David Brooks
David Brooks
Conservative political columnist for the New York Times. He also wrote for the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Times and provided political commentary for National Public Radio (NPR) and the PBS NewsHour.
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionJournalist
Date of Birth11 August 1961
CityToronto, Canada
CountryUnited States of America
David Brooks quotes about
talking views world
I came to the conclusion is that we have a very shallow view of human nature in the policy world. We're really good at talking about material things, really bad at talking about emotions, really good at stuff we can count, really bad at the deeper stuff that actually drives behavior.
character people important
Highly educated young people are tutored, taught and monitored in all aspects of their lives, except the most important, which is character building. When it comes to this, most universities leave them alone.
honesty character arrows
How can we expect young people to be rooted in things such as character, morality and honesty? How is one supposed to be at once an arrow soaring skyward and an oak planted firmly in the ground? The meritocratic culture hones strivers on every aspect of their lives save one - how to cultivate character.
summer school home
We pretend to be a middle class, democratic nation, but in reality we love our blue bloods. ... We love the prep school manners, the aristocratic calm, the Skull and Bones mystery, the dappled lawns stretching before New England summer homes. How else can you explain the Bush vs. Kerry match-up that confronts us this year
school decision irrational
It's a completely irrational decision to drop out of school.
reality people want
People want a reality that tells them they're right all of the time.
people trying democratic
We are a democratic, egalitarian people who spend our days desperately trying to climb over each other.
people soul soldier
People generally don't suffer high rates of PTSD after natural disasters. Instead, people suffer from PTSD after moral atrocities. Soldiers who've endured the depraved world of combat experience their own symptoms. Trauma is an expulsive cataclysm of the soul.
self people calling
Most people don't form a self and then lead a life. They are called by a problem, and the self is constructed gradually by their calling.
slavery structure
Freedom without structure is its own slavery.
art people culture
Bragging about what a good deal you got is one of the many great art forms that my people, the Jews, have introduced to American culture.
reality fit models
If you just rely on one model, you tend to amputate reality to make it fit your model.
effectiveness people groups
The effectiveness of a group of people is not determined by their IQ but by how well they communicate.
thinking impossible persons
It's impossible for one person to think of everything.