I don’t think we’ve fully realized how acute feelings of vulnerability have become in twenty-first-century America. At prestigious universities, young people with every reason to believe they’ll land on the top end of society nevertheless feel threatened, so much so that some call for “trigger warnings” and “safe spaces.” It’s easy to mock this, as I have done in the past. But such a response is wrong, or at least short-sighted. Trump, Sanders, European populism, and the rest of the turmoil in today’s public life tell us something. A pervasive disquietude is transforming our society and politics.
One of the reasons is obvious, if we but open our eyes. Over the last two generations, American institutions have become much more competitive. The rising generation runs a gauntlet of tests. From an early age, their parents tell them how important it is to get good grades, attend a good college, and build a strong résumé. The days are gone when a white-collar job at a large corporation meant lifetime employment. One must always be on guard, preparing for an uncertain future.
