Synopsis
A polemic urging American liberals to abandon identity-group politics and rebuild around a shared vision of common citizenship and collective national purpose.
Core passage idea
Paraphrase · Modern copyrighted workBy splitting into ever-narrower identity groups, liberals abandoned the language of common citizenship that once let them win elections and govern.
It frames identity politics as a strategic dead end that surrenders the unifying appeals needed to build durable governing majorities.
To avoid a bubble
Pair with Nancy Fraser, Fortunes of Feminism.
Reading note
Read it as a provocation aimed at fellow liberals, separating Lilla's electoral diagnosis from your judgment of whether his cure is adequate.
Best paired with
Nancy Fraser, Fortunes of Feminism