David Brooks (commentator): Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|American journalist, commentator, editor}} | {{Short description|American journalist, commentator, editor}} | ||
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2020}} | {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2020}} | ||
{{Infobox person | {{Infobox person | ||
| name = David Brooks | | name = David Brooks | ||
| Line 10: | Line 9: | ||
| death_date = | | death_date = | ||
| death_place = | | death_place = | ||
| | | education = [[University of Chicago]] ([[B.A.|BA]]) | ||
| occupation = [[Columnist]], [[Pundit (expert)|pundit]] | | occupation = [[Columnist]], [[Pundit (expert)|pundit]] | ||
| notable_works = ''[[Wall Street Journal]]'' Opinions writer and editor (1986–1994)<br />''[[The New York Times]]'' columnist (since 2003)<br />''[[PBS NewsHour]]'' contributor (since 2001) | | notable_works = ''[[Wall Street Journal]]'' Opinions writer and editor (1986–1994)<br />''[[The New York Times]]'' columnist (since 2003)<br />''[[PBS NewsHour]]'' contributor (since 2001) | ||
| spouse = {{unbulleted list | Sarah (née Jane Hughes; {{abbr|m.|married}} 1986; {{abbr|div.|divorced}} 2013) | {{marriage|Anne Snyder|2017}}}} | | spouse = {{unbulleted list | Sarah (née Jane Hughes; {{abbr|m.|married}} 1986; {{abbr|div.|divorced}} 2013) | {{marriage|Anne Snyder|2017}}}} | ||
}} | }} | ||
'''David Brooks''' (born August 11, 1961) is a Canadian-born American book author and political and cultural commentator. Though he describes himself as | '''David Brooks''' (born August 11, 1961) is a Canadian-born American book author and political and cultural commentator. Though he describes himself as a "moderate [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]", others have characterised him as centrist, moderate conservative, or conservative, based on his record as contributor to the ''[[PBS NewsHour]]'', and as [[opinion columnist]] for ''[[The New York Times]]''. In addition to his [[Long-form journalism|shorter form]] writing, Brooks has authored seven non-fiction books since 2000, two appearing from [[Simon and Schuster]], and five from [[Random House]], the latter including''[[The Social Animal (Brooks book)|The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement]]'' (2011), and ''[[The Road to Character]]'' (2015). | ||
Beginning as a police reporter in [[City News Bureau of Chicago|Chicago]] and as an intern at [[William F. Buckley]]'s ''[[National Review]]'', Brooks rose to his positions at ''The New York Times'', [[NPR]], and [[PBS]] after a long series of other journalistic positions (film critic for ''[[The Washington Times]]'', reporter and [[op-ed]] editor at ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'', senior editor at ''[[The Weekly Standard]]'', and contributing editor at ''[[Newsweek]]'' and ''[[The Atlantic Monthly]]''. | Beginning as a police reporter in [[City News Bureau of Chicago|Chicago]] and as an intern at [[William F. Buckley]]'s ''[[National Review]]'', Brooks rose to his positions at ''The New York Times'', [[NPR]], and [[PBS]] after a long series of other journalistic positions (film critic for ''[[The Washington Times]]'', reporter and [[op-ed]] editor at ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'', senior editor at ''[[The Weekly Standard]]'', and contributing editor at ''[[Newsweek]]'' and ''[[The Atlantic Monthly]]''. | ||
==Early life and education== | ==Early life and education== | ||
Brooks was born in Toronto, [[Ontario]], where his father was working on a [[PhD]] at the [[University of Toronto]]. Along with his brother, Daniel, David spent his early years living in [[Stuyvesant Town]] housing, in [[New York City]]. Their father taught English literature at [[New York University]], while their mother studied 19th-century British history at [[Columbia University]]. Brooks was raised Jewish, but rarely attended synagogue in adulthood.<ref name="chicagomag_interview">{{cite magazine|last1=Felsenthal|first1=Carol|title=David Brooks Doesn't Pay Attention to Your Criticism|url=http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/Felsenthal-Files/May-2015/David-Brooks/|magazine=[[Chicago (magazine)|Chicago]]|access-date=February 14, 2016|date=May 18, 2015}}</ref><ref name="nytimes1">{{cite news|first=David|last=Brooks|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/17/opinion/17brooks.html?_r=1|title=A Loud and Promised Land|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=April 16, 2009|quote=As an American Jew, I was taught to go all gooey-eyed at the thought of Israel{{nbsp}}... }}</ref><ref name="Beam 2010">{{cite web|last1=Beam|first1=Christopher|title=A Reasonable Man|url=http://nymag.com/news/media/67010/index5.html#print|website=[[New York magazine]]|date=July 4, 2010|access-date=November 14, 2014|quote=His wife is devoutly Jewish—she converted after they married and recently changed her name from Jane Hughes to the more biblical-sounding Sarah Brooks—but he rarely attends synagogue.}}</ref> As a young child, he was enrolled in the [[Grace Church School]], an independent [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopal]] primary school in the East Village. When he was 12, his family moved to the well-to-do suburbs of Philadelphia's [[Philadelphia Main Line|Main Line]] area, where he graduated from [[Radnor High School]] in 1979. In 1983, Brooks earned his Bachelor's Degree, with a history major, from the [[University of Chicago]].<ref name="pbsbio">{{cite web |author=Brooks, David |date=2011-12-20 |title=Weekly Political Wrap: Analyst Bio—David Brooks |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/indepth_coverage/politics/political_wrap/bio_brooks.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111220140506/http://www.pbs.org/newshour/indepth_coverage/politics/political_wrap/bio_brooks.html |archive-date=December 20, 2011 |work=[[PBS NewsHour]]}}</ref> His senior thesis was on popular science writer [[Robert Ardrey]].<ref name="Beam 2010" /> | Brooks was born in Toronto, [[Ontario]], where his father was working on a [[PhD]] at the [[University of Toronto]]. Along with his brother, Daniel, David spent his early years living in [[Stuyvesant Town]] housing, in [[New York City]]. Their father taught English literature at [[New York University]], while their mother studied 19th-century British history at [[Columbia University]]. Brooks was raised [[Jewish]], but rarely attended synagogue in adulthood.<ref name="chicagomag_interview">{{cite magazine|last1=Felsenthal|first1=Carol|title=David Brooks Doesn't Pay Attention to Your Criticism|url=http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/Felsenthal-Files/May-2015/David-Brooks/|magazine=[[Chicago (magazine)|Chicago]]|access-date=February 14, 2016|date=May 18, 2015}}</ref><ref name="nytimes1">{{cite news|first=David|last=Brooks|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/17/opinion/17brooks.html?_r=1|title=A Loud and Promised Land|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=April 16, 2009|quote=As an American Jew, I was taught to go all gooey-eyed at the thought of Israel{{nbsp}}... }}</ref><ref name="Beam 2010">{{cite web|last1=Beam|first1=Christopher|title=A Reasonable Man|url=http://nymag.com/news/media/67010/index5.html#print|website=[[New York magazine]]|date=July 4, 2010|access-date=November 14, 2014|quote=His wife is devoutly Jewish—she converted after they married and recently changed her name from Jane Hughes to the more biblical-sounding Sarah Brooks—but he rarely attends synagogue.}}</ref> As a young child, he was enrolled in the [[Grace Church School]], an independent [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopal]] primary school in the East Village. When he was 12, his family moved to the well-to-do suburbs of Philadelphia's [[Philadelphia Main Line|Main Line]] area, where he graduated from [[Radnor High School]] in 1979. In 1983, Brooks earned his Bachelor's Degree, with a history major, from the [[University of Chicago]].<ref name="pbsbio">{{cite web |author=Brooks, David |date=2011-12-20 |title=Weekly Political Wrap: Analyst Bio—David Brooks |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/indepth_coverage/politics/political_wrap/bio_brooks.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111220140506/http://www.pbs.org/newshour/indepth_coverage/politics/political_wrap/bio_brooks.html |archive-date=December 20, 2011 |work=[[PBS NewsHour]]}}</ref> His senior thesis was on popular science writer [[Robert Ardrey]].<ref name="Beam 2010" /> | ||
As an undergraduate, Brooks frequently contributed reviews and satirical pieces to campus publications. His senior year, he wrote a spoof of the lifestyle of wealthy conservative [[William F. Buckley Jr.]], who was scheduled to speak at the university: "In the afternoons he is in the habit of going into crowded rooms and making everybody else feel inferior. The evenings are reserved for extended bouts of name-dropping."<ref>{{cite news | title=The Greatest Story Ever Told | work=The Chicago Maroon| author=David Brooks | date=April 5, 1983| url=https://campub.lib.uchicago.edu/view/?docId=mvol-0004-1983-0405#page/5/mode/1up | access-date=2024-12-20}}</ref> To his piece, Brooks appended the note: "Some would say I'm envious of Mr. Buckley. But if truth be known, I just want a job and have a peculiar way of asking. So how about it, Billy? Can you spare a dime?" When Buckley arrived to give his talk, he asked whether Brooks was in the lecture audience and offered him a job.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://magazine.uchicago.edu/0402/features/index-brooks.shtml|title=Everybody's a Critic|first=Mary Ruth|last=Yoe|magazine=[[University of Chicago Magazine]]|publisher=[[University of Chicago]]|location=Chicago, Illinois|date=February 2004}}</ref> | As an undergraduate, Brooks frequently contributed reviews and satirical pieces to campus publications. His senior year, he wrote a spoof of the lifestyle of wealthy conservative [[William F. Buckley Jr.]], who was scheduled to speak at the university: "In the afternoons he is in the habit of going into crowded rooms and making everybody else feel inferior. The evenings are reserved for extended bouts of name-dropping."<ref>{{cite news | title=The Greatest Story Ever Told | work=The Chicago Maroon| author=David Brooks | date=April 5, 1983| url=https://campub.lib.uchicago.edu/view/?docId=mvol-0004-1983-0405#page/5/mode/1up | access-date=2024-12-20}}</ref> To his piece, Brooks appended the note: "Some would say I'm envious of Mr. Buckley. But if truth be known, I just want a job and have a peculiar way of asking. So how about it, Billy? Can you spare a dime?" When Buckley arrived to give his talk, he asked whether Brooks was in the lecture audience and offered him a job.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://magazine.uchicago.edu/0402/features/index-brooks.shtml|title=Everybody's a Critic|first=Mary Ruth|last=Yoe|magazine=[[University of Chicago Magazine]]|publisher=[[University of Chicago]]|location=Chicago, Illinois|date=February 2004}}</ref> | ||
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==Career== | ==Career== | ||
[[File:PBS-Rehearsal-David Brooks.jpg|thumb|Brooks preparing for ''[[PBS Newshour]]'' in 2012]] | [[File:PBS-Rehearsal-David Brooks.jpg|thumb|Brooks preparing for ''[[PBS Newshour]]'' in 2012]] | ||
In 1986, Brooks was hired by ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'', where he worked first as an editor of the book review section. He also filled in for five months as a movie critic. From 1990 to 1994, the newspaper posted Brooks as an op-ed columnist to [[Brussels]], where he covered Russia (making numerous trips to [[Moscow]]); the Middle East; South Africa; and European affairs. On his return, Brooks joined the [[neo-conservative]] ''[[Weekly Standard]]'' when it was launched in 1994. Two years later, he edited an anthology, ''Backward and Upward: The New Conservative Writing.''<ref name="pbsbio" /><ref name="nytbio">{{cite web |author=NYT Staff |date= |title=Columnist Biography: David Brooks |url=https://www.nytimes.com/ref/opinion/BROOKS-BIO.html |access-date= |work=[[The New York Times]]}}{{full|date=November 2024}}</ref> | In 1986, Brooks was hired by ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'', where he worked first as an editor of the book review section. He also filled in for five months as a movie critic. From 1990 to 1994, the newspaper posted Brooks as an op-ed columnist to [[Brussels]], where he covered Russia (making numerous trips to [[Moscow]]); the Middle East; South Africa; and European affairs. On his return, Brooks joined the [[neo-conservative]] ''[[Weekly Standard]]'' when it was launched in 1994. Two years later, he edited an anthology, ''Backward and Upward: The New Conservative Writing.''<ref name="pbsbio" /><ref name="nytbio">{{cite web |author=NYT Staff |date= |title=Columnist Biography: David Brooks |url=https://www.nytimes.com/ref/opinion/BROOKS-BIO.html |access-date= |work=[[The New York Times]]}}{{full citation needed|date=November 2024}}</ref> | ||
{{external media | width = 210px | float = left | headerimage= | video1 = [https://www.c-span.org/video/?157392-1/bobos-paradise ''Booknotes'' interview with Brooks on ''Bobos'', July 30, 2000], [[C-SPAN]]}} | {{external media | width = 210px | float = left | headerimage= | video1 = [https://www.c-span.org/video/?157392-1/bobos-paradise ''Booknotes'' interview with Brooks on ''Bobos'', July 30, 2000], [[C-SPAN]]}} | ||
In 2000, Brooks published a book of cultural commentary titled ''[[Bobos in Paradise|Bobos in Paradise: The New Upper Class and How They Got There]]'' | In 2000, Brooks published a book of cultural commentary titled ''[[Bobos in Paradise|Bobos in Paradise: The New Upper Class and How They Got There]]'' where he argued that the new managerial or "new upper class" represents a marriage between the liberal idealism of the 1960s and the self-interest of the 1980s. | ||
According to a 2010 article in ''[[New York Magazine]]'' written by Christopher Beam, ''[[New York Times]]'' editorial-page editor [[Gail Collins]] called Brooks in 2003 and invited him to lunch. | According to a 2010 article in ''[[New York Magazine]]'' written by Christopher Beam, ''[[New York Times]]'' editorial-page editor [[Gail Collins]] called Brooks in 2003 and invited him to lunch. | ||
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|access-date=March 16, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine | title=Nonfiction Book Review: The Social Animal: A Story of Love, Character, and Achievement by David Brooks | magazine=[[Publishers Weekly]] | publisher=PWxyz, LLC| location=New York City|date=January 31, 2011 | url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-4000-6760-2 | access-date=August 8, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Atlas |first=James |date=February 27, 2011 |title=Brooks Explores Human Nature in 'The Social Animal' |magazine=Newsweek |url=http://www.newsweek.com/brooks-explores-human-nature-social-animal-68635 |access-date=August 8, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine | magazine=Kirkus Reviews | date=January 15, 2011 | title=Book Review: The Social Animal |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/david-brooks/social-animal/ | access-date=August 8, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Gilman |first=Susan J. |title=David Brooks' Smart, Messy Theory Of Everything | work=[[NPR]] | date=March 4, 2011 | url=https://www.npr.org/2011/07/14/134240870/david-brookss-smart-messy-theory-on-everything | access-date=August 8, 2017}}</ref><ref name="Rogers 2011">{{cite news | last=Rogers | first=Ben | title=The Social Animal by David Brooks – review | work=[[The Guardian]] |location=London, England|date=May 22, 2011 | url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/may/22/social-animal-david-brooks-review | access-date=August 8, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Crouch |first=Andy |title=Review: The Social Animal |magazine=[[Christianity Today]] | publisher=Christianity Today International|location=Carol Steam, Illinois|date=March 8, 2011 | url=http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/july/commongrace.html | access-date=August 8, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title=Book review: The Social Animal by David Brooks | work=[[The Scotsman]] | publisher=[[JPIMedia]]|location=Edinburgh, Scotland|date=June 27, 2011 | url=http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/book-review-the-social-animal-by-david-brooks-1-1715224 | access-date=August 8, 2017}}</ref><ref name="Beckett 2011">{{cite news | last=Beckett | first=Andy | title=The Social Animal by David Brooks – review | work=[[The Guardian]] |location=London, England|date=May 1, 2011 | url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/jun/01/social-animal-david-brooks-review | access-date=August 8, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last=Bloom |first=Paul |author-link=Paul Bloom (psychologist) |title='The Social Animal' by David Brooks, examines emotion vs. reason | newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] | publisher=[[Nash Holdings]]|location=Washington, D.C.|date=March 11, 2011 | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/the-social-animal-by-david-brooks-examines-emotion-vs-reason/2011/03/11/AFFoZxXB_story.html | access-date=August 8, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine | last=Wolfe |first=Alan |author-link=Alan Wolfe |title=Studies Show | magazine=[[The New Republic]] | date=March 2, 2011 | url=https://newrepublic.com/article/84528/wolfe-brooks-social-animal-review | access-date=August 8, 2017}}</ref> It sold well and reached #3 on the ''[[Publishers Weekly]]'' best-sellers list for non-fiction in April 2011.<ref name=maui>{{cite news|title=Publishers Weekly Best-sellers|date=April 3, 2011|access-date=April 4, 2011|newspaper=[[The Maui News]]|url=http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/547973/Publishers-Weekly-Best-sellers.html?nav=12}}</ref> | |access-date=March 16, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine | title=Nonfiction Book Review: The Social Animal: A Story of Love, Character, and Achievement by David Brooks | magazine=[[Publishers Weekly]] | publisher=PWxyz, LLC| location=New York City|date=January 31, 2011 | url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-4000-6760-2 | access-date=August 8, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Atlas |first=James |date=February 27, 2011 |title=Brooks Explores Human Nature in 'The Social Animal' |magazine=Newsweek |url=http://www.newsweek.com/brooks-explores-human-nature-social-animal-68635 |access-date=August 8, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine | magazine=Kirkus Reviews | date=January 15, 2011 | title=Book Review: The Social Animal |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/david-brooks/social-animal/ | access-date=August 8, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Gilman |first=Susan J. |title=David Brooks' Smart, Messy Theory Of Everything | work=[[NPR]] | date=March 4, 2011 | url=https://www.npr.org/2011/07/14/134240870/david-brookss-smart-messy-theory-on-everything | access-date=August 8, 2017}}</ref><ref name="Rogers 2011">{{cite news | last=Rogers | first=Ben | title=The Social Animal by David Brooks – review | work=[[The Guardian]] |location=London, England|date=May 22, 2011 | url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/may/22/social-animal-david-brooks-review | access-date=August 8, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Crouch |first=Andy |title=Review: The Social Animal |magazine=[[Christianity Today]] | publisher=Christianity Today International|location=Carol Steam, Illinois|date=March 8, 2011 | url=http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/july/commongrace.html | access-date=August 8, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title=Book review: The Social Animal by David Brooks | work=[[The Scotsman]] | publisher=[[JPIMedia]]|location=Edinburgh, Scotland|date=June 27, 2011 | url=http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/book-review-the-social-animal-by-david-brooks-1-1715224 | access-date=August 8, 2017}}</ref><ref name="Beckett 2011">{{cite news | last=Beckett | first=Andy | title=The Social Animal by David Brooks – review | work=[[The Guardian]] |location=London, England|date=May 1, 2011 | url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/jun/01/social-animal-david-brooks-review | access-date=August 8, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last=Bloom |first=Paul |author-link=Paul Bloom (psychologist) |title='The Social Animal' by David Brooks, examines emotion vs. reason | newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] | publisher=[[Nash Holdings]]|location=Washington, D.C.|date=March 11, 2011 | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/the-social-animal-by-david-brooks-examines-emotion-vs-reason/2011/03/11/AFFoZxXB_story.html | access-date=August 8, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine | last=Wolfe |first=Alan |author-link=Alan Wolfe |title=Studies Show | magazine=[[The New Republic]] | date=March 2, 2011 | url=https://newrepublic.com/article/84528/wolfe-brooks-social-animal-review | access-date=August 8, 2017}}</ref> It sold well and reached #3 on the ''[[Publishers Weekly]]'' best-sellers list for non-fiction in April 2011.<ref name=maui>{{cite news|title=Publishers Weekly Best-sellers|date=April 3, 2011|access-date=April 4, 2011|newspaper=[[The Maui News]]|url=http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/547973/Publishers-Weekly-Best-sellers.html?nav=12}}</ref> | ||
Brooks was a visiting professor of public policy at [[Duke University]]'s [[Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy]], and taught an undergraduate seminar there in the fall of 2006.<ref>{{cite news| url= http://select.nytimes.com/2007/02/04/opinion/04brooks.html?n=Top%2fOpinion%2fEditorials%20and%20Op%2dEd%2fOp%2dEd%2fColumnists%2fDavid%20Brooks | title=Children of Polarization | newspaper= [[The New York Times]] | date=February 4, 2007| first=David | last=Brooks}}</ref> In 2013, he taught a course at [[Yale University]] on philosophical humility.<ref>{{cite news| url= | Brooks was a visiting professor of public policy at [[Duke University]]'s [[Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy]], and taught an undergraduate seminar there in the fall of 2006.<ref>{{cite news| url= http://select.nytimes.com/2007/02/04/opinion/04brooks.html?n=Top%2fOpinion%2fEditorials%20and%20Op%2dEd%2fOp%2dEd%2fColumnists%2fDavid%20Brooks | title=Children of Polarization | newspaper= [[The New York Times]] | date=February 4, 2007| first=David | last=Brooks}}</ref> In 2013, he taught a course at [[Yale University]] on philosophical humility.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/david-brooks-humility-yale_n_2330650 | title=David Brooks To Teach 'Humility' At Yale | work=[[HuffPost]] |location=New York City | first=Rebecca | last=Harrington | date=December 19, 2012}}</ref> | ||
In 2012, Brooks was elected to the [[University of Chicago]] Board of Trustees.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Wood|first1=Becky|title=Five new members elected to University of Chicago Board of Trustees|url=https://news.uchicago.edu/article/2012/06/15/five-new-members-elected-university-chicago-board-trustees|website=uChicago News|access-date=February 13, 2016|date=June 15, 2012}}</ref> He also serves on the board of advisors for the [[University of Chicago]] Institute of Politics.<ref>{{cite web|title=Board of Advisors|url=http://politics.uchicago.edu/staff/board|website=The University of Chicago Institute of Politics|access-date=February 13, 2016|archive-date=February 29, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160229022439/http://politics.uchicago.edu/staff/board|url-status=dead}}</ref> | In 2012, Brooks was elected to the [[University of Chicago]] Board of Trustees.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Wood|first1=Becky|title=Five new members elected to University of Chicago Board of Trustees|url=https://news.uchicago.edu/article/2012/06/15/five-new-members-elected-university-chicago-board-trustees|website=uChicago News|access-date=February 13, 2016|date=June 15, 2012}}</ref> He also serves on the board of advisors for the [[University of Chicago]] Institute of Politics.<ref>{{cite web|title=Board of Advisors|url=http://politics.uchicago.edu/staff/board|website=The University of Chicago Institute of Politics|access-date=February 13, 2016|archive-date=February 29, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160229022439/http://politics.uchicago.edu/staff/board|url-status=dead}}</ref> | ||
In 2019, Brooks gave a [[TED (conference)|TED]] talk in Vancouver entitled "The Lies Our Culture Tells Us About What Matters – And a Better Way to Live".<ref>{{cite web| last=Brooks| first=David| title=The Lies Our Culture Tells About What Matters - And a Better Way to Live| url=https://www.ted.com/talks/david_brooks_the_lies_our_culture_tells_us_about_what_matters_and_a_better_way_to_live?referrer=playlist-curator_s_picks_top_10_ted_talks_of_2019&autoplay=true| publisher=[[TED (conference)|TED]]}}</ref> TED curator [[Chris Anderson (entrepreneur)|Chris Anderson]] selected it as one of his favourite talks of 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The most popular talks of 2019 | TED Talks |url=https://www.ted.com/playlists/727/curator_s_picks_top_10_ted_talks_of_2019}}</ref> | In 2019, Brooks gave a [[TED (conference)|TED]] talk in Vancouver entitled "The Lies Our Culture Tells Us About What Matters – And a Better Way to Live".<ref>{{cite web| last=Brooks| first=David| title=The Lies Our Culture Tells About What Matters - And a Better Way to Live| date=June 5, 2019| url=https://www.ted.com/talks/david_brooks_the_lies_our_culture_tells_us_about_what_matters_and_a_better_way_to_live?referrer=playlist-curator_s_picks_top_10_ted_talks_of_2019&autoplay=true| publisher=[[TED (conference)|TED]]}}</ref> TED curator [[Chris Anderson (entrepreneur)|Chris Anderson]] selected it as one of his favourite talks of 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The most popular talks of 2019 | TED Talks |url=https://www.ted.com/playlists/727/curator_s_picks_top_10_ted_talks_of_2019}}</ref> | ||
==Political ideology== | ==Political ideology== | ||
[[File:Shields and Brooks on Trump’s primary sweep, Clinton’s ‘woman’s card’.webm|thumb|Brooks on ''[[PBS Newshour]]'' on 29 April 2016 discussing the leading candidates for the 2016 US presidential election.]] | [[File:Shields and Brooks on Trump’s primary sweep, Clinton’s ‘woman’s card’.webm|thumb|Brooks on ''[[PBS Newshour]]'' on 29 April 2016 discussing the leading candidates for the 2016 US presidential election.]] | ||
Ideologically, Brooks has been described as a | Ideologically, Brooks has been described as a centrist,<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Clio|last=Chang|url=https://newrepublic.com/minutes/139044/center-american-politics-will-always-david-brooks|title=The center of American politics will always have David Brooks.|magazine=[[The New Republic]]|date=November 29, 2016}}</ref> a conservative,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.salon.com/2016/02/29/sorry_david_brooks_but_we_cant_blame_trumps_ascendance_on_anti_politics_its_class_politics/ | title=Sorry, David Brooks, but we can't blame Trump's ascendance on "anti-politics" — it's ... |date=February 29, 2016|website=[[Salon.com]]|publisher=[[Salon Media Group]]|location=San Francisco, California}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/new-york-times-columnist-david-brooks-admits-hes-not-socially-intermingled-with-trump-supporters/article/2586224|title=NYT columnist David Brooks admits he's 'not socially intermingled' with Trump supporters|first=Eddie|last=Scarry|newspaper=[[Washington Examiner]]|publisher=[[MediaDC]]|location=Washington, D.C.|date=March 18, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://theweek.com/articles/505387/rise-collectivist-conservatives|title=The rise of collectivist conservatives|date=May 19, 2009|magazine=[[The Week]]|publisher=[[Dennis Publishing]]|location=New York City}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://newrepublic.com/article/143450/anti-anti-trumpism-glue-holding-together-republican-party|title=Anti-Anti-Trumpism Is the Glue Holding Together the Republican Party|magazine=The New Republic|date=June 21, 2017|last1=Heer|first1=Jeet}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Kate|last=Bennett|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2015/04/david-brooks-muse-117033|title=David Brooks' Muse?|website=[[Politico]]|publisher=[[Capitol News Company]]|location=Arlington, Virginia|date=April 16, 2015}}</ref> and a moderate conservative.<ref>{{cite web|first=Eric|last=Black|url=https://www.minnpost.com/eric-black-ink/2017/05/chaos-president-indeed-and-david-brooks-has-some-ideas-about-why|title=Chaos president indeed — and David Brooks has some ideas about why|website=[[MinnPost]]|date=May 17, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Jeff|last=Gauger|url=http://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/life/people/2017/08/05/new-york-columnist-riffs-middle-age-shreveport/542374001/|title=New York columnist riffs on middle age from Shreveport|newspaper=[[Shreveport Times]]|publisher=[[Gannett]]|location=Shreveport, Louisiana|date=August 5, 2017}}</ref> Brooks has described himself as a former democratic socialist<ref name="atlantic_2024-10-12">{{cite news |last1=Brooks |first1=David |title=Confessions of a Republican Exile |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/10/trumpism-republican-party-exile-david-brooks/680243/ |work=The Atlantic |date=October 12, 2024 |language=en}}</ref> and "a [[Edmund Burke|Burkean]]... [which] is to be a moderate", saying that such was "what I think I’ve become."<ref name=NewStatesman201710>{{cite magazine| author = Cowley, Jason | date = 26 October 2017 | title=A Hesitant Radical in the Age of Trump: David Brooks and the Search for Moderation | magazine = [[New Statesman]] | url=https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2017/10/hesitant-radical-age-trump-david-brooks-and-search-moderation| access-date = 6 November 2024 | quote = I believe in incremental change but constant change. To be a Burkean, in America these days, is to be a moderate, which is what I think I’ve become. It’s not to be a populist right-winger, or a Reaganite-Thatcherite type.}}</ref> He said in a 2017 interview that "[one] of [his] callings is to represent a certain moderate [[Republican Party (U.S.)|Republican]] [[Whig Party (United States)|Whig]] political philosophy."<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Marc|last=Fisher|url=http://www.momentmag.com/the-evolution-of-david-brooks/|title=The Evolution of David Brooks|date=January 7, 2016|magazine=[[Moment Magazine]]}}</ref> In December 2021, he wrote that he placed himself "on the rightward edge of the leftward tendency—in the more promising soil of the moderate wing of the Democratic Party".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brooks |first=David |date=2021-12-08 |title=What Happened to American Conservatism? |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/01/brooks-true-conservatism-dead-fox-news-voter-suppression/620853/ |access-date=2022-05-04 |website=The Atlantic |language=en}}</ref> In 2024, he said he finds himself "rooting for the Democrats about 70 percent of the time" and that he was "''almost'' all the way to joining" the Democratic Party.<ref name="atlantic_2024-10-12" /> ''[[Ottawa Citizen]]'' conservative commentator David Warren has identified Brooks as a "sophisticated pundit"; one of "those Republicans who want to 'engage with' the liberal agenda".<ref>{{cite web|first=David|last=Warren|url=http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/07/17/a_war_between_two_world_views.html|title=A War Between Two World Views|website=[[Real Clear Politics]]|date=July 17, 2009}}</ref> When asked what he thinks of charges that he's "not a real conservative" or "squishy", Brooks has said that "if you define [[conservatism in the United States|conservative]] by support for the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] candidate or the belief that tax cuts are the correct answer to all problems, I guess I don't fit that agenda. But I do think that I'm part of a long-standing conservative tradition that has to do with [[Edmund Burke]] ... and [[Alexander Hamilton]]."<ref name="daily beast">{{cite web|first=Howard|last=Kurtz|author-link=Howard Kurtz|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/09/30/david-brooks-riling-up-the-right.html|title=David Brooks, Riling Up the Right|website=[[The Daily Beast]]|publisher=[[IAC (company)|IAC]]|location=New York City|date=September 30, 2012}}</ref> In fact, Brooks read Burke's work while he was an undergraduate at the [[University of Chicago]] and "completely despised it", but "gradually over the next five to seven years ... came to agree with him". Brooks writes that "my visceral hatred was because he touched something I didn't like or know about myself."<ref name="chicago maroon">{{cite news|last1=Weiland|first1=Noah|title=Uncommon Interview: David Brooks (A.B. '83)|url=http://chicagomaroon.com/2013/10/04/uncommon-interview-david-brooks-a-b-83/|access-date=February 13, 2016|newspaper=[[The Chicago Maroon]]|date=October 4, 2013}}</ref> In September 2012, Brooks talked about being criticized from the conservative side, saying, "If it's from a loon, I don't mind it. I get a kick out of it. If it's [[Michelle Malkin]] attacking, I don't mind it." With respect to whether he was "the liberals' favorite conservative" Brooks said he "didn't care", stating: "I don't mind liberals praising me, but when it's the really partisan liberals, you get an avalanche of love, it's like uhhh, I gotta rethink this."<ref name="daily beast"/> | ||
Brooks describes himself as beginning as a [[Modern American liberalism|liberal]] before, as he put it, "coming to my senses." He recounts that a turning point in his thinking came while he was still an undergraduate when he was selected to present the socialist point of view during a televised debate with [[List of Nobel laureates|Nobel laureate]] free-market economist [[Milton Friedman]].<ref name="chicagomag_interview" /> As Brooks describes it, "[It] was essentially me making a point, and he making a two-sentence rebuttal which totally devastated my point. ... That didn't immediately turn me into a conservative, but{{nbsp}}..."<ref>{{cite journal |last=Yoe |first=Mary Ruth |date=February 2004 |title=Everybody's a critic |journal=University of Chicago Magazine |volume=96 |issue=3 |url=http://magazine.uchicago.edu/0402/features/index-brooks.shtml |access-date=September 11, 2009}}</ref> On August 10, 2006, Brooks wrote a column for ''The New York Times'' titled "Party No. 3". The column imagined a moderate [[John McCain|McCain]]-[[Joe Lieberman|Lieberman]] Party in opposition to both [[Two-party system|major parties]], which he perceived as both [[Polarization (politics)|polarized]] and beholden to [[special interests]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Brooks |first=David |date=August 10, 2006 |title=Party No. 3 |page=A23 |work=[[The New York Times]] |location=New York City |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/10/opinion/10brooks.html |access-date=October 13, 2017}}</ref> | Brooks describes himself as beginning as a [[Modern American liberalism|liberal]] before, as he put it, "coming to my senses." He recounts that a turning point in his thinking came while he was still an undergraduate when he was selected to present the socialist point of view during a televised debate with [[List of Nobel laureates|Nobel laureate]] free-market economist [[Milton Friedman]].<ref name="chicagomag_interview" /> As Brooks describes it, "[It] was essentially me making a point, and he making a two-sentence rebuttal which totally devastated my point. ... That didn't immediately turn me into a conservative, but{{nbsp}}..."<ref>{{cite journal |last=Yoe |first=Mary Ruth |date=February 2004 |title=Everybody's a critic |journal=University of Chicago Magazine |volume=96 |issue=3 |url=http://magazine.uchicago.edu/0402/features/index-brooks.shtml |access-date=September 11, 2009}}</ref> On August 10, 2006, Brooks wrote a column for ''The New York Times'' titled "Party No. 3". The column imagined a moderate [[John McCain|McCain]]-[[Joe Lieberman|Lieberman]] Party in opposition to both [[Two-party system|major parties]], which he perceived as both [[Polarization (politics)|polarized]] and beholden to [[special interests]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Brooks |first=David |date=August 10, 2006 |title=Party No. 3 |page=A23 |work=[[The New York Times]] |location=New York City |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/10/opinion/10brooks.html |access-date=October 13, 2017}}</ref> | ||
In a March 2007 article published in ''The New York Times'' titled "No U-Turns",<ref>{{cite news |last=Brooks |first=David |date=March 3, 2007 |title=No U-Turns |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |location=New York City |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/29/opinion/29brooks.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin |access-date=September 13, 2008}}</ref> Brooks explained that the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] must distance itself from the minimal-government conservative principles that had arisen during the [[Barry Goldwater]] and [[Ronald Reagan]] eras. He | In a March 2007 article published in ''The New York Times'' titled "No U-Turns",<ref>{{cite news |last=Brooks |first=David |date=March 3, 2007 |title=No U-Turns |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |location=New York City |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/29/opinion/29brooks.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin |access-date=September 13, 2008}}</ref> Brooks explained that the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] must distance itself from the minimal-government conservative principles that had arisen during the [[Barry Goldwater]] and [[Ronald Reagan]] eras. He wrote that these core concepts had served their purposes and should no longer be embraced by Republicans in order to win elections. [[Alex Pareene]] commented that Brooks "has been trying for so long to imagine a sensible Republican Party into existence that he can't still think it's going to happen soon."<ref name="Blow up the Times Op-Ed page, and start again!">{{cite web |last1=Pareene |first1=Alex |date=April 22, 2014 |title=Blow up the Times Op-Ed page, and start again! |url=http://www.salon.com/2014/04/22/blow_up_the_times_op_ed_page_and_start_again_why_friedman_brooks_and_dowd_must_go/ |access-date=August 15, 2015 |website=[[Salon.com|Salon]] |publisher=[[Salon Media Group]] |location=San Francisco, California}}</ref> | ||
=== Iraq war === | === Iraq war === | ||
Before the [[2003 invasion of Iraq]], Brooks argued for American military intervention, echoing the belief of commentators and political figures that American and British forces would be welcomed as liberators.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/002/344hkcxs.asp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030408054132/https://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/002/344hkcxs.asp|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 8, 2003|title=The Certainty Crisis|last=Brooks|first=David|work=[[The Weekly Standard]]|publisher=[[Clarity Media Group]]|location=Washington, D.C.|date=March 9, 2003|access-date=February 17, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/002/565jgibg.asp?page=2|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120106065210/http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/002/565jgibg.asp?page=2|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 6, 2012|title=The Collapse of the Dream Palaces|last=Brooks|first=David|magazine=[[The Weekly Standard]]|publisher=[[Clarity Media Group]]|location=Washington, D.C.|date=April 28, 2003|access-date=February 17, 2015}}</ref> In 2005, Brooks wrote what columnist [[Jonathan Chait]] described as "a witheringly condescending" column portraying Senator [[Harry Reid]] as an "unhinged conspiracy theorist because he accused the [[George W. Bush administration|[George W. Bush] administration]] of falsifying its [[Iraq and weapons of mass destruction|Iraq intelligence]]."<ref>{{cite news|first=David|last=Brooks|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C03E5D8163EF930A35752C1A9639C8B63|title=The Harry da Reid Code|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|location=New York City|date=November 3, 2005}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|first=Jonathan|last=Chait|author-link=Jonathan Chait|url=http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2015/05/was-the-iraq-war-a-crime-or-a-mistake-yes.html|title=Was the Iraq War a Crime or a Mistake? Yes.|magazine=[[New York (magazine)|New York]]|publisher=[[New York Media]]|location=New York City|date=May 18, 2008}}</ref> By 2008, five years into the war, Brooks maintained that the decision to go to war was correct, but that Secretary of Defense [[Donald Rumsfeld]] had botched U.S. war efforts.<ref>{{cite | Before the [[2003 invasion of Iraq]], Brooks argued for American military intervention, echoing the belief of commentators and political figures that American and British forces would be welcomed as liberators.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/002/344hkcxs.asp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030408054132/https://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/002/344hkcxs.asp|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 8, 2003|title=The Certainty Crisis|last=Brooks|first=David|work=[[The Weekly Standard]]|publisher=[[Clarity Media Group]]|location=Washington, D.C.|date=March 9, 2003|access-date=February 17, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/002/565jgibg.asp?page=2|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120106065210/http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/002/565jgibg.asp?page=2|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 6, 2012|title=The Collapse of the Dream Palaces|last=Brooks|first=David|magazine=[[The Weekly Standard]]|publisher=[[Clarity Media Group]]|location=Washington, D.C.|date=April 28, 2003|access-date=February 17, 2015}}</ref> In 2005, Brooks wrote what columnist [[Jonathan Chait]] described as "a witheringly condescending" column portraying Senator [[Harry Reid]] as an "unhinged conspiracy theorist because he accused the [[George W. Bush administration|[George W. Bush] administration]] of falsifying its [[Iraq and weapons of mass destruction|Iraq intelligence]]."<ref>{{cite news|first=David|last=Brooks|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C03E5D8163EF930A35752C1A9639C8B63|title=The Harry da Reid Code|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|location=New York City|date=November 3, 2005}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|first=Jonathan|last=Chait|author-link=Jonathan Chait|url=http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2015/05/was-the-iraq-war-a-crime-or-a-mistake-yes.html|title=Was the Iraq War a Crime or a Mistake? Yes.|magazine=[[New York (magazine)|New York]]|publisher=[[New York Media]]|location=New York City|date=May 18, 2008}}</ref> By 2008, five years into the war, Brooks maintained that the decision to go to war was correct, but that Secretary of Defense [[Donald Rumsfeld]] had botched U.S. war efforts.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/david-brooks-no-apologies_b_93265 |first=Greg |last=Mitchell |author-link=Greg Mitchell | title=David Brooks: No Apologies 5 Years Later | work=[[HuffPost]] | date=March 25, 2008}}</ref> | ||
In 2015, Brooks wrote that "[f]rom the current vantage point, the decision to go to war was a clear misjudgment" made in 2003 by President [[George W. Bush]] and the majority of Americans who supported the war, including Brooks himself.<ref name="LearningFromMistakes">{{cite news|first=David|last=Brooks|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/19/opinion/david-brooks-learning-from-mistakes.html|title=Learning From Mistakes|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=May 19, 2015}}</ref> Brooks wrote "many of us thought that, by taking down [[Saddam Hussein]], we could end another evil empire, and gradually open up human development in Iraq and the Arab world. Has that happened? In 2004, I would have said yes. In 2006, I would have said no. In 2015, I say yes and no, but mostly no."<ref name="LearningFromMistakes"/> Citing the [[Iraq Intelligence Commission|Robb-Silberman report]], Brooks rejected as a "fable" the idea that "intelligence about Iraqi weapons of mass destruction was all cooked by political pressure, that there was a big political conspiracy to lie us into war."<ref name="LearningFromMistakes"/> Instead, Brooks viewed the war as a product of faulty intelligence, writing that "[t]he Iraq war error reminds us of the need for epistemological modesty."<ref name="LearningFromMistakes"/> | In 2015, Brooks wrote that "[f]rom the current vantage point, the decision to go to war was a clear misjudgment" made in 2003 by President [[George W. Bush]] and the majority of Americans who supported the war, including Brooks himself.<ref name="LearningFromMistakes">{{cite news|first=David|last=Brooks|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/19/opinion/david-brooks-learning-from-mistakes.html|title=Learning From Mistakes|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=May 19, 2015}}</ref> Brooks wrote "many of us thought that, by taking down [[Saddam Hussein]], we could end another evil empire, and gradually open up human development in Iraq and the Arab world. Has that happened? In 2004, I would have said yes. In 2006, I would have said no. In 2015, I say yes and no, but mostly no."<ref name="LearningFromMistakes"/> Citing the [[Iraq Intelligence Commission|Robb-Silberman report]], Brooks rejected as a "fable" the idea that "intelligence about Iraqi weapons of mass destruction was all cooked by political pressure, that there was a big political conspiracy to lie us into war."<ref name="LearningFromMistakes"/> Instead, Brooks viewed the war as a product of faulty intelligence, writing that "[t]he Iraq war error reminds us of the need for epistemological modesty."<ref name="LearningFromMistakes"/> | ||
=== Presidents elections and candidates === | === Presidents elections and candidates === | ||
Brooks was long a supporter of [[John McCain]]; however, he disliked McCain's [[John McCain 2008 presidential campaign|2008 running mate]], [[Sarah Palin]], calling her a "cancer" on the Republican Party, and citing her as the reason he voted for Obama in the [[2008 US presidential election|2008 presidential election]].<ref name="palin">{{cite news |last=Shea |first=Danny | Brooks was long a supporter of [[John McCain]]; however, he disliked McCain's [[John McCain 2008 presidential campaign|2008 running mate]], [[Sarah Palin]], calling her a "cancer" on the Republican Party, and citing her as the reason he voted for Obama in the [[2008 US presidential election|2008 presidential election]].<ref name="palin">{{cite news |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/david-brooks-sarah-palin_n_133001 |last=Shea |first=Danny |title=David Brooks: Sarah Palin "Represents A Fatal Cancer To The Republican Party" | work=[[HuffPost]] |location=New York City |date=October 8, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Stephens |first1=Bret |last2=Brooks |first2=David |date=2023-01-11 |title=Opinion {{!}} The Party's Over for Us. Where Do We Go Now? |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/11/opinion/republican-party-future.html |access-date=2023-02-17 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> He has referred to Palin as a "joke," unlikely ever to win the Republican nomination.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_62kczoj3f8 David Brooks: Sarah Palin Is A 'Joke'], ''[[TPMTv]]'' on [[YouTube]], November 15, 2009</ref> But he later admitted during a C-SPAN interview that he had gone too far in his previous "cancer" comments about Palin, which he regretted, and simply stated he was not a fan of her values.<ref>{{cite web |date=December 4, 2011 |title=''In Depth'' with David Brooks |url=http://www.c-span.org/video/?302718-1/depth-david-brooks |access-date=April 25, 2015 |website=[[C-SPAN]] |quote=Host: Does David regret his comment about Sarah Palin and her cancer on the Republican party? Brooks: Yeah, I do. I think it was some lunch affair for some magazine, and I was just mouthing off, and so I – I'm not a fan of hers, but that's a little strong.}}</ref> | ||
Brooks has frequently expressed admiration for President [[Barack Obama]]. In an August 2009 profile of Brooks, ''[[The New Republic]]'' describes his first encounter with Obama in the spring of 2005: "Usually when I talk to senators, while they may know a policy area better than me, they generally don't know political philosophy better than me. I got the sense he knew ''both'' better than me...I remember distinctly an image of – we were sitting on his couches, and I was looking at his pant leg and his perfectly creased pant, and I'm thinking, (a) he's going to be president and (b) he'll be a very good president."<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Sherman |first=Gabriel |title=The Courtship: The story behind the Obama-Brooks bromance |magazine=[[The New Republic]] |url=http://www.tnr.com/article/politics/the-courtship |date=August 31, 2009 |access-date=September 11, 2009}}</ref> Brooks appreciates that Obama thinks "like a writer," explaining, "He's a very writerly personality, a little aloof, exasperated. He's calm. He's not addicted to people."<ref name="chicago maroon" /> Two days after Obama's second autobiography, ''[[The Audacity of Hope]]'', hit bookstores, Brooks published a column in ''The New York Times'', titled "Run, Barack, Run," urging the Chicago politician to run for president.<ref>{{cite news |first=David |last=Brooks |title=Run, Barack, Run |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/19/opinion/19brooks.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |location=New York City|date=October 19, 2006 |access-date=September 11, 2009}}</ref> However, in December 2011, during a C-SPAN interview, Brooks expressed a more tempered opinion of Obama's presidency, giving Obama only a "B−" and saying that Obama's chances of re-election would be less than 50–50 if elections were held at that time.<ref>{{cite web|title=''In Depth'' with David Brooks|url=http://www.c-span.org/video/?302718-1/depth-david-brooks|website=[[C-SPAN]]|access-date=April 25, 2015|date=December 4, 2011|quote=Host: So how is the president doing? Brooks: You know, I think I'm a little disappointed that he didn't do [[National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform|Simpson-Bowles]]. I was a little disappointed in the way the [[National debt of the United States|debt]] has run up, and I don't blame him for running up the debt in the [[Great Recession]], but I think we needed an exit strategy to get out of it. I think he could have done a little more to promote [[Economic growth|growth]], though I think given all the bad things it was going to be tough no matter who was president, no matter who did anything, it was going to be tough to promote growth. So I don't particularly blame him for that. I think he's conducted himself in pretty much an honest way. He's had very little [[Corruption in the United States|corruption]]. I still have great personal admiration for him. I'm more to his [[Conservatism in the United States|right]], but I give him no worse than a B−. I think he's made some mistakes, but I wouldn't say he's been a bad president.}}</ref> He stated, "I don't think he's integrated himself with people in Washington as much as he should have."<ref name="chicago maroon" /> However, in a February 2016 ''New York Times'' op-ed, Brooks admitted that he missed Obama during the 2016 primary season, admiring the president's "integrity" and "humanity," among other characteristics.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/09/opinion/i-miss-barack-obama.html|first=David|last=Brooks|title=I Miss Barack Obama|date=February 9, 2016|work=[[The New York Times]]|location=New York City}}</ref> | Brooks has frequently expressed admiration for President [[Barack Obama]]. In an August 2009 profile of Brooks, ''[[The New Republic]]'' describes his first encounter with Obama in the spring of 2005: "Usually when I talk to senators, while they may know a policy area better than me, they generally don't know political philosophy better than me. I got the sense he knew ''both'' better than me...I remember distinctly an image of – we were sitting on his couches, and I was looking at his pant leg and his perfectly creased pant, and I'm thinking, (a) he's going to be president and (b) he'll be a very good president."<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Sherman |first=Gabriel |title=The Courtship: The story behind the Obama-Brooks bromance |magazine=[[The New Republic]] |url=http://www.tnr.com/article/politics/the-courtship |date=August 31, 2009 |access-date=September 11, 2009}}</ref> Brooks appreciates that Obama thinks "like a writer," explaining, "He's a very writerly personality, a little aloof, exasperated. He's calm. He's not addicted to people."<ref name="chicago maroon" /> Two days after Obama's second autobiography, ''[[The Audacity of Hope]]'', hit bookstores, Brooks published a column in ''The New York Times'', titled "Run, Barack, Run," urging the Chicago politician to run for president.<ref>{{cite news |first=David |last=Brooks |title=Run, Barack, Run |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/19/opinion/19brooks.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |location=New York City|date=October 19, 2006 |access-date=September 11, 2009}}</ref> However, in December 2011, during a C-SPAN interview, Brooks expressed a more tempered opinion of Obama's presidency, giving Obama only a "B−" and saying that Obama's chances of re-election would be less than 50–50 if elections were held at that time.<ref>{{cite web|title=''In Depth'' with David Brooks|url=http://www.c-span.org/video/?302718-1/depth-david-brooks|website=[[C-SPAN]]|access-date=April 25, 2015|date=December 4, 2011|quote=Host: So how is the president doing? Brooks: You know, I think I'm a little disappointed that he didn't do [[National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform|Simpson-Bowles]]. I was a little disappointed in the way the [[National debt of the United States|debt]] has run up, and I don't blame him for running up the debt in the [[Great Recession]], but I think we needed an exit strategy to get out of it. I think he could have done a little more to promote [[Economic growth|growth]], though I think given all the bad things it was going to be tough no matter who was president, no matter who did anything, it was going to be tough to promote growth. So I don't particularly blame him for that. I think he's conducted himself in pretty much an honest way. He's had very little [[Corruption in the United States|corruption]]. I still have great personal admiration for him. I'm more to his [[Conservatism in the United States|right]], but I give him no worse than a B−. I think he's made some mistakes, but I wouldn't say he's been a bad president.}}</ref> He stated, "I don't think he's integrated himself with people in Washington as much as he should have."<ref name="chicago maroon" /> However, in a February 2016 ''New York Times'' op-ed, Brooks admitted that he missed Obama during the 2016 primary season, admiring the president's "integrity" and "humanity," among other characteristics.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/09/opinion/i-miss-barack-obama.html|first=David|last=Brooks|title=I Miss Barack Obama|date=February 9, 2016|work=[[The New York Times]]|location=New York City}}</ref> | ||
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In writing for ''The New York Times'' in January 2010, Brooks described Israel as "an astonishing success story".<ref name="tel">{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/12/opinion/12brooks.html | work=[[The New York Times]] |location=New York City|title=The Tel Aviv Cluster | first=David | last=Brooks | date=January 12, 2010}}</ref> He wrote that "Jews are a famously accomplished group," who, because they were "forced to give up farming in the [[Middle Ages]] ... have been living off their wits ever since".<ref name="tel" /> In Brooks' view, "Israel's technological success is the fruition of the [[Zionist]] dream. The country was not founded so stray [[Israeli settlements|settlers]] could sit among thousands of angry Palestinians in [[Hebron]]. It was founded so Jews would have a safe place to come together and create things for the world."<ref name="tel" /><ref name="David Brooks Was Right: Anti-Semitism Is a Different Evil">{{cite magazine|last1=Maltz Bovy|first1=Phoebe|title=David Brooks Was Right: Anti-Semitism Is a Different Evil|url=https://newrepublic.com/article/121372/david-brooks-nyt-column-anti-semitism-wasnt-entirely-wrong|magazine=[[The New Republic]]|access-date=August 15, 2015}}</ref> | In writing for ''The New York Times'' in January 2010, Brooks described Israel as "an astonishing success story".<ref name="tel">{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/12/opinion/12brooks.html | work=[[The New York Times]] |location=New York City|title=The Tel Aviv Cluster | first=David | last=Brooks | date=January 12, 2010}}</ref> He wrote that "Jews are a famously accomplished group," who, because they were "forced to give up farming in the [[Middle Ages]] ... have been living off their wits ever since".<ref name="tel" /> In Brooks' view, "Israel's technological success is the fruition of the [[Zionist]] dream. The country was not founded so stray [[Israeli settlements|settlers]] could sit among thousands of angry Palestinians in [[Hebron]]. It was founded so Jews would have a safe place to come together and create things for the world."<ref name="tel" /><ref name="David Brooks Was Right: Anti-Semitism Is a Different Evil">{{cite magazine|last1=Maltz Bovy|first1=Phoebe|title=David Brooks Was Right: Anti-Semitism Is a Different Evil|url=https://newrepublic.com/article/121372/david-brooks-nyt-column-anti-semitism-wasnt-entirely-wrong|magazine=[[The New Republic]]|access-date=August 15, 2015}}</ref> | ||
Brooks has supported Israel during the [[Gaza war]] and has emphasized that [[Hamas]] and [[Hezbollah]] must be "degraded".<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-03-24 |title=Opinion {{!}} What Would You Have Israel Do to Defend Itself? (Published 2024) |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/24/opinion/gaza-israel-war.html |access-date=2025-09-20 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-10-26 |title=Opinion {{!}} Searching for Humanity in the Middle East (Published 2023) |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/26/opinion/israel-gaza-colonizers.html |access-date=2025-09-20 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="nytimes.com">{{Cite news |date=2025-06-26 |title=Opinion {{!}} I Detest Netanyahu, but on Some Things He's Actually Right |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/26/opinion/netanyahu-trump-iran.html |access-date=2025-09-20 |language=en}}</ref> Despite his support for Israel he has also been critical of [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] and described the [[Israel Defense Forces]] actions in Gaza as "uncivilized" and "barbaric".<ref name="nytimes.com"/> | |||
==Social views== | ==Social views== | ||
[[File:David Brooks (54350970879).jpg|thumb|Brooks speaking with fans at the [[Alliance for Responsible Citizenship]], London, 2025]] | |||
Brooks opposes what he sees as self-destructive behavior, such as the prevalence of [[teenage sex]] and [[divorce]]. His view is that "sex is more explicit everywhere barring real life. As the entertainment media have become more sex-saturated, American teenagers have become more sexually [[sexual abstinence|abstemious]]" by "waiting longer to have sex ... [and] having fewer partners". In 2007, Brooks stated that he sees the [[culture war]] as nearly over, because "today's young people ... seem happy with the frankness of the left and the wholesomeness of the right." As a result, he was optimistic about the United States' social stability, which he considered to be "in the middle of an amazing moment of improvement and repair".<ref>''The New York Times'', April 17, 2005, 4–14</ref> | Brooks opposes what he sees as self-destructive behavior, such as the prevalence of [[teenage sex]] and [[divorce]]. His view is that "sex is more explicit everywhere barring real life. As the entertainment media have become more sex-saturated, American teenagers have become more sexually [[sexual abstinence|abstemious]]" by "waiting longer to have sex ... [and] having fewer partners". In 2007, Brooks stated that he sees the [[culture war]] as nearly over, because "today's young people ... seem happy with the frankness of the left and the wholesomeness of the right." As a result, he was optimistic about the United States' social stability, which he considered to be "in the middle of an amazing moment of improvement and repair".<ref>''The New York Times'', April 17, 2005, 4–14</ref> | ||
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==Critical reviews== | ==Critical reviews== | ||
{{Unbalanced section|date=August 2020}} | {{Unbalanced section|date=August 2020}} | ||
===Books=== | ===Books=== | ||
In reviewing ''On Paradise Drive'' (2004), [[Michael Kinsley]] described Brooks' "sociological method" as having "four components: fearless generalizing, clever coinage, jokes and shopping lists." Taking umbrage with the first of these, Kinsley states, "Brooks does not let the sociology get in the way of the shtick, and he wields a mean shoehorn when he needs the theory to fit the joke".<ref name = Kinsley>{{cite news|last1=Kinsley|first1=Michael|title=Suburban Thrall|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/23/books/suburban-thrall.html|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|location=New York City|date=May 23, 2004|access-date=November 14, 2014}}</ref> This followed the 2004 ''[[Philadelphia magazine|Philadelphia]]'' magazine fact-checking of ''Bobos in Paradise'' by [[Sasha Issenberg]] that concluded many of its comments about [[Middle America (United States)|middle America]] were misleading or untrue.<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Issenberg|first1=Sasha|authorlink=Sasha Issenberg |title=Boo-Boos in Paradise|url=https://www.phillymag.com/news/2004/04/01/david-brooks-booboos-in-paradise/|magazine=[[Philadelphia (magazine)|Philadelphia]]|date=April 1, 2004|access-date=November 14, 2014}}</ref> Kinsley reported that "Brooks defend[ed] his generalizations as poetic hyperbole".<ref name = Kinsley/> Issenberg likewise noted that Brooks insisted that the book was not intended to be factual but rather to report impressions of what he believed an area to be like: "He laughed" that the book was "'partially tongue-in-cheek'". Issenberg continues, "I went through some of the other instances where he made declarations that appeared insupportable. He accused me of being 'too pedantic,' of 'taking all of this too literally,' of 'taking a joke and distorting it.' 'That's totally unethical', he said." <!--UNCLEAR AS TO WHICH ARTICLE, BROOKS ORIGINAL OR ISSENBERG, THAT THIS STATEMENT ADDRESSES: Brooks later said of the Issenberg the article made him feel that "I ''suck''...I can't remember what I said but my mother told me I was extremely stupid."--><ref name="Beam 2010" /> | In reviewing ''On Paradise Drive'' (2004), [[Michael Kinsley]] described Brooks' "sociological method" as having "four components: fearless generalizing, clever coinage, jokes and shopping lists." Taking umbrage with the first of these, Kinsley states, "Brooks does not let the sociology get in the way of the shtick, and he wields a mean shoehorn when he needs the theory to fit the joke".<ref name = Kinsley>{{cite news|last1=Kinsley|first1=Michael|title=Suburban Thrall|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/23/books/suburban-thrall.html|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|location=New York City|date=May 23, 2004|access-date=November 14, 2014}}</ref> This followed the 2004 ''[[Philadelphia magazine|Philadelphia]]'' magazine fact-checking of ''Bobos in Paradise'' by [[Sasha Issenberg]] that concluded many of its comments about [[Middle America (United States)|middle America]] were misleading or untrue.<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Issenberg|first1=Sasha|authorlink=Sasha Issenberg |title=Boo-Boos in Paradise|url=https://www.phillymag.com/news/2004/04/01/david-brooks-booboos-in-paradise/|magazine=[[Philadelphia (magazine)|Philadelphia]]|date=April 1, 2004|access-date=November 14, 2014}}</ref> Kinsley reported that "Brooks defend[ed] his generalizations as poetic hyperbole".<ref name = Kinsley/> Issenberg likewise noted that Brooks insisted that the book was not intended to be factual but rather to report impressions of what he believed an area to be like: "He laughed" that the book was "'partially tongue-in-cheek'". Issenberg continues, "I went through some of the other instances where he made declarations that appeared insupportable. He accused me of being 'too pedantic,' of 'taking all of this too literally,' of 'taking a joke and distorting it.' 'That's totally unethical', he said." <!--UNCLEAR AS TO WHICH ARTICLE, BROOKS ORIGINAL OR ISSENBERG, THAT THIS STATEMENT ADDRESSES: Brooks later said of the Issenberg the article made him feel that "I ''suck''...I can't remember what I said but my mother told me I was extremely stupid."--><ref name="Beam 2010" /> | ||
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===Articles=== | ===Articles=== | ||
In March | In March 2012, [[Dan Abrams]] of [[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]], and then Brooks, were criticized by [[Lyle Denniston]] with regard to the [[U.S. Supreme Court]]'s 2010 decision in ''[[Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission]]'', where alongside the claim that Brooks had "scrambled the actual significance of what the Supreme Court has done", he goes on to state that "[t]here ''is'' a link, but it is only indirect, between the Court’s 2010 decision... and the rise of [[Super PAC]]s" [emphasis added].<ref>{{cite web | first=Lyle|last=Denniston|author-link=Lyle Denniston| date=May 7, 2012| title=Constitution Check: Did the Supreme Court give us Super PACs?| work = [[Constitution Daily]] (Blog.ConstitutionCenter.org) | url=http://blog.constitutioncenter.org/2012/03/constitution-check-did-the-supreme-court-give-us-super-pacs/| access-date=January 14, 2016| archive-date=February 21, 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160221005745/http://blog.constitutioncenter.org/2012/03/constitution-check-did-the-supreme-court-give-us-super-pacs/| url-status=dead | location = Philadelphia, PA | publisher = National Constitution Center }}</ref> | ||
Writing in response to Brooks 2015 opinion in ''[[The New York Times]],'' "The New Old Liberalism", Tom | Writing in response to Brooks 2015 opinion in ''[[The New York Times]],'' "The New Old Liberalism", Tom Scocca of ''[[Gawker Media|Gawker]]'', after stating that Brooks was "a dumb partisan hack", went on to state that Brooks "perceived facts and statistics as an opportunity for dishonest people to work mischief", and so did not use them to support his policy positions.<ref name=ScocaGawker>{{cite web|last1=Scocca |first1=Tom | date = 2015-07-14 | title=David Brooks Has Noticed Hillary Is a Soviet Dictator | work=[[Gawker.com]] | url=http://gawker.com/neutral-observer-david-brooks-has-noticed-hillary-is-a-1717779151 | access-date=August 15, 2015 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150815094043/http://gawker.com/neutral-observer-david-brooks-has-noticed-hillary-is-a-1717779151 | archive-date=August 15, 2015 | location=New York, NY | publisher=Bustle Digital Group }}</ref> [[Annie Lowrey]], responding to Brooks' opinion, "The Nature of Poverty", on May 1, 2015, in ''[[New York (magazine)|New York]]'' magazine, criticized Brooks' basis for his argument for political reform, claiming he used "some very tricksy, misleading math".<ref>{{Cite web | last=Lowrey|first=Annie| authorlink=Annie Lowrey|date=May 1, 2015| title=David Brooks Is Not Buying Your Excuses, Poor People| work = [[New York (magazine)|New York]] | url=http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2015/05/david-brooks-is-not-buying-it-poor-people.html | access-date=September 20, 2016 }}</ref> [[Sean Illing]] of ''[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]'' criticized the same article, claiming Brooks took arguments out of context and routinely made bold "half-right" assumptions regarding the controversial issue of poverty reform.<ref>{{Cite web | first=Sean |last = Illing | author-link = Sean Illing | date = May 1, 2015| title=Why David Brooks Shouldn't Talk About Poor People| work = [[Slate (magazine)|Slate]] | url = http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2015/05/david_brooks_shouldn_t_talk_about_the_poor_the_new_york_times_columnist.html | access-date=September 20, 2016}}</ref> | ||
In 2016, Brooks' analyzed the [[U.S. Supreme Court]]'s decision in ''[[Dretke v. Haley]]'',<ref>{{cite news|first=David|last=Brooks|url=http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/01/12/opinion/the-brutalism-of-ted-cruz.html?referer=https://www.google.com/|title=The Brutalism of Ted Cruz|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=January 12, 2016}}</ref><ref>''[https://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/02-1824.ZS.html Dretke v. Haley]'', 541 U.S. 386 (2004).</ref> leading [[James Taranto]] to the critique that "Brooks's treatment of this case is either deliberately deceptive or recklessly ignorant".<ref name="borking">{{cite news|first=James|last=Taranto|author-link=James Taranto|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/brooks-borks-cruz-1452628864|title=Brooks Borks Cruz|newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|date=January 12, 2016}}</ref> In a self-published blog, law professor [[Ann Althouse]] argued that in the piece, Brooks "distorts rather grotesquely" by exaggerating the character of then-Texas solicitor general [[Ted Cruz]] (who brought the case to the high court).<ref>{{cite web | first=Ann |last = Althouse | date = January 13, 2016 | title = THe best conservtive balances... | work = Althouse.Blogspot.com | url = http://althouse.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-best-conservatism-balances-support.html | access-date = January 13, 2016 }}</ref> | In 2016, Brooks' analyzed the [[U.S. Supreme Court]]'s decision in ''[[Dretke v. Haley]]'',<ref>{{cite news|first=David|last=Brooks|url=http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/01/12/opinion/the-brutalism-of-ted-cruz.html?referer=https://www.google.com/|title=The Brutalism of Ted Cruz|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=January 12, 2016}}</ref><ref>''[https://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/02-1824.ZS.html Dretke v. Haley]'', 541 U.S. 386 (2004).</ref> leading [[James Taranto]] to the critique that "Brooks's treatment of this case is either deliberately deceptive or recklessly ignorant".<ref name="borking">{{cite news|first=James|last=Taranto|author-link=James Taranto|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/brooks-borks-cruz-1452628864|title=Brooks Borks Cruz|newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|date=January 12, 2016}}</ref> In a self-published blog, law professor [[Ann Althouse]] argued that in the piece, Brooks "distorts rather grotesquely" by exaggerating the character of then-Texas solicitor general [[Ted Cruz]] (who brought the case to the high court).<ref>{{cite web | first=Ann |last = Althouse | date = January 13, 2016 | title = THe best conservtive balances... | work = Althouse.Blogspot.com | url = http://althouse.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-best-conservatism-balances-support.html | access-date = January 13, 2016 }}</ref> | ||
===Other media=== | ===Other media=== | ||
In 2023, Brooks was criticised online following a tweet presented as misleading that claimed an airport hamburger meal had cost $78, and that the exorbitant cost of hamburgers was the reason Americans were dissatisfied with the economy;{{ | In 2023, Brooks was criticised online following a tweet presented as misleading that claimed an airport hamburger meal had cost $78, and that the exorbitant cost of hamburgers was the reason Americans were dissatisfied with the economy;{{citation needed|date = November 2024}}<!--Along with the secondary source, the tweet in question should probably be cited.--> his critics pointed out that Brooks' high restaurant bill was the result of his ordering multiple scotches along with his meal.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Olmsted |first=Edith |title=David Brooks Is Getting Absolutely Roasted Over His $78 Airport Meal |magazine=[[The New Republic]] |date=September 21, 2023 |url=https://newrepublic.com/post/175705/david-brooks-78-airport-meal-fact-check |access-date=September 5, 2024}}</ref> | ||
==Legacy== | ==Legacy== | ||
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| date=February 8, 2015 | | date=February 8, 2015 | ||
| quote = (40:42) Lamb: Are you divorced or not? Brooks: I am divorced, yes. And I don't want to personally, I don't want to legally, talk about it, but yes, I am divorced. ... I do believe in marriage, mine didn't work out, I desperately want to get married to somebody. | | quote = (40:42) Lamb: Are you divorced or not? Brooks: I am divorced, yes. And I don't want to personally, I don't want to legally, talk about it, but yes, I am divorced. ... I do believe in marriage, mine didn't work out, I desperately want to get married to somebody. | ||
| url = http://www.c-span.org/video/?324043-1/qa-david-brooks |access-date=May 3, 2017}}</ref> Their eldest son | | url = http://www.c-span.org/video/?324043-1/qa-david-brooks |access-date=May 3, 2017}}</ref> Their eldest son volunteered at age 23 to serve in the [[Israel Defence Force|Israeli army]] in 2014, as Brooks shared in a September 2014 interview for Israeli newspaper ''[[Haaretz]]''.<ref name="Haaretz interview"/> | ||
Brooks [[Conversion to Christianity|converted to Christianity]] over a period between 2013 and 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |title=David Brooks on Faith in Polarized Times |author=Interview with Francis Collins |authorlink=Francis Collins |url=https://biologos.org/resources/david-brooks-on-faith-in-polarized-times |date=2022-05-23 |website=Biologos}}</ref> He describes what he calls "numinous experiences", including one in a crowded subway car: <blockquote>I looked around the car, and I had this shimmering awareness that all the people in it had souls. Each of them had some piece of themselves that had no size, color, weight or shape but that gave them infinite value. The souls around me that day seemed not inert but yearning — some soaring, some suffering or sleeping; some were downtrodden and crying out. | Brooks [[Conversion to Christianity|converted to Christianity]] over a period between 2013 and 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |title=David Brooks on Faith in Polarized Times |author=Interview with Francis Collins |authorlink=Francis Collins |url=https://biologos.org/resources/david-brooks-on-faith-in-polarized-times |date=2022-05-23 |website=Biologos}}</ref> He describes what he calls "numinous experiences", including one in a crowded subway car: <blockquote>I looked around the car, and I had this shimmering awareness that all the people in it had souls. Each of them had some piece of themselves that had no size, color, weight or shape but that gave them infinite value. The souls around me that day seemed not inert but yearning — some soaring, some suffering or sleeping; some were downtrodden and crying out. | ||
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[[Category:American Christian Zionists]] | [[Category:American Christian Zionists]] | ||
[[Category:American columnists]] | [[Category:American columnists]] | ||
[[Category:American male journalists]] | [[Category:20th-century American male journalists]] | ||
[[Category:American male non-fiction writers]] | [[Category:American male non-fiction writers]] | ||
[[Category:American political commentators]] | [[Category:American political commentators]] | ||
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[[Category:Writers from Maryland]] | [[Category:Writers from Maryland]] | ||
[[Category:Writers from Toronto]] | [[Category:Writers from Toronto]] | ||
[[Category:21st-century American male journalists]] | |||
Latest revision as of 06:32, 24 October 2025
Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Script error: No such module "infobox".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:Main otherScript error: No such module "Check for clobbered parameters".Template:Wikidata image David Brooks (born August 11, 1961) is a Canadian-born American book author and political and cultural commentator. Though he describes himself as a "moderate Republican", others have characterised him as centrist, moderate conservative, or conservative, based on his record as contributor to the PBS NewsHour, and as opinion columnist for The New York Times. In addition to his shorter form writing, Brooks has authored seven non-fiction books since 2000, two appearing from Simon and Schuster, and five from Random House, the latter includingThe Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement (2011), and The Road to Character (2015).
Beginning as a police reporter in Chicago and as an intern at William F. Buckley's National Review, Brooks rose to his positions at The New York Times, NPR, and PBS after a long series of other journalistic positions (film critic for The Washington Times, reporter and op-ed editor at The Wall Street Journal, senior editor at The Weekly Standard, and contributing editor at Newsweek and The Atlantic Monthly.
Early life and education
Brooks was born in Toronto, Ontario, where his father was working on a PhD at the University of Toronto. Along with his brother, Daniel, David spent his early years living in Stuyvesant Town housing, in New York City. Their father taught English literature at New York University, while their mother studied 19th-century British history at Columbia University. Brooks was raised Jewish, but rarely attended synagogue in adulthood.[1][2][3] As a young child, he was enrolled in the Grace Church School, an independent Episcopal primary school in the East Village. When he was 12, his family moved to the well-to-do suburbs of Philadelphia's Main Line area, where he graduated from Radnor High School in 1979. In 1983, Brooks earned his Bachelor's Degree, with a history major, from the University of Chicago.[4] His senior thesis was on popular science writer Robert Ardrey.[3]
As an undergraduate, Brooks frequently contributed reviews and satirical pieces to campus publications. His senior year, he wrote a spoof of the lifestyle of wealthy conservative William F. Buckley Jr., who was scheduled to speak at the university: "In the afternoons he is in the habit of going into crowded rooms and making everybody else feel inferior. The evenings are reserved for extended bouts of name-dropping."[5] To his piece, Brooks appended the note: "Some would say I'm envious of Mr. Buckley. But if truth be known, I just want a job and have a peculiar way of asking. So how about it, Billy? Can you spare a dime?" When Buckley arrived to give his talk, he asked whether Brooks was in the lecture audience and offered him a job.[6]
Early career
Upon graduation, Brooks became a police reporter for the City News Bureau of Chicago, a wire service owned jointly by the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun Times.[4] He says that his experience on Chicago's crime beat had a conservatizing influence on him.[3] In 1984, mindful of the offer he had received from Buckley, Brooks applied and was accepted as an intern at Buckley's National Review. According to Christopher Beam, the internship included an all-access pass to the affluent lifestyle that Brooks had previously mocked, including yachting expeditions, Bach concerts, dinners at Buckley's Park Avenue apartment and villa in Stamford, Connecticut, and a constant stream of writers, politicians, and celebrities.
Brooks was an outsider in more ways than his relative inexperience. National Review was a Catholic magazine, and Brooks is not Catholic. Sam Tanenhaus later reported in The New Republic that Buckley might have eventually named Brooks his successor if it hadn't been for his being Jewish. "If true, it would be upsetting," Brooks says.[3]
After his internship with Buckley ended, Brooks spent some time at the conservative Hoover Institution at Stanford University and wrote movie reviews for The Washington Times.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
Career
In 1986, Brooks was hired by The Wall Street Journal, where he worked first as an editor of the book review section. He also filled in for five months as a movie critic. From 1990 to 1994, the newspaper posted Brooks as an op-ed columnist to Brussels, where he covered Russia (making numerous trips to Moscow); the Middle East; South Africa; and European affairs. On his return, Brooks joined the neo-conservative Weekly Standard when it was launched in 1994. Two years later, he edited an anthology, Backward and Upward: The New Conservative Writing.[4][7] Template:External media In 2000, Brooks published a book of cultural commentary titled Bobos in Paradise: The New Upper Class and How They Got There where he argued that the new managerial or "new upper class" represents a marriage between the liberal idealism of the 1960s and the self-interest of the 1980s.
According to a 2010 article in New York Magazine written by Christopher Beam, New York Times editorial-page editor Gail Collins called Brooks in 2003 and invited him to lunch.
Collins was looking for a conservative to replace outgoing columnist William Safire, but one who understood how liberals think. "I was looking for the kind of conservative writer that wouldn't make our readers shriek and throw the paper out the window," says Collins. "He was perfect." Brooks started writing in September 2003. "The first six months were miserable," Brooks says. "I'd never been hated on a mass scale before."[3]
One column written by Brooks in The New York Times, which dismissed the conviction of Scooter Libby as being "a farce" and having "no significance",[8] was derided by political blogger Andrew Sullivan.[9]
In 2004, Brooks' book On Paradise Drive: How We Live Now (And Always Have) in the Future Tense was published as a sequel to his 2000 best seller, Bobos in Paradise, but it was not as well received as its predecessor. Brooks is also the volume editor of The Best American Essays (publication date October 2, 2012), and authored The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character and Achievement.[10] The book was excerpted in The New Yorker in January 2011[11] and received mixed reviews upon its full publication in March of that year.[12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25] It sold well and reached #3 on the Publishers Weekly best-sellers list for non-fiction in April 2011.[26]
Brooks was a visiting professor of public policy at Duke University's Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy, and taught an undergraduate seminar there in the fall of 2006.[27] In 2013, he taught a course at Yale University on philosophical humility.[28]
In 2012, Brooks was elected to the University of Chicago Board of Trustees.[29] He also serves on the board of advisors for the University of Chicago Institute of Politics.[30]
In 2019, Brooks gave a TED talk in Vancouver entitled "The Lies Our Culture Tells Us About What Matters – And a Better Way to Live".[31] TED curator Chris Anderson selected it as one of his favourite talks of 2019.[32]
Political ideology
Ideologically, Brooks has been described as a centrist,[33] a conservative,[34][35][36][37][38] and a moderate conservative.[39][40] Brooks has described himself as a former democratic socialist[41] and "a Burkean... [which] is to be a moderate", saying that such was "what I think I’ve become."[42] He said in a 2017 interview that "[one] of [his] callings is to represent a certain moderate Republican Whig political philosophy."[43] In December 2021, he wrote that he placed himself "on the rightward edge of the leftward tendency—in the more promising soil of the moderate wing of the Democratic Party".[44] In 2024, he said he finds himself "rooting for the Democrats about 70 percent of the time" and that he was "almost all the way to joining" the Democratic Party.[41] Ottawa Citizen conservative commentator David Warren has identified Brooks as a "sophisticated pundit"; one of "those Republicans who want to 'engage with' the liberal agenda".[45] When asked what he thinks of charges that he's "not a real conservative" or "squishy", Brooks has said that "if you define conservative by support for the Republican candidate or the belief that tax cuts are the correct answer to all problems, I guess I don't fit that agenda. But I do think that I'm part of a long-standing conservative tradition that has to do with Edmund Burke ... and Alexander Hamilton."[46] In fact, Brooks read Burke's work while he was an undergraduate at the University of Chicago and "completely despised it", but "gradually over the next five to seven years ... came to agree with him". Brooks writes that "my visceral hatred was because he touched something I didn't like or know about myself."[47] In September 2012, Brooks talked about being criticized from the conservative side, saying, "If it's from a loon, I don't mind it. I get a kick out of it. If it's Michelle Malkin attacking, I don't mind it." With respect to whether he was "the liberals' favorite conservative" Brooks said he "didn't care", stating: "I don't mind liberals praising me, but when it's the really partisan liberals, you get an avalanche of love, it's like uhhh, I gotta rethink this."[46]
Brooks describes himself as beginning as a liberal before, as he put it, "coming to my senses." He recounts that a turning point in his thinking came while he was still an undergraduate when he was selected to present the socialist point of view during a televised debate with Nobel laureate free-market economist Milton Friedman.[1] As Brooks describes it, "[It] was essentially me making a point, and he making a two-sentence rebuttal which totally devastated my point. ... That didn't immediately turn me into a conservative, butTemplate:Nbsp..."[48] On August 10, 2006, Brooks wrote a column for The New York Times titled "Party No. 3". The column imagined a moderate McCain-Lieberman Party in opposition to both major parties, which he perceived as both polarized and beholden to special interests.[49]
In a March 2007 article published in The New York Times titled "No U-Turns",[50] Brooks explained that the Republican Party must distance itself from the minimal-government conservative principles that had arisen during the Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan eras. He wrote that these core concepts had served their purposes and should no longer be embraced by Republicans in order to win elections. Alex Pareene commented that Brooks "has been trying for so long to imagine a sensible Republican Party into existence that he can't still think it's going to happen soon."[51]
Iraq war
Before the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Brooks argued for American military intervention, echoing the belief of commentators and political figures that American and British forces would be welcomed as liberators.[52][53] In 2005, Brooks wrote what columnist Jonathan Chait described as "a witheringly condescending" column portraying Senator Harry Reid as an "unhinged conspiracy theorist because he accused the [George W. Bush] administration of falsifying its Iraq intelligence."[54][55] By 2008, five years into the war, Brooks maintained that the decision to go to war was correct, but that Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld had botched U.S. war efforts.[56]
In 2015, Brooks wrote that "[f]rom the current vantage point, the decision to go to war was a clear misjudgment" made in 2003 by President George W. Bush and the majority of Americans who supported the war, including Brooks himself.[57] Brooks wrote "many of us thought that, by taking down Saddam Hussein, we could end another evil empire, and gradually open up human development in Iraq and the Arab world. Has that happened? In 2004, I would have said yes. In 2006, I would have said no. In 2015, I say yes and no, but mostly no."[57] Citing the Robb-Silberman report, Brooks rejected as a "fable" the idea that "intelligence about Iraqi weapons of mass destruction was all cooked by political pressure, that there was a big political conspiracy to lie us into war."[57] Instead, Brooks viewed the war as a product of faulty intelligence, writing that "[t]he Iraq war error reminds us of the need for epistemological modesty."[57]
Presidents elections and candidates
Brooks was long a supporter of John McCain; however, he disliked McCain's 2008 running mate, Sarah Palin, calling her a "cancer" on the Republican Party, and citing her as the reason he voted for Obama in the 2008 presidential election.[58][59] He has referred to Palin as a "joke," unlikely ever to win the Republican nomination.[60] But he later admitted during a C-SPAN interview that he had gone too far in his previous "cancer" comments about Palin, which he regretted, and simply stated he was not a fan of her values.[61]
Brooks has frequently expressed admiration for President Barack Obama. In an August 2009 profile of Brooks, The New Republic describes his first encounter with Obama in the spring of 2005: "Usually when I talk to senators, while they may know a policy area better than me, they generally don't know political philosophy better than me. I got the sense he knew both better than me...I remember distinctly an image of – we were sitting on his couches, and I was looking at his pant leg and his perfectly creased pant, and I'm thinking, (a) he's going to be president and (b) he'll be a very good president."[62] Brooks appreciates that Obama thinks "like a writer," explaining, "He's a very writerly personality, a little aloof, exasperated. He's calm. He's not addicted to people."[47] Two days after Obama's second autobiography, The Audacity of Hope, hit bookstores, Brooks published a column in The New York Times, titled "Run, Barack, Run," urging the Chicago politician to run for president.[63] However, in December 2011, during a C-SPAN interview, Brooks expressed a more tempered opinion of Obama's presidency, giving Obama only a "B−" and saying that Obama's chances of re-election would be less than 50–50 if elections were held at that time.[64] He stated, "I don't think he's integrated himself with people in Washington as much as he should have."[47] However, in a February 2016 New York Times op-ed, Brooks admitted that he missed Obama during the 2016 primary season, admiring the president's "integrity" and "humanity," among other characteristics.[65]
Regarding the 2016 election, Brooks spoke in support of Hillary Clinton, applauding her ability to be "competent" and "normal" in comparison to her Republican counterpart, Donald Trump.[66][67] In addition, Brooks noted that he believed Clinton would eventually be victorious in the election, as he foresaw that the general American public would become "sick of" Trump.[66][67]
When discussing the political emergence of Trump, Brooks strongly critiqued the candidate, most notably by authoring a New York Times op-ed he titled "No, Not Trump, Not Ever." In this piece, Brooks attacked Trump by arguing he is "epically unprepared to be president" and pointing out Trump's "steady obliviousness to accuracy."[68]
On the August 9, 2019, episode of the PBS NewsHour, Brooks suggested Trump may be a sociopath.[69]
Israel
Brooks has expressed admiration for Israel and has visited almost every year since 1991. He supported Israel during the 2014 Gaza War.[70]
In writing for The New York Times in January 2010, Brooks described Israel as "an astonishing success story".[71] He wrote that "Jews are a famously accomplished group," who, because they were "forced to give up farming in the Middle Ages ... have been living off their wits ever since".[71] In Brooks' view, "Israel's technological success is the fruition of the Zionist dream. The country was not founded so stray settlers could sit among thousands of angry Palestinians in Hebron. It was founded so Jews would have a safe place to come together and create things for the world."[71][72]
Brooks has supported Israel during the Gaza war and has emphasized that Hamas and Hezbollah must be "degraded".[73][74][75] Despite his support for Israel he has also been critical of Benjamin Netanyahu and described the Israel Defense Forces actions in Gaza as "uncivilized" and "barbaric".[75]
Social views
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Brooks opposes what he sees as self-destructive behavior, such as the prevalence of teenage sex and divorce. His view is that "sex is more explicit everywhere barring real life. As the entertainment media have become more sex-saturated, American teenagers have become more sexually abstemious" by "waiting longer to have sex ... [and] having fewer partners". In 2007, Brooks stated that he sees the culture war as nearly over, because "today's young people ... seem happy with the frankness of the left and the wholesomeness of the right." As a result, he was optimistic about the United States' social stability, which he considered to be "in the middle of an amazing moment of improvement and repair".[76]
As early as 2003, Brooks wrote favorably of same-sex marriage, pointing out that marriage is a traditional conservative value. Rather than opposing it, he wrote: "We should insist on gay marriage. We should regard it as scandalous that two people could claim to love each other and not want to sanctify their love with marriage and fidelity ... It's going to be up to conservatives to make the important, moral case for marriage, including gay marriage."[77]
In 2015, Brooks issued his commentary on poverty reform in the United States. His op-ed in The New York Times titled "The Nature of Poverty" specifically followed the social uproar caused by the death of Freddie Gray, and concluded that federal spending is not the issue impeding the progress of poverty reforms, but rather that the impediments to upward mobility are "matters of social psychology".[78] When discussing Gray in particular, Brooks claimed that Gray as a young man was "not on the path to upward mobility".[78]
In 2020, Brooks wrote in The Atlantic, under the headline "The Nuclear Family Was a Mistake", that "recent signs suggest at least the possibility that a new family paradigm is emerging," suggesting that in the place of the "collapsed" nuclear one the "extended" family emerges, with "multigenerational living arrangements" that stretch even "across kinship lines."[79] Brooks had already started in 2017 a project called "Weave", in order, as he described it,[79] to "support and draw attention to people and organizations around the country who are building community" and to "repair [America]'s social fabric, which is badly frayed by distrust, division and exclusion."[80]
Brooks also takes a moderate position on abortion, which he thinks should be legal, but with parental consent for minors, during the first four or five months, and illegal afterward, except in extremely rare circumstances.[81]
He has expressed opposition to the legalization of marijuana, stating that use of the drug causes immoral behavior. Brooks relates that he smoked it in his youth but quit after a humiliating incident: Brooks smoked marijuana during lunch hour at school and felt embarrassed during a class presentation that afternoon in which he says he was incapable of intelligible speech.[82]
Critical reviews
Books
In reviewing On Paradise Drive (2004), Michael Kinsley described Brooks' "sociological method" as having "four components: fearless generalizing, clever coinage, jokes and shopping lists." Taking umbrage with the first of these, Kinsley states, "Brooks does not let the sociology get in the way of the shtick, and he wields a mean shoehorn when he needs the theory to fit the joke".[83] This followed the 2004 Philadelphia magazine fact-checking of Bobos in Paradise by Sasha Issenberg that concluded many of its comments about middle America were misleading or untrue.[84] Kinsley reported that "Brooks defend[ed] his generalizations as poetic hyperbole".[83] Issenberg likewise noted that Brooks insisted that the book was not intended to be factual but rather to report impressions of what he believed an area to be like: "He laughed" that the book was "'partially tongue-in-cheek'". Issenberg continues, "I went through some of the other instances where he made declarations that appeared insupportable. He accused me of being 'too pedantic,' of 'taking all of this too literally,' of 'taking a joke and distorting it.' 'That's totally unethical', he said." [3]
In 2015, David Zweig expressed the opinion in a Salon piece that Brooks had gotten "nearly every detail" wrong about a poll of high school students in his recent, The Road to Character.[85]
Articles
In March 2012, Dan Abrams of ABC News, and then Brooks, were criticized by Lyle Denniston with regard to the U.S. Supreme Court's 2010 decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, where alongside the claim that Brooks had "scrambled the actual significance of what the Supreme Court has done", he goes on to state that "[t]here is a link, but it is only indirect, between the Court’s 2010 decision... and the rise of Super PACs" [emphasis added].[86]
Writing in response to Brooks 2015 opinion in The New York Times, "The New Old Liberalism", Tom Scocca of Gawker, after stating that Brooks was "a dumb partisan hack", went on to state that Brooks "perceived facts and statistics as an opportunity for dishonest people to work mischief", and so did not use them to support his policy positions.[87] Annie Lowrey, responding to Brooks' opinion, "The Nature of Poverty", on May 1, 2015, in New York magazine, criticized Brooks' basis for his argument for political reform, claiming he used "some very tricksy, misleading math".[88] Sean Illing of Slate criticized the same article, claiming Brooks took arguments out of context and routinely made bold "half-right" assumptions regarding the controversial issue of poverty reform.[89]
In 2016, Brooks' analyzed the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Dretke v. Haley,[90][91] leading James Taranto to the critique that "Brooks's treatment of this case is either deliberately deceptive or recklessly ignorant".[92] In a self-published blog, law professor Ann Althouse argued that in the piece, Brooks "distorts rather grotesquely" by exaggerating the character of then-Texas solicitor general Ted Cruz (who brought the case to the high court).[93]
Other media
In 2023, Brooks was criticised online following a tweet presented as misleading that claimed an airport hamburger meal had cost $78, and that the exorbitant cost of hamburgers was the reason Americans were dissatisfied with the economy;Script error: No such module "Unsubst". his critics pointed out that Brooks' high restaurant bill was the result of his ordering multiple scotches along with his meal.[94]
Legacy
Sidney Awards
In 2004, Brooks created an award to honor the year's best political and cultural journalism. Named for philosopher Sidney Hook and originally called "The Hookies", the honor was renamed "The Sidney Awards" in 2005. The awards are presented each December.[95]Template:Primary source inline
Personal life
Brooks met Jane Hughes, his first wife, while both attended the University of Chicago. She converted to Judaism[96] and changed her given name to Sarah;[97] they divorced in November 2013.[98][99] Their eldest son volunteered at age 23 to serve in the Israeli army in 2014, as Brooks shared in a September 2014 interview for Israeli newspaper Haaretz.[70]
Brooks converted to Christianity over a period between 2013 and 2014.[100] He describes what he calls "numinous experiences", including one in a crowded subway car:
I looked around the car, and I had this shimmering awareness that all the people in it had souls. Each of them had some piece of themselves that had no size, color, weight or shape but that gave them infinite value. The souls around me that day seemed not inert but yearning — some soaring, some suffering or sleeping; some were downtrodden and crying out. These thoughts helped me think more deeply about my job. I had approached journalism with the vague sense that the people we cover have a basic dignity by virtue of being human. But seeing them as creatures with souls, as animals with a spark of the divine, helps me see people in all their majesty. Seeing them simultaneously as fallen and broken creatures both prepared me for their depravities and made me feel more tender toward our eternal human tendency to screw things up. I hope I see each person at greater height and depth.[101]
He writes that "Today, I feel more Jewish than ever, but as I once told some friends, I can’t unread Matthew. For me, the Beatitudes are the part of the Bible where the celestial grandeur most dazzlingly shines through. So these days I’m enchanted by both Judaism and Christianity. I assent to the whole shebang. My Jewish friends, who have been universally generous and forbearing, point out that when you believe in both the Old and New Testaments, you’ve crossed over to Team Christian, which is a fair point."[101]
He married Anne Snyder in 2017; they met while he wrote The Road to Character and she was his research assistant.[102]
Select bibliography
- Editor, Backward and Upward: The New Conservative Writing (Vintage, 1996) 0-6797-6654-5
- Bobos in Paradise: The New Upper Class and How They Got There (2000) Template:ISBN
- On Paradise Drive: How We Live Now (And Always Have) in the Future Tense (2004) Template:ISBN
- The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement (2011) Template:ISBN
- The Road to Character (Random House, 2015) Template:ISBN
- The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life (Random House, 2019) Template:ISBN
- How to Know a Person (Random House, 2023) Template:ISBN
See also
- Co-commentator on NPR: E. J. Dionne.
- Co-commentator on the PBS Newshour: Jonathan Capehart
References
External links
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- Column archive at The New York Times
- Column archive at The Atlantic
- Column archive at The Weekly Standard
- David Brooks on The Emily Rooney Show on WGBH Radio
- Video: David Brooks discusses The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement on March 17, 2011, on Forum Network.
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