How the Elite Rigged the and Trump is afterbirth product of the folly (1 Viewer)

[Diving Mullah]

First thing first for the more of political nerdy folks such as myself I recommend the following books; Winner Take All Politics by jacob Hacker and Paul Pierson and Twilight of the Elites by Chris Hayes

I saw this talk and while not a big fan of David Brook for many reasons, he does touch of some key point that is interesting... here is the link to his video



How the educated elite (don't confuse this with Academic Elites) have shaped modern society, often to their own benefit, leading to systemic inequality, a decline in moral cohesion, and a weakened trust in institutions.

1. The Rise of the Elite and Their Influence​

• He describes how the educated elite designed a meritocracy that favors their own skills—creating an imbalanced system where success is largely predetermined by class and education.
• He presents statistics on inequality, such as:
  • Affluent children being four grade levels ahead of others by age 12.
  • The vast majority of Ivy League students coming from wealthy backgrounds.
  • The elite class dominated top professional fields, creating a modern caste system

2. The Moral and Social Decline​

• Brooks argues that the elite didn’t just rig the economic game, but also privatized morality, weakening the shared moral order that once unified society.
• He references historian George Marsden, who noted that movements like Martin Luther King Jr.’s civil rights struggle were rooted in a strong moral framework, which has since been replaced by an individualistic “find your own truth” philosophy.
• This moral decay has led to:
  • A rise in mental health issues.
  • A decline in trust and social cohesion.
  • Increased loneliness and a loss of shared values.

3. The Political Consequences​

• The elite also played a role in the rise of figures like Donald Trump and populist movements.
• Many of Trump's most vocal supporters and advisors, including Elon Musk, J.D. Vance, and Steve Bannon, came from elite institutions.
• However, this new conservative movement isn’t about traditional conservative values; instead, it is defined by being anti-left, seeking to dismantle institutions rather than uphold them.
• Brooks argues that this movement is incompetent, destructive, and has led to a crisis of leadership.

4. The Path to Renewal​

Brooks believes that societies revive through rupture and repair, citing historical examples:

• The American Revolution (1770s) overthrew colonial rule.
• The 1860s abolished slavery through Lincoln’s leadership.
• The 1960s dismantled rigid social conformity.
• He emphasizes the power of suffering and transformation, noting that individuals and nations often grow through hardship and reflection.
• The key to renewal lies in restoring shared values, institutions, and a sense of community.

5. Culture Change as the Solution​

• Brooks suggests that society must move from hyper-individualism to a more communal culture.
• He argues that cultural shifts don’t happen through laws but through a creative minority leading by example.
• He references historical and religious figures, like Jesus and Martin Luther King Jr., who inspired change not by force but by living a better way.
• He concludes with a call for "defiant humanism", where people choose to see each other with dignity and work towards a more cohesive society.

 

[Diving Mullah]

other noteworthy notes
The Rise of Populism & Anti-Left Conservatism: How the Elite Created Trump and the New Right



David Brooks argues that the elite class, despite its intellectual dominance, inadvertently paved the way for Donald Trump and the modern populist right. The irony? Many of the key figures in this movement—including Trump himself—are products of the very elite institutions they claim to reject. Let’s break this down.

The Myth of Trump as a "Man of the People"



Populists often present themselves as outsiders, fighting against the elites who have "rigged" the system. But Brooks highlights a contradiction: many of today’s right-wing populist leaders are Ivy League-educated, wealthy elites themselves.





Examples:

• Donald Trump – Went to the University of Pennsylvania (Ivy League) and became a billionaire.
• Elon Musk – Also attended the University of Pennsylvania before becoming a tech mogul.
• J.D. Vance – Author of Hillbilly Elegy, often portrayed as a blue-collar success story, but he studied at Yale Law School.
• Pete Hegseth (Fox News host) – Princeton and Harvard.
• Stephen Miller (Trump advisor) – Duke University.
• Laura Ingraham (Fox News commentator) – Dartmouth

Old Conservatism vs. New Anti-Leftism

Traditional Conservatism​	New Right Populism​
Institutional stability	Institutional destruction
Gradual, thoughtful change (Burkean conservatism)	Disruption and chaos
Moral norms and family values	Embracing chaos, breaking rules
Constitutionalism and the rule of law	Personal loyalty to a strongman leader
Civic responsibility and service	Nationalism and resentment politics

Rather than crafting a positive conservative vision, figures like Trump and his allies focus on dismantling institutions controlled by the left—whether it's the mainstream media, universities, or even parts of the government.

This explains why Trump's movement doesn’t behave like a traditional conservative one—it doesn’t focus on governance, policy, or civic responsibility. Instead, it thrives on constant grievance, victimhood, and the destruction of perceived enemies.

 

[SNOWFLAKE]

Shouldn't this be in the "Conspiracy Theories" section?

 

[Diving Mullah]

Shouldn't this be in the "Conspiracy Theories" section?

There is not one ounce of conspiracy in op post

Definition of Conspiracy: A secret plan made by two or more people to commit an illegal, harmful, or deceitful act.

What that has transpired was perfectly legal and definitely not a secret.

if you close your eyes and walk to on the train track and a train hits you, the train has not conspired to kill you, you were just not looking!

Diving Mullah

 

[SNOWFLAKE]

There is not one ounce of conspiracy in op post

Definition of Conspiracy: A secret plan made by two or more people to commit an illegal, harmful, or deceitful act.

What that has transpired was perfectly legal and definitely not a secret.

if you close your eyes and walk to on the train track and a train hits you, the train has not conspired to kill you, you were just not looking!

Diving Mullah

yeah ok

 

[multivita-man]

David Brooks is penning another boring AF missive blaming academia or coastal elites instead of the crazies on the right. Must be a day that ends in y.

 

[Diving Mullah]

David Brooks is penning another boring AF missive blaming academia or coastal elites instead of the crazies on the right. Must be a day that ends in y.

Actually, he is not blaming Academia meaning Teachers and Professors in the Universities but rather the highly educated who are now in the working in Trump administration and of course the coastal elites that have financed Trump's campaign with Dark money.

He also argues for a sort of 1960 anti-rigid type movement with a humanist twist to overcome this morality individualism, which is very anti-libertarian and definitely not traditional conservatism. I actually argue for a massive anti-trust movement, breaking up Google Amazon Apple and many other companies into pieces, to take out their collective grip on American society and the world (although Europe has a pretty good handle and leash on Facebook, Google, Amazon, Tesla and apple)

Diving Mullah

 

[Peacenik]

First thing first for the more of political nerdy folks such as myself I recommend the following books; Winner Take All Politics by jacob Hacker and Paul Pierson and Twilight of the Elites by Chris Hayes

I saw this talk and while not a big fan of David Brook for many reasons, he does touch of some key point that is interesting... here is the link to his video



How the educated elite (don't confuse this with Academic Elites) have shaped modern society, often to their own benefit, leading to systemic inequality, a decline in moral cohesion, and a weakened trust in institutions.

1. The Rise of the Elite and Their Influence​

• He describes how the educated elite designed a meritocracy that favors their own skills—creating an imbalanced system where success is largely predetermined by class and education.
• He presents statistics on inequality, such as:
  • Affluent children being four grade levels ahead of others by age 12.
  • The vast majority of Ivy League students coming from wealthy backgrounds.
  • The elite class dominated top professional fields, creating a modern caste system

2. The Moral and Social Decline​

• Brooks argues that the elite didn’t just rig the economic game, but also privatized morality, weakening the shared moral order that once unified society.
• He references historian George Marsden, who noted that movements like Martin Luther King Jr.’s civil rights struggle were rooted in a strong moral framework, which has since been replaced by an individualistic “find your own truth” philosophy.
• This moral decay has led to:
  • A rise in mental health issues.
  • A decline in trust and social cohesion.
  • Increased loneliness and a loss of shared values.

3. The Political Consequences​

• The elite also played a role in the rise of figures like Donald Trump and populist movements.
• Many of Trump's most vocal supporters and advisors, including Elon Musk, J.D. Vance, and Steve Bannon, came from elite institutions.
• However, this new conservative movement isn’t about traditional conservative values; instead, it is defined by being anti-left, seeking to dismantle institutions rather than uphold them.
• Brooks argues that this movement is incompetent, destructive, and has led to a crisis of leadership.

4. The Path to Renewal​

Brooks believes that societies revive through rupture and repair, citing historical examples:

• The American Revolution (1770s) overthrew colonial rule.
• The 1860s abolished slavery through Lincoln’s leadership.
• The 1960s dismantled rigid social conformity.
• He emphasizes the power of suffering and transformation, noting that individuals and nations often grow through hardship and reflection.
• The key to renewal lies in restoring shared values, institutions, and a sense of community.

5. Culture Change as the Solution​

• Brooks suggests that society must move from hyper-individualism to a more communal culture.
• He argues that cultural shifts don’t happen through laws but through a creative minority leading by example.
• He references historical and religious figures, like Jesus and Martin Luther King Jr., who inspired change not by force but by living a better way.
• He concludes with a call for "defiant humanism", where people choose to see each other with dignity and work towards a more cohesive society.

Everything that Brooks sees are t he results of the big point he misses: The effect of the Powell Memo in shaping the social values that led to everything that Brooks has noticed. It simply cannot be understated. Brooks acts like this 'just happened.' No. It was driven there by big money funded think tanks.