Quest for Deeper Meaning—An Outline of Speech by David Brooks

 Link to video of speech by David Brooks: The Quest for Deeper Meaning

Outline of Video with Time Locations

0:00 —> 5:00 Opening jokes etc.

5:00 —> 7:33 Reference to data Brook's Social Animal.

See this link for Clif's review of Social Animal

7:33 —> 12:58 Needs of the conscious brain

Intimacy and connection with others (most important)

Soul—part of self seeking dignity and righteousness, yearning for justice

Logical rational mind—is only there to help navigate

12:58 —> 13:54 Hatchet, Ratchet, Pivot

This is how history moves forward

We are currently in a "hatchet time"

See this review for explanation of hatchet, ratchet, pivot

13:54 —> 26:17 Thee Cultural Shifts (described in Putnam's Upswing )

1932 to 1962 Was era of communal feelings

Society was group oriented

Post-1962 era emphasized individualism and personal freedom

Three overlapping crises created

Isolation

Alienation

Lack of meaning

People reverted to tribalism and populism 

If a culture that doesn't give a healthy set of relationships, unhealthy relationships will be found

Today's cultural shift (next below)

26:17 —>  28:37 Today's cultural shift

Stirring of people who don't want tribalism

Want to bridge divides

Six parts to this cultural shift

Civic action—why we love democracy

Social capital  building—community

Social mobility—healing the class divide

Depolarization—get people to talk to each other

Secular discernment—where are the philosophers

Global world order evaluation

28:37 —> 30:04 Progressive era of the 1890s

Today's stirrings are similar

Movement toward healing

30:04 —> 33:34 Commitments

Big commitments in personal life

Spouse and family

Vocation

Philosophy & faith

Community & friends

Success and fulfillment in our lives depends on how well we chose these commitments

Commitment and community must be motivated by love

33:34 —> 38:01 Gallop Poll, Meaning of Life in various countries.

Emily Esfahani Smith's Power of Meaning refers to this poll

Liberia had the highest level of meaning 

Netherlands had the lowest

Sense of meaning was inversely proportional to wealth

38:01 —> 40:20 Sense of joy

40:20 —> 41:00 Faith in ability of America to move away from social isolation

Questions and Answers

41:38 — Good tribalism versus bad tribalism?

See this link for review of Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging, by Sebastian Junger

44:59 — Where and how do Millennials fit into this?

49:39 — Media technology moves population into separate realities? 

54:46 — Can unity be developed without a major crisis?

58:53 — Importance of Social Studies in education?

1:04:00 — Are changes cyclical or are we living in a profoundly unique time?