Rod Dreher has a interesting and fairly extensive analysis of an important article at the Wall Street Journal by Charles Murray, introducing his new book Coming Apart: The State of White America, 1960-2010 . The results of Murray’s diagnosis show that America is a cultural Third World country:
The problem Charles Murray diagnoses is real. He offers no real solution. I cant see that its possible within libertarian philosophy to come up with an effective solution. Murray needs to read Alasdair MacIntyre, who doesnt have much of a solution either, but who at least understands the profundity of our cultural brokenness. This cultural Third World to which America is descending by which I mean a society in which the ultrarich live radically segregated from the masses seems to me to be an outworking of ideas and trends that have been at work for a very long time.
Read more here
While I have you, can I ask you something? I’ll be quick.
Twenty-five thousand people subscribe to First Things. Why can’t that be fifty thousand? Three million people read First Things online like you are right now. Why can’t that be four million?
Let’s stop saying “can’t.” Because it can. And your year-end gift of just $50, $100, or even $250 or more will make it possible.
How much would you give to introduce just one new person to First Things? What about ten people, or even a hundred? That’s the power of your charitable support.
Make your year-end gift now using this secure link or the button below.