(LBJ Library Photo: by Jay Godwin)
Conservative columnist David Brooks has taken aim at Vivek Ramaswamy’s recent remarks blaming America’s supposed cultural shortcomings for its challenges, arguing that the tech billionaire and incoming government spending czar misunderstands the roots of American success. In a scathing critique published Monday in The Atlantic, Brooks pushed back against Ramaswamy’s assertions.
“Perhaps Ramaswamy doesn’t understand what makes America great,” Brooks wrote, dissecting the entrepreneur’s claims about mediocrity and cultural decline. Ramaswamy, tapped by the newly elected president to oversee significant budget cuts, has painted a bleak picture of American culture.
However, Brooks countered that Ramaswamy’s analysis overlooks key indicators of the nation’s strength. “For example, he describes a nation awash in lazy mediocrity, yet America has the strongest economy in the world,” Brooks argued. “American workers are among the most productive, and over the past few years American productivity has been surging.”
Brooks also challenged Ramaswamy’s portrayal of American culture as dismissive of intellectual achievement. On the contrary, he suggested, the culture celebrates intellectual and entrepreneurial success. “This is a culture that puts The Big Bang Theory on our TV screens and The Social Network in the movie theaters,” Brooks wrote.
“Haven’t we spent many years lionizing Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Sam Altman?” In a pointed critique, Brooks questioned whether Ramaswamy fully grasps the broader concept of intelligence and creativity.
“He seems to believe that the only kind of thinking that matters is solving math problem sets. But one of the reasons we evolved these big brains of ours is so we can live in groups and navigate social landscapes,” Brooks explained.
The columnist also highlighted the resilience and ingenuity Americans displayed during the COVID-19 pandemic as evidence of the nation’s dynamic and innovative spirit.
Brooks concluded by reminding Ramaswamy that Donald Trump’s return to the presidency was driven by voters, many of whom lacked college degrees but possessed talents and skills that extend beyond academia.
He criticized Ramaswamy’s approach to addressing American culture, accusing him of using Trump’s reelection “as an occasion to tiger-mom the hell out of us.” In his takedown, Brooks argued that Ramaswamy’s perspective not only mischaracterizes American culture but also risks alienating the very people who helped drive Trump back into office.
