Those Damned Liberal Elites

In the debate on the rise of nationalistic and anti-liberal parties, an ancient ghost has reappeared – the ghost of liberal cosmopolitans: well-educated, internationally connected scientists, journalists or politicians who assure each other of their moral superiority. The rift between cosmopolitans and patriotic communitarians is considered one of the central conflicts of our time.

An accurate diagnosis? On the other hand, does the concept of uprooted liberal elites paint a distorted picture? Psychoanalyst and writer Carlo Strenger knows this group all too well: because he himself is one of them – and because he sees them in his therapeutic practice. By consulting relevant sociological literature, he generalizes his findings. Moreover, his self-critical conclusion finds that indeed, the liberal elites are often too arrogant.  Still we need their expertise. Strenger concludes with a twofold plea: for liberal cosmopolitans to be more down to earth and for a basic liberal-cosmopolitan education for everyone.

»A beautiful, intelligent, unusual, nuanced, subtle, elegant, sophisticated book« Ulf Poschardt, Die literarische Welt

»Carlo Strenger is one of the great liberal intellectuals of Israel.« Deutschlandfunk Kultur

»The author argues against relativism from the left as well as the right in a perfectly clear way, and for liberal, social democracy.« Caroline Fetscher, Der Tagesspiegel

»Thank goodness there are [...] [still] people who think, people who place the ambiguous, the paradoxical at the core of their thought.« Volkan Agar, taz. die tageszeitung

»Carlo Strenger’s little descriptive addition [sociological diagnoses of the present] on those damn liberal elites.« Gustav Seibt, Süddeutsche Zeitung

»The new ›damn‹ elites live numerous dilemmas, and, thanks to Strenger, they have been described concisely for the first time.« René Scheu, Neue Zürcher Zeitung