As many have argued, this is a very important book, perhaps the most important this year. The argument can be briefly summarized: the founding of our country was premised on the notion of virtuous behavior. Absent such behavior, the exceptional degree of personal freedom accorded by the Constitution would lead to failure rather than success. This virtuous behavior can also be correlated with individual happiness. The nexi for the relevant behaviors are: work, faith, community and family.
Industriousness can lead to wealth. More importantly, it leads to self-esteem based on accomplishment. Our desire to pursue a meaningful vocation bears on our personal happiness. The regular practice of faith has characterized the American project and can be shown as well to contribute to personal happiness. This is true as well for civic participation, neighborliness and philanthropy. Finally, the nuclear family with married biological parents contributes to both financial wellbeing and personal happiness.
In the 1950's there was considerable commonality across American society. Although there were differences in income there was much less cultural differentiation. Far more Americans watched The Beverly Hillbillies than now watch American Idol. Diets were similar; we drove American cars and there was a greater sense that `we all are members of the middle class'.
That commonality has now been lost. We have a society bifurcated by class (not, it should be noted, ethnicity). The successful, the `cognitive elite,' David Brooks's `bobos in paradise' live in a very different way than the poor. They eat radically different foods; they marry later; they watch far less television; they don't smoke; they drive foreign cars, and so on. Most important, they attend church far more regularly; they contribute to their communities; they work very, very hard and they have children within wedlock.
In short, the elites practice the virtues urged by the founders and confirmed by modern social science as having positive results. They do not, however, preach what they practice. They are studiously nonjudgmental. This is usually seen as `tolerance', though it could be viewed, conspiratorially, as their `keeping the secret to themselves' in order to sustain their elite position. I would put it this way: the elites have been enjoined never to discriminate with regard to race, class, gender, and so on, but they have neglected to notice that the word `discriminate' also is defined as `to use good judgment'. The former is important, but the latter is equally important. Elites should not remain silent for fear of offending if their silence contributes materially to human suffering.
Murray describes these two groups in terms of imaginary communities: `Belmont' and `Fishtown' and traces their attitudes and behaviors, their successes and their dysfunctionality. The discussion is confined to whites, but when minorities are brought into the equation the results (behavior > success/dysfunctionality) remain essentially the same.
While fearing the growth of dysfunctionality and the destruction of the American project, Murray holds out hope for other alternatives--first, that the elites will share their `secret' and speak up on behalf of virtuous behavior; second, that modern genetics, neuroscience and social science will demonstrate that the views of human nature that undergird the European welfare states will simply be proved to have been wrong and the ongoing implosion of those states will foster a reinforcement of American exceptionalism.
Needless to say, this is fiery material that will evoke passionate responses. The beauty of the book lies in the clarity of its argument, the use of a breadth of materials, from popular culture to Aristotelian notions of happiness, to modern survey research and the rigor with which it is presented. This is not a screed; it is an elegiac expression of hope that is deserving of wide and serious attention.
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Marcelo Costa
Preço muito alto pela qualidade do papel e impressao
Reviewed in Brazil on August 14, 2021
Marcelo Costa
Reviewed in Brazil on August 14, 2021
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Mick McManus
A DECADE ON AND COMING APART STILL RESONATES
Reviewed in Australia on October 10, 2023
