David Brooks on Audacity, AI, and the American Psyche (Live at 92NY)

2025-08-20 · 70 min · episode 252 · 8 entities

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→ appeared on Conversations podcast

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David Brooks on Audacity, AI, and the American Psyche (Live at 92NY)
→ discusses Society & Culture concept

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Feed category: Society & Culture
→ discusses Education concept

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Feed category: Education
→ hosted by Mercatus Center at George Mason University company

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Feed author/publisher: Mercatus Center at George Mason University

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mentioned Society & Culture concept

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evidence rules-v4
Feed category: Society & Culture
mentioned Education concept

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evidence rules-v4
Feed category: Education
discusses Society & Culture concept

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evidence rules-v4
Feed category: Society & Culture
discusses Education concept

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evidence rules-v4
Feed category: Education

companys 2

mentioned Mercatus Center at George Mason University company

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evidence rules-v4
Feed author/publisher: Mercatus Center at George Mason University
hosted by Mercatus Center at George Mason University company

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evidence rules-v4
Feed author/publisher: Mercatus Center at George Mason University

persons 1

mentioned David Brooks person

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evidence rules-v4
David Brooks on Audacity, AI, and the American Psyche (Live at 92NY)

podcasts 1

appeared on Conversations podcast

0.63

evidence rules-v4
David Brooks on Audacity, AI, and the American Psyche (Live at 92NY)

Episode description as stored

David Brooks returns to the show with a stark diagnosis of American culture. Having evolved from a Democratic socialist to a neoconservative to what he now calls "the rightward edge of the leftward tendency," Brooks argues that America's core problems aren't economic but sociological—rooted in the destruction of our "secure base" of family, community, and moral order that once gave people existential security. Tyler and David cover why young people are simultaneously the most rejected and most productive generation, smartphones and sex, the persuasiveness of AI vs novels, the loss of audacity, what made William F. Buckley and Milton Friedman great mentors, why academics should embrace the epistemology of the interview, the evolving status of neoconservatism, what Trump gets right, whether only war or mass movements can revive the American psyche, what will end the fertility crisis, the subject of his book, listener questions, and much more. Read a full transcript enhanced with helpful links, or watch the full video on the new dedicated Conversations with Tyler channel. Recorded July 22nd, 2025 . This episode was made possible through the support of the John Templeton Foundation. Help keep the show ad free by donating today! Other ways to connect Follow us on X and Instagram Follow Tyler on X Follow David on X Sign up for our newsletter Join our Discord Email us: cowenconvos@mercatus.gmu.edu Learn more about Conversations with Tyler and other Mercatus Center podcasts here . Photo Credit: Vladimir Kolesnikov/Michael Priest Photography