Patrick Deneen, a political philosopher at Notre Dame, says yes. He was a Democrat for years, and has now come to be seen as an “ideological guru” of the Trump administration. But that only tells half the story …
- SOURCES:
- Patrick Deneen, professor of political science at the University of Notre Dame.
- RESOURCES:
- “The Ideological Gurus Battling for the Soul of Trump World,” by Joshua Chaffin and Zusha Elinson (Wall Street Journal, 2025).
- “Why the MAGA-DOGE coalition will hold,” by Patrick Deneen (UnHerd, 2025).
- “‘I Don’t Want to Violently Overthrow the Government. I Want Something Far More Revolutionary,’” by Ian Ward (POLITICO, 2023).
- Regime Change: Toward a Postliberal Future, by Patrick Deneen (2023).
- Why Liberalism Failed, by Patrick Deneen (2018).
- EXTRAS:
- “In Search of the Real Adam Smith,” series by Freakonomics Radio (2022).
644. Has America Lost Its Appetite for the Common Good?
Patrick Deneen, a political philosopher at Notre Dame, says yes. He was a Democrat for years, and has now come to be seen as an “ideological guru” of the Trump administration. But that only tells…
Extra: A Modern Whaler Speaks Up (Update)
Bjørn Andersen has killed hundreds of minke whales. He tells us how he does it, why he does it, and what he thinks would happen if whale-hunting ever stopped. (This bonus episode is a follow-up…
What Can Whales Teach Us About Clean Energy, Workplace Harmony, and Living the Good Life? (Update)
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Why Do People Still Hunt Whales? (Update)
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Whaling was, in the words of one scholar, “early capitalism unleashed on the high seas.” How did the U.S. come to dominate the whale market? Why did whale hunting die out here — and continue…
Why Does Tipping Still Exist? (Update)
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643. Why Do Candles Still Exist?
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Why Does One Tiny State Set the Rules for Everyone? (Update)
Until recently, Delaware was almost universally agreed to be the best place for companies to incorporate. Now, with Elon Musk leading a corporate stampede out of the First State, we revisit an episode from 2023…
641. What Does It Cost to Lead a Creative Life?
For years, the playwright David Adjmi was considered “polarizing and difficult.” But creating Stereophonic seems to have healed him. Stephen Dubner gets the story — and sorts out what Adjmi has in common with Richard…