#283: The Complacent Class

The Art of Manliness

Society & Culture, Education, Philosophy

4.7 • 14.5K Ratings

🗓️ 3 March 2017

⏱️ 27 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

My guest today argues that while these narratives may have been true at one point in American history, the statistics show that in recent decades Americans have lost that pioneering, entrepreneurial get-up-and-go. Instead, we’ve become pretty complacent. His name is Tyler Cowen, he’s an economist at George Mason University, writer at his blog Marginal Revolutions, and the author of several books. His latest is "The Complacent Class: The Self-Defeating Quest for the American Dream." Today on the show, Tyler and I discuss the statistics that indicate Americans are losing their dynamism -- that we're moving less and starting fewer businesses -- as well as the effect this trend is having on our economy and culture. Tyler also provides some insight on what’s causing this complacency, what to do to overcome it, and how it's likely leading us to an era of severe disruption. If you enjoyed my podcast with Neil Howe about the generational theory of history, you’re going to love this episode. Tyler’s ideas dovetail nicely with Howe’s cyclical view of history.

Transcript

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0:00.0	[♪ INTRO MUSIC PLAYING [♪
0:15.0	Brett McCair here and welcome to another edition of the Art of Manliness Podcast.
0:18.6	If you grow up in America, you hear a lot of narratives about our country that speak
0:22.4	to our shared sense of character.
0:24.5	For example, we're a nation of restless pioneers always striking out for greener
0:27.9	pastures or that we have a risk taking entrepreneurial spirit that spurs innovation and economic
0:33.1	growth.
0:34.1	Well my guess today argues that while these narratives may have been true at one point
0:37.4	in American history, the statistics show that in recent decades Americans have lost
0:41.4	some of that pioneering entrepreneurial, get up and go attitude.
0:45.2	Instead, we become pretty complacent.
0:48.1	His name is Tyler Cowan.
0:49.1	He's an economist at George Mason University, writer as blog Marginal Revolution, and the
0:53.6	author of several books, his latest is called the Complacian Class, the Self-Defeding
0:57.8	Quest for the American Dream.
1:00.1	And today on the show, Tyler and I discussed the statistics that indicate Americans are
1:03.6	losing their dynamism.
1:04.9	They were moving less and starting fewer businesses.
1:08.1	As well as the effect this trend is having on our economy and culture.
1:11.1	Tyler also provides some insight on what's causing this complacency, what to do to overcome
1:14.8	it, and how it's likely leading us to an era of severe disruption.
1:18.4	If you enjoyed my podcast with Neil Howe about the generational theory of history, you're
	...

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