American society is failing the youth and leading to their radicalization, says Auron MacIntyre to Tucker Carlson

Modern society has made attaining the American dream almost impossible, argues BlazeTV host Auron MacIntyre in an illuminating discussion with Tucker Carlson posted to X on Monday.

MacIntyre explained the historical circumstances that led to the attitudes and habits of the Boomer generation being so dismissive of younger people’s concerns about the economic and social stumbling blocks they face.

‘I’m never having children. My bloodline will end. My religion will fade because it’s no longer practiced. My community will collapse.’

Carlson began the segment by pointing out that former President Joe Biden appeared to sincerely believe the idea that fighting against the Russian invasion of Ukraine was important for the notion of defending democracy.

“He really seemed to mean it. I thought that was real, the emotion. Do you remember any of these pressers? Like, the Boomer brain always reverts to the most tired cliche,” Carlson said. “Why is that?”

“I think they came into the world at a time when America, more or less, conquered the world. And when America conquered the world, we received all the benefits of empire,” MacIntyre responded.

“We started as a country that rejected empire. Right? That’s our entire foundation. We led a revolution against an empire because we had the right to be governed by our peers, by the elites that are part of our society and not across an ocean,” he added.

“And so it’s a very hard story to tell yourself that you conquered the world in the name of freedom, right?” MacIntyre said. “And so I think there’s a lot of cognitive dissonance there, and that requires a very cartoon, Marvel movie-esque understanding of the world. ‘We’re Captain America! We fought for freedom!'”

“Exactly!” Carlson replied.

“But that’s going away with that generation,” MacIntyre said.

“It is going away. I do think there’s something about — I always beat up on the Boomers, and broad strokes here, this really was the first generation in history to have basically every part of their life dictated by popular culture. It’s the television generation really, right?” Carlson said.

“And regional differences just went away during those years, 1946 to 1964, and they kind of lost the capacity to think critically or something,” he added. “Do you know what I’m talking about?”

“The radio and the television, the train and the automobile,” MacIntyre replied, “these things collapse the space inside of America that used to be regional, had specific understandings and ways of life, and when that happened, as you say, the only way to have a singular culture was through this kind of mass media projection.”

“Yes!” Carlson agreed.

MacIntyre cited the joke about an old person screaming at a television as a sign that the older generation knows how to “absorb the wider culture” only through television.

“I saw it with Republicans with Reagan. I’m not against Reagan or anything,” Carlson said. “I don’t agree with everything, but I don’t hate Reagan. But they get so — former colleagues of mine at TV channels — they talk about him, and they just repeat the same eight phrases, ‘Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall,’ or whatever.

“And they’re kind of carried away in a sincere way, like they experience life in the shallowest possible way. Does this, do you feel what I’m saying?” he asked.

“Sure, and a lot of that is the medium itself. Statesmanship doesn’t sell in sound bites. That’s not really how that works. To be thoughtful, to be deliberate, to have that level of prudence requires deliberation and time, and you can’t sell that in between ads,” MacIntyre replied. “We can hate people for that, but I don’t think we should because ultimately that’s human nature.”

“I don’t hate them. I just don’t want them in power at all, and I just want people to remember that so much of what they hear is misleading, but what they experience is the truth. That is the truth,” Carlson responded.

“And if your children are addicted to drugs, your nephew dies of an [overdose], and your kids can’t get married, and the best they can hope for is to work for some freaking bank, that’s not the life that you want for your family. That’s reality. It has nothing to do with bombing Iran or democracy or some nonsense like that,” he added. “How are your kids doing? It’s important to notice the world around you!”

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MacIntyre cited the example of the anger displayed by many that an avowed socialist like Zohran Mamdani could win the Democratic primary for the mayoral election in New York City to further explain Americans’ economic anxiety.

“‘How can a socialist win?'” he asked mockingly. “I don’t know, guys, have you looked at the fact that the average first-time homebuyer … is now 38 years old? Have you understood the fact that no one you know can get a decent job without going a hundred thousand dollars in debt for a degree that objectively taught them nothing, and they’re actually just doing any learning they do on the job anyway?”

“You’ve built a society that shows people your system doesn’t work. Now, I think there’s a much better way than communism, but you have to show though,” he continued. “You can’t just sit there and obstinately say, ‘No, this system, ride or die! We don’t care if you’re homeless. We don’t care if you can’t have children. We don’t care if you’re gonna live the rest of your life in your mom’s basement. That’s your fault! There’s nothing wrong with the system ever! There’s no reason to look at any of this!'”

He went on to say that this is the understanding that is changing conservatism for the younger generations of Americans.

“If I don’t fix this soon, then I’m never having a future. I’m never having children. My bloodline will end. My religion will fade because it’s no longer practiced. My community will collapse. I don’t have time to sit around here.”

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