DAVID BROOKS ON THE NEXT CULTURE WAR.

DAVID BROOKS ON THE NEXT CULTURE WAR. David Brooks rarely disappoints me when I want a very creative interpretation of sociological trends. Today he tells us that the next culture wars will be between the "cosmopolitan elites" and the salt-of-the-earth common people, and the battle arena will be immigration. In his view, those of us who are educated enjoy foreign foods and diversity and cappuccinos, whereas the common people like Mom's apple pie and America as it always was (a shifting definition in itself). It therefore follows that the elites want immigration, to create a colorful and exciting country, and that the common folk want everything to stay exactly as it is. The creativity comes in when Brooks explicitly argues that this division of opinions has nothing to do with economics or that dreaded word "class", but in fact it's all something that has been introduced into the elitist psyches by education:

Liberal members of the educated class celebrated the cultural individualism of the 1960s. Conservative members celebrated the economic individualism of the 1980s. But they all celebrated individualism. They all valued diversity and embraced a sense of national identity that rested on openness and global integration.This cultural offensive created a silent backlash among people who were not so enamored of rampant individualism, and who were worried that all this diversity would destroy the ancient ties of community and social solidarity. Members of this class came to feel that America's identity and culture were under threat from people who didn't understand what made America united and distinct.The two groups clashed whenever a political issue arose that touched on America's identity or role in the world: immigration, free trade, making English the official language or intervening for humanitarian reasons in Kosovo or Darfur.These conflicts were and are primarily cultural clashes, not economic or ideological ones. And if you want to predict which side a person is likely to be on, look at his or her educational level. That'll be your best clue.

I doubt that culture exists somewhere outside economic and ideological influences. For instance, the more educated are usually also wealthier individuals. Digging a little deeper into the economic roots of this culture clash might bring fruitful things into the debate. For example, Brooks' conclusion hints at some of those possibilities. He defines the next culture war participants like this:

It's between open, individualistic cosmopolitans and rooted nationalists. It's between those who ride the tides of the cultural mainstream and those so driven by marginalization that they're destroying the best compromise they will get.

What is it that caused this marginalization?-- J. Goodrich