Francis Fukuyama: Identity

In 2014, Francis Fukuyama wrote that American institutions were in decay. Two years later, his predictions were borne out by the rise to power of political outsiders whose economic nationalism and authoritarian tendencies destabilized the entire international order. Correspondingly, the quest for identity-and the identities we claim based on nation, religion, race, ethnicity, and gender-have narrowed in ways that splinter us unnecessarily and challenge our democracy. Join Fukuyama as he offers a provocative examination of modern identity politics: where they came from, what they’ve done to us, and what they mean for our future.
The program is generously supported by Bill and Penny Obenshain.
This program was recorded on November 3, 2018.
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[@PeterShieldsukcatstripey]

Rights come with duty.

[@GolumTR]

Very good lecture, just one pet peeve. Rousseau did not believe that the path of to personal and social happiness was reverting to the state of nature. That’s the malicious libel of his critics of what he must think if his analysis of the state of nature is right (and it is supported by modern archaeology). Rousseau’s actual recommendation, outlined in Emile, is to adapt society to the human lifecycle. For instance, he thinks we should begin *practical* education very early and build up towards traditional abstract subjects such as mathematics over the whole of childhood. It’s not Frank’s fault, everybody has this fake Rousseau in their minds but it’s a pet peeve of mine.

[@ekbergiw]

1:10 not, necessarily, new

[@mikely7354]

Frank!

[@katmandew2152]

Hence Thomas Hobbes Wins? Its a leviathan?

[@junaidkhan3124]

Really poltical thinker

[@garconbruete1331]

Isn't this because we've lost touch with our Liberal roots? That these liberal values are absolutely crazy doesn't stop strictly following them, it's great that I'm not subject to some Brute for my wellbeing but that seems uncertain now w the likes of Trump, that he's no brute compared to the most bruttle isn't good practice. The Liberals have lost there call to upholding these values, it'll be a battle but let's mantain it w a shine. I don't know what else to say I like an upbeat approach.

[@svevladteodosic1854]

America lost anyway!

[@indrekpaadik2073]

How anyone is takeing this guy seriously after the prediction he made when the cold war ended is beyond me.

[@jentittle9450]

people believe what you tell them

[@garconbruete1331]

He's a sage bruhh, Huntington and him where close.

[@Adventurer1990]

He never actually maintained that history itself was over. What was over was the Marxist vision of a revolutionary transition into a Communist society. Far from being a triumphant apologist of liberal democracy, he claimed that without the competition of an alternative utopia, it faced a bleak future.

[@Benjumanjo]

His prediction being what?

[@sequoiacollier-hezel7444]

While “The End of History” didn’t come true, it’s still a hugely important philosophical/political work that continues to shape our understanding of the world today.

[@notlimey]

He is always a fascinating thinker and always has a few clunkers. His section on the rise of the inner self is excellent, but equating American democracy with its working checks and balances to a third rate faux democracy like Turkey is a nonsensical thought.

[@notlimey]

And what does that have to do with my comments? Seems totally unrelated. Turkey is a failed democracy - rather it is a pseudo-democracy. The system of checks and balances built into the American constitution is working in this era of Trump. Please try to answer with evidence and reasoned discourse. @Xerxes Medes

[@notlimey]

Unlike you, I will use evidence and not insults - I will watch the video again. BTW, FF is old..... born in 1952. Is he stagnant too? @Xerxes Medes

[@notlimey]

@Xerxes Medes From the 4:37 mark he describes the features of populism in Turkey and other countries such as Hungary and Brazil. From 5:37 to 6:33 he ascribes the same attributes to Donald Trump. I will listen through the rest of the video but at this point I don't see how my overall assessment of FF as a fascinating thinker, but with whom I find a few points of disagreement. That's what careful thinkers do - listen or read carefully and assess what the speaker or writer has to say and decide on balance to what degree you agree or disagree. Perhaps when you are older you will develop that rare attribute called maturity and wisdom.

[@notlimey]

We agree on that, at least. Your point was that to be old is always to be stagnant. My point was that sometimes to be old is to be mature and wise. As for your original emotional reaction to my minor critique as being 'gross and inaccurate' I gave you the specific place where my criticism was both specific (not gross - though I am not sure what you mean by that), and accurate. If you wish to present evidence, argued with logic, please do so. I am not so arrogant as to admit when I make a mistake. But at this point FF clearly put Trump in the same continuum as Turkey, Hungary and Brazil, without noting the constitutional checks and balances that those countries lack. Yes, Trump is a populist by FF's definition, but no he does not have the ability to fire hundreds of university professors, military officers and bureaucrats. @Xerxes Medes

[@notlimey]

I will quote you: "Because you made a gross and inaccurate assessment that F.F equated America with Turkey." I then went on to provide you with the specific places in the video where FF does compare the U.S. to Turkey. My critique of FF was not that Trump is a populist or not (he is), but that that FF missed the fact that the U.S. constitution prevents the sorts of actions that the President of Turkey could take. The framers of the American constitution foresaw the possibility of a Donald Trump-like character coming along in the future and built into their system protections. Turkey, Hungary, Brazil did not. This is an important fact. Didn't you read your own comment? You need to brush up on your English too as the word 'stagnant' makes no sense in this context and age has nothing to do with an ability to critically assess a situation. Age can make one mentally feeble (as you suggest I am without knowing me and without providing evidence from the video) or it can provide experience and maturity, depending on the individual. Whichever case is me, you still have not provided evidence that contradicts FF's own words. Also, you do not know my age. I might be old; I might be young; I might be middle aged. You keep avoiding the initial statements: that FF does compare the U.S. to Turkey (and others). . Again, if you want to have a debate, use evidence. @Xerxes Medes

[@jacke1862]

Did not expect no accent

[@Jzzmus]

Ha, and this is a talk on identity... there are lots of people with foreign names and very American accents. It’s interesting that you so noticed it, you commented on it

[@jacke1862]

@@Jzzmus Most have some accent and if you can't embrace that - that's when the problem starts. It's funny how snowflakes like to make sure no ones feelings get hurt for comments that aren't even meant to be negative.. Grow a pair looser.

[@jentittle9450]

wow, and he teaches at stanford? this guy is deeply ignorant

[@DiguiiNumber1]

You are wrong about Bolsonaro. The left tried to divise the people in Brazil. Bolsonaro is the unifier of the brazilians, not the divisor.