A reflective and hopeful column caught my attention, and I believe many of you will find it thought-provoking as well. Singal’s perspective is slightly left-leaning on economic issues, but his insightful and articulate writing style sets him apart. Here is an excerpt:
During my early twenties, while working as an online editor at the youth division of the Center for American Progress, I had the opportunity to meet with Jon Chait, a writer I greatly admired. Over lunch in D.C., I expressed my frustrations about the imperfections in the U.S. and the urgency to address them. In his usual calm manner, Chait responded with something along the lines of: Well, a few generations ago, our ancestors lived in villages where outsiders would raid and destroy everything. Things aren’t that bad.
The essence of Chait’s message was not to claim perfection in the U.S.—he acknowledged its flaws and even critiqued conservative economic policies for exacerbating inequalities. Looking back on that conversation, I realize Chait was trying to temper the enthusiasm of a young idealistic thinker who recited ideological slogans without deep reflection.
Reflecting on how my views have evolved since my early days in writing, that conversation remains a pivotal moment, underscoring an important lesson….
The article Jesse Singal’s July-4-Adjacent Reflections on Modern America was originally published on Reason.com.
