David Brooks: America Has a Moral Problem, Not a Political One | Prof G Conversations

David Brooks, a writer now at The Atlantic and a bestselling author, joins Scott to unpack what he sees as a deeper crisis in America — not political, but moral. They discuss the rise of resentment, why so many people feel a lack of purpose, and how institutions have failed to shape character and meaning. They also explore how social media and AI are reshaping identity, why young people feel increasingly unmoored, and what it takes to build a life with purpose. Also, friendly reminder that we're live on Substack. Subscribe at profgmedia.com to get ad-free versions of all our podcasts, the full archive of Scott’s newsletters, and exclusive content including deep dives, livestream conversations, and subscriber Q&As. Timestamps 00:00 - In This Episode 01:10 - What finally convinced you to leave and join the Atlantic? 03:02 - How have the topics that you write about changed? 05:14 - How do you reverse-engineer the forces behind Trump’s election? 10:08 - What’s driving the decline in moral judgment in society? 13:07 - How do we repair the decay of service and character among young men? 17:18 - Ad Break 18:32 - What is your approach to being a parent and a partner? 22:04 - Do men still struggle with emotional expression, and is that changing? 25:56 - How do we get more in touch with our emotions? 27:54 - How has your approach changed moving from writing to podcasting? 31:19 - Ad Break 33:44 - Could the next president reflect a shift toward empathy and decency? 38:02 - How much of Trump coverage is driven by media business incentives? 42:11 - What's your media diet when you wake up in the morning? 43:57 - How have social media and AI impacted media consumption? 46:48 - What is your approach to social media? 48:29 - What boxes are left for you to check, personally and professionally? Please support this channel by subscribing here: https://links.profgmedia.com/youtube-... Want more Prof G? Check out everything we're up to at https://links.profgmedia.com/home #ProfGMedia #ProfGConversations #ProfG #ScottGalloway #Politics #Economy #Tech #Culture #AI #Business #Leadership #Strategy #Innovation #Podcast #Interview #Insights #Culture