lapid supports Trump’s Gaza mass expulsion plan; how liberal Americans internalize the ethnic framing of the Israel-Palestine debate; Israel’s right to exist; ethnonationalism on the rise around the world; what Steve Bannon really thinks about American Jews; and how to maintain friends with whom you might have deep disagreements. Required Reading* Peter Beinart, Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning (Amazon).* Peter Beinart, The Beinart Notebook (Substack).* Peter Beinart, “Teshuvah: A Jewish Case for Palestinian Refugee Return” (Jewish Currents).* October 2023 podcast episode with Peter: “Peter Beinart on Israel, Hamas, and Why Nonviolence Failed” (WoC).* July 2020 podcast episode with Peter: “Arguing the One-State Solution” (WoC).* “Lapid presents Gaza ‘day after’ plan in DC, urges extended Egyptian takeover” (Times of Israel). * The Book of Joshua (Bible Hub).* David Ben-Gurion (Jewish Virtual Library).* Yeshayahu Leibowitz (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy).* Micah Goodman, Catch-67: The Left, the Right, and the Legacy of the Six-Day War (Amazon).* Amoz Oz, In the Land of Israel (Amazon).* Simone Weil, The Iliad, or the Poem of Force (Amazon).This post is part of our collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Governance and Markets.Free preview video:Full video for paid subscribers below:

J. D. Vance delivers a seismic geopolitical speech at the Munich Security Forum. Vance, Trump and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy get into a shouting match before television cameras. Relations between the United States and Europe are deteriorating before our very eyes. In one of our best episodes of the year so far, we invited the great Ivan Krastev to help us understand what is happening.Ivan is one of the brightest minds in Europe — an incisive analyst, historian of ideas, and ever-present track-two diplomat who is always talking to absolutely everyone. He is chairman of the Centre for Liberal Strategies in Sofia, Bulgaria and Albert Hirschman Permanent Fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna. He writes regularly for the Financial Times and the New York Times.Ivan tells Shadi Hamid and Damir Marusic that Trumpism, and its policy toward Europe is not conservative or isolationist, but “a revolutionary movement.” This revolution is what reconciles the populist and libertarian elements of Trump’s administration: “You’re trying to fight bureaucracy by concentrating power in a charismatic leader. Less state, more emperor.” You can see this, Ivan argues, in the way Trump runs his coalition like an imperial court, where opposing figures — like Steve Bannon and Elon Musk — vie for the attention of the emperor. You can also see it in the fact that Trump himself says contradictory things: “A charismatic figure can contain contradictions.”What does this mean for Europe? “Empires fall when the center sees itself as a hostage not as a hegemon,” Ivan argues, and Trump, along with Republicans, long to divest themselves of the Empire. This means applying pressure on Europe to bend to its demands — be it about Ukraine, or Greenland, or immigration. It also means that, inadvertently, Trump has reawakened European nationalism: “The new European politics is nationalist, the populists are internationalist.”This is a rich episode, full of insightful koans from a longtime observer of international affairs. Damir takes the conversation in the direction of what exactly fuels the Right and its “enthusiasm for destruction.” Shadi presses Ivan on the recently overturned elections in Romania, and what this means about the future of European democracy.In our bonus section for paid subscribers, the three men discuss why charismatic political leaders can live with contradictions; the “fast track between [political] office and prison”; how Trump has inadvertently created a new US-European consensus on immigration and state intervention in the economy, and why “you can’t stop a revolution by defending institutions. You need your own version of tomorrow.”Required Reading and Viewing:* J. D. Vance’s speech at the Munich Security Forum (Foreign Policy). * Zelenskyy, Trump and Vance press conference (C-Span YouTube page). * Ivan Krastev and Leonard Benardo, “Democracy Has Run Out of Future” (Foreign Policy).* Shadi Hamid, “Why Half of America is Cheering for Chaos” (Washington Post). * “EU parliament votes to condemn overturning of Roe v. Wade” (Axios).* German Revolution of 1918-1919 (Brittanica). * Leo Strauss, “German Nihilism” (archive.org).* Daniel Kehlmann, German writer (Wikipedia).* “The Gender Gap is Growing and it Bodes Badly for American Politics and Culture” (The Hill). * 2024 Romanian Elections (Wikipedia).* Ezra Klein, Why We’re Polarized (Amazon). * Eric Hobsbawm, Age of Extremes: The Short Twentieth Century 1914-1991 (Amazon). * N.S. Lyons, “American Strong Gods: Trump and the End of the Long Twentieth Century” (The Upheaval).This post is part of our collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Governance and Markets. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wisdomofcrowds.live/subscribe

Sean Monahan, a sharp cultural commentator and the mind behind the term "vibe shift," chats with Christine Emba and Shadi Hamid about the recent seismic changes in American culture. They dive into what vibes truly mean and how our collective feelings have shifted, particularly post-pandemic. The trio explores fashion's transition from skinny jeans to baggy styles and unveils the 'boom boom' trend marked by a hedonistic approach to culture. The conversation also touches on the evolving perceptions of wealth and elitism, reflecting modern values.

The discussion kicks off with a bold declaration: saying ‘impossible’ is outdated, especially regarding Trump’s potential actions. The conversation dives into the unprecedented shakeup in governmental roles and Trump’s support from Congress, raising concerns about the future of democracy. Listeners hear about an emerging plebiscitary democracy and the allure of disruptors like Trump. There's a critical examination of cultural impacts and the ongoing political sentiment, all framed by the haunting question: are we witnessing an era of gradual democratic decline?

A whirlwind of political drama unfolds as Trump proposes relocating Palestinians amidst the Gaza crisis, raising questions about U.S. foreign policy morality. The contrasting styles of Trump and Biden are scrutinized, offering fresh insights into their handling of Israel-Palestine relations. Meanwhile, Musk's radical reshaping of government agencies hints at a looming constitutional crisis. The episode dives into the dangers of political purges within federal employment, examining how ideological conformity threatens the very fabric of governance.

Political upheaval is in the air, with new right-wing figures emerging in the aftermath of a major inauguration. The speakers dissect a cultural shift, challenging the status quo and the perceived liberal dominance in America. They reflect on the quirky rise of fringe movements and microstates like Liberland, while questioning the effectiveness of the current political rhetoric. Amidst debates on foreign policy and cultural change, the implications of media influence on political thought become clear as they navigate the evolving landscape of American politics.

Osita Nwanevu, a writer for the New Republic and author of an upcoming book on American democracy, joins to dissect the current state of the American Left. He contrasts the fragmented Democratic coalition with a more unified Left advocating for worker empowerment. Nwanevu highlights the Left's sense of political hopelessness post-Trump and emphasizes the need for a platform that resonates with voters. They explore the evolving role of social media in activism and critique the Left's errors in connecting with the public on ideological grounds.

The discussion dives into the aftermath of Trump's victory, exploring the refreshed perspectives within the Right. There's debate on whether Democrats will truly learn from their recent setbacks. The speakers highlight a newfound willingness to engage in diverse ideas, while the Left faces criticism for its overconfidence. They also criticize governance failures in urban centers and reflect on the complexity of political identity in today's polarized environment, emphasizing the need for genuine ideological engagement.

A new year is before us, and soon, a new president will assume office. What does the future have in store? Trump supporters are happy, and his opponents are full of foreboding. Many people also feel that a new era in American history is about to begin — for better or worse. Damir Marusic and Santiago Ramos discuss the nature of this new era. They begin with the question of fear: Are you afraid of the second Trump term? Santiago explains why the Trump phenomenon seemed more frightening in 2016 than it does in 2024. Damir asks whether finding historical analogues for Trump actually illuminates anything about the man, and makes him less scary. Santiago then asks Damir about two of his latest pieces for Wisdom of Crowds, in which Damir seems almost giddy about the collapse of the liberal establishment and Trump’s rise. What exactly is Damir happy about? What good does he see coming from this historical moment? What is changing? While not defending Trump himself, Damir argues that Trump’s crushing of liberal illusions, and the exposure of the hypocrisy of our political class, are good things. What he hopes for is a new “positive program of skepticism and humility,” and a more limited version of liberalism. In the course of the conversation, Damir and Santiago cover wide variety of topics: Damir’s newfound conservatism; Trump and Andrew Jackson; Kissinger on Trump; the USA and Latin America; NATO; Greenland; and the Cold War. Because this is our first podcast of the new year, and season-opener of sorts, we are making this episode free for all subscribers. Required Reading and Listening:* Damir, “The feeling of limitless possibility ahead of Trump's inauguration is dizzying” (WoC).* Damir, “The Peasants, the People and God” (WoC).* Santiago on Latinos and the election (Commonweal).* Santiago on Trump and Latin America (Commonweal). * Black Mirror episode Santiago mentions: “The Waldo Moment” (IMDB). * Henry Kissinger: “I think Trump may be one of those figures in history who appears from time to time to mark the end of an era and to force it to give up its old pretences” (Financial Times). * Jason Willick on Trump and Andrew Jackson (Washington Post).* Samuel Goldman on why the US is more like Latin America than Europe (The Week). * Antonio García Martínez on why the US is like Brazil (X). * Our podcast episode with Yuval Levin (WoC).* Video of Trump and Stoltenberg (YouTube).* Jon Stewart on Nancy Pelosi’s “legal corruption” (The Wrap).This post is part of our collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Governance and Markets.Wisdom of Crowds is a platform challenging premises and understanding first principles on politics and culture. Join us! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wisdomofcrowds.live/subscribe