.@douthatnyt isn’t nostalgic for the old WASP elite’s *whiteness,* he’s nostalgic over its willingness to admit to being an elite, unlike (he says) today’s, which does not.
So people are misstating his argument. But I want to quibble a bit with his actual account. 1/
So people are misstating his argument. But I want to quibble a bit with his actual account. 1/
@DouthatNYT Today’s “elite” (there isn’t just one, but still) just isn’t a product of entrenched privilege to nearly the same degree.
This, and the fact that it’s much more open to women and people of color, are goods that are not dimmed by whatever failures you might ascribe to it. 2/
This, and the fact that it’s much more open to women and people of color, are goods that are not dimmed by whatever failures you might ascribe to it. 2/
@DouthatNYT Some current elites are better than others. Obama (a product of meritocracy, not entrenched privilege) represents a far better elite than W. or Trump (both of whom *are* products of entrenched privilege in different ways). Lumping them into one "feckless" category won't do. 3/
@DouthatNYT Today's meritocratic elites generally speaking often have more moral rectitude than Douthat gives them credit for. They are often committed to public service and visions (agree or not) of a better world, and in key ways don’t compare badly to nostalgized previous generations. 4/
@DouthatNYT Today’s multiculturalists & cosmopolitans might at times be “shallow,” but generally they *are* more enlightened than early-mid 20th century racial nationalists, even bette intentioned ones. National origin quotas/racial hierarchies: Bad. Inclusive multiracial democracy: Good! 5/
@DouthatNYT Today's elite is more the product of distributive failure on social resources. A failure of politics. Yes, systemic racism, too. But the better elites are more self-critical on both (though not doing enough) and aren’t as smugly comfortable w/their status as Douthat suggests. 6/6
@DouthatNYT Fixing typo: "better intentioned"
@DouthatNYT Clarifying this point: To the degree to which today's elites are still, well, elite and exclusive, it is the product of these things. Now really done.
