The incomparable George Will makes his long-awaited return to The Remnant to discuss his latest book, American Happiness and Discontents. As George writes in its introduction, “happiness has been elusive for this dyspeptic nation” in recent years. Together, he and Jonah examine why Americans have become so restless and what can be done to address the causes of their disaffection. They also discuss how populism should be understood, what it means to be a “faint-hearted originalist,” and how the degradation of America’s elite institutions can be reversed. Happy warriors and scowling primitives alike are encouraged to tune in.

Show Notes:

-The Dispatch manifesto from two years ago

-George’s previous Remnant appearance

-George’s new book, American Happiness and Discontents

-George’s previous book, The Conservative Sensibility

-George debates Oren Cass on creative destruction

-Jonah on status anxiety

-Charles Murray’s Coming Apart

-Walter Berns on democracy

-Graeme Wood on our elite surplus

-Graeme Wood on The Remnant

-Schumpeter’s Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy

-Nietzsche’s On the Genealogy of Morals

-George on the “1619 Project”

-George on public choice theory

-George on judicial review

-“Conservatism is soiled by scowling primitives”

-Hayek: “Why I’m Not a Conservative”

-George reflects on his career and philosophical evolution

-Jonah and George discuss conservatism on C-SPAN

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices