WTH Happened To Patriotism, Faith and Community in America? Patrick Ruffini Explains the Decline in Key Values that Made Us Who We Are
What the Hell Is Going On
AEI Podcasts
4.4 • 633 Ratings
🗓️ 19 April 2023
⏱️ 51 minutes
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Summary
The priorities that have traditionally shaped American national character – patriotism, religious faith, family, community involvement – are no longer as important to most Americans. The Wall Street Journal reported this trend in a viral poll, but the sentiment is believable even without the stark statistics. This poll was conducted in 1989, 2019, and now in 2023, and the only value to go up in importance? Money. Our guest explains that there is necessary context for the reported numbers due to methodology, but the overall trend is undeniable: we are becoming an increasingly selfish country. And what is to blame? Perhaps it is the echo chamber of social media, the decline of serious education, or anti-Western propaganda from our adversaries beginning to define our own national message. In any case, the country is unhealthy. But entirely fixable, and worth fixing.
Patrick Ruffini is a pollster and co-founder of Echelon Insights, a polling and analytics firm. Ruffini began his career working for President George W. Bush, including roles at the Republican National Committee, his re-election campaign, and in his Administration. From 2005 to 2006, he was the lead digital strategist for the RNC. He is the Author of Party of the People: Inside the Multiracial Populist Coalition Remaking the GOP (coming November 2023).
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| 0:00.0 | This podcast is brought to you by the American Enterprise Institute. |
| 0:03.0 | If you like what you hear, please subscribe, rate, review, and share. Thanks for listening. Here's our show. What the hell's going on? What the hell is going on? What the hell is going on? I don't know what the hell he's talking about. You don't have to know what the hell is on it. What hell's the matter with these guys? We don't know what's going on. What hell's going on? |
| 0:01.1 | Who in God's name knows what it's all about. |
| 0:34.8 | Hi, I'm Danielle Pekka. |
| 0:36.3 | And I'm Mark Ethan. |
| 0:37.5 | Welcome to our podcast. |
| 0:39.0 | What the hell is going on? |
| 0:41.1 | Mark, depress me again. |
| 0:42.8 | What the hell is going on? |
| 0:44.4 | Well, I wish I could not depress you, but unfortunately we're talking about a very depressing poll, which was just reported by the Wall Street Journal. |
| 0:52.2 | It shows that patriotism, religious faith, interest in having children, interest in community |
| 0:58.0 | involvement, other priorities that help define the national character for generation are receding |
| 1:03.6 | in importance for Americans. |
| 1:05.6 | This is a new Wall Street Journal, Norc poll. |
| 1:07.9 | The poll shows that, for example, the number of people who say that patriotism is |
| 1:13.2 | very important to them. In 1998, it was 70%. Today, 38% among young people, 23%. The number of people who say |
| 1:23.1 | that religion is very important. 1998 was 62%, today just 39%. |
| 1:29.3 | Number of people who say that having children is important. |
| 1:32.3 | In 1998, 59%, today, 30%. |
| 1:36.3 | And the one rising number seems to be, |
| 1:39.3 | having money is very important to you. |
| 1:41.3 | In 1998, it was just 31%. It's now 43%. So, you know, it seems like |
... |
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