David Brooks Interview: How To Live A Meaningful Life

David Brooks opens up about the importance of vulnerability, attempting to lose ego, commitment, and reliability as a writer. He explores how American culture has changed over the past 60 years and why trust's been lost in our institutions and each other.

David Brooks is a journalist, author, and cultural and political commentator. He began his media career as a police reporter for the City News Bureau in Chicago before he joined The Washington Times in 1984. In 1986 he joined The Wall Street Journal, initially editing the paper’s book reviews and briefly serving as a film critic. He then worked from the paper’s Brussels office as an editor and foreign correspondent. By the end of his tenure at the Journal in 1994, he had become an editor of the paper’s opinion page. He became a senior editor at The Weekly Standard magazine at its inception in 1995. He was also a contributing editor of Newsweek magazine. In 2003 Brooks began writing an op-ed column for The New York Times. The following year he became a commentator on The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer.

David Brooks, Columnist, The New York Times
Interviewed By: Teddy Kunhardt
Interview Date: October 17, 2019

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:17 American social fabric
04:09 Cultural changes
10:27 Looking inward
13:44 Losing ego
16:59 Family
18:44 Being a writer
23:20 Childhood
27:40 Summer camp
30:38 Grandfather
34:35 The American dream
35:54 College
41:47 Bill Buckley
45:15 Starting a career in journalism
50:49 The Weekly Standard
52:32 The New York Times
55:36 Jim Lehrer
59:45 Life as a political pundit
01:02:04 Meritocracy
01:05:48 Straight talk express
01:10:16 Prison of individualism
01:13:54 Leaving the conservative party
01:21:30 Happiness vs. joy
01:24:46 Finding happiness
01:32:40 Marriage
01:36:06 Living life as a gift
01:41:49 Transformational moments
01:44:21 Gaining wisdom
01:46:29 The Road to Character
01:52:30 Soul
01:57:22 The first mountain
01:59:49 The valley
02:07:24 The second mountain
02:11:01 Becoming radicalized
02:12:58 Overcoming weakness
02:15:38 Mind and reason vs. heart and soul
02:18:26 Deep love
02:20:08 Joyful people
02:22:23 The Social Fabric Project
02:34:19 Finding purpose
02:36:31 Kindness
02:39:36 Vocation vs. career
02:45:06 Forgiveness
02:46:42 Sarah Adkins
02:52:40 Radical mutuality
02:54:31 The second mountain
02:57:18 E.O. Wilson
02:59:31 Bruce Springsteen
03:03:28 Building community
03:07:09 Rippers
03:08:40 Unconditional love
03:12:21 Personal conversations
03:15:49 Forming a flock
03:17:39 Moving self to service

© Kunhardt Film Foundation. All Rights Reserved.

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[BNFaraj-vyzh]

This guy doesn't even stop to think about what he's saying. I mean that in a good way. Was the interview rehearsed?! He doesn't even have to scratch his head to remember a story or a quote! AMAZING!

[thomashawkinson]

This has changed my life. I have spent many hours digesting all it contains. I was a burnt out nurse who spent a life of service to these values being spanked for it..I thought I would be a nurse my whole life but I couldn’t take the spanking for what was right anymore. I am now back in the game. My goals are bigger. I may be 70 but I feel like my life is just beginning.

[denise]

This talk is about what it means to be truly human. I am lucky to have reached age 72, and now I want to be a better person because of what I have learned from this talk.
Thank you, Mr Brooks, for giving my life new meaning!

[BriWilsAnd]

David Brooks is a national treasure, his writings will be taught 100 years from now.

[willowtreephoto]

I am a weaver. I am called to midwifery and I have gathered and woven community of parents. Having a new baby is sadly isolating in America. Thank you for this interview.

[reneebarclay]

My husband was a weaver. He brought together so many groups of people each year for Norwich Peace Camp to bring people together for the cause of Peace. This was a vocation for him. When he passed away so many people cane to pay their respects, even the Mayor of Norwich. His life was devoted to serving others.

[paulpierce]

As a liberal, my political views are certainly different than those of David Brooks. But as a human being, I find that my views about relationships, community, love and what’s important in life are very much in line with his.

A master storyteller, Brooks brings a lifetime of knowledge, experience, curiosity, successes, failures and humility to every answer he gives in this interview. It is a dense 3+ hours of wisdom grounded in the past, alive in the present, and concerned for the future, that is worth every moment of your time.

[teemadarif]

🔸️This brother is in his full state of humanity 🔸️

[kjnoah]

I personally don't care who likes or loves me until they do. Once others find me useful, I appreciate the opportunity to fill their needs. Once I am found useless by others, I am happy to leave. I have a sense of value for myself that exceeds what others say or even think. My value exceeds what others desire for themselves.

[rambo-rb]

I am a social liberal and was not a David Brooks fan. But, this interview is worth listening to - lots of nuggets & life lessons/coaching in this interview that are independent of politics. So much here that it is hard to absorb it all in one viewing, I watched it in chunks.

[TheEstebandido]

I am a die hard liberal and I love this man, love to listen to him always fair.

[rickeydonald]

David is a great human being of insight and wisdom. He knows that fulfillment and joy in life comes from serving others. He knows that many of the adults have left the room to wallow in the sewage put out there. They are being fed hate, self pity, anger, and ignorance. They are following false prophets. Their awakenings and reckonings are going to be tough for them to swallow. Peace.

[melissaalleborn]

Dearest David. I'm sure Mark Shields is listening to you with pride. Thank you for your genuine integrity. You give me hope.

[gailremp]

Listening ion April 1st. 2024. I am rarely at a loss for words … but I am. When he speaks of pain in the valley and spoke of reading Nouwen and I made another cup of coffee as I continued listening. And my list of.people I love who will absorb every second….. deep truths . Thank you, sir.
Gail in Central Florida.

[pickyourswitchoriginal]

I feel this as he speaks. Very few people have this level of storytelling and self-reflective skill. As I age I find myself attempting multiple ways of connecting with others to squeeze moments in between my alternating work and exhaustion, and keep returning to this truth: nothing replaces in person real life contact.

Nothing.

Would that we all just did this one simple thing...it could just save us.

[oliviabwalker]

I have such respect for David Brooks, a real conservative and an excellent human being that I’m fortunate to have been introduced to in the NYTimes and PBS. Thanks David. Please continue to set the standard for ethics in journalism.

[mirstudio]

David Brooks is a national treasure. I appreciate his objectivity and brilliant insights. He creates thoughtful ripples not drowning waves. Love your soft style.

[ravenrozeb]

This is by far the most substantive interview Ive ever seen. The first I have ever heard of David Brooks. He is absolutely brilliant. Why isn't he a US Senator or Higher? I suppose he enjoys life on a more interactive level. What a treasure!!

[leonardpereira]

Man David Brooks, I love his thoughts so much. He's so genuine and open. Good-natured soul with a genuine interest in improving humanity. Thank you for this interview.

[tiffsaver]

Dear David,
Listening to your interview had a strong emotional impact on me, kind of like a healing balm for my soul. So thank you. Your stories really moved me, especially at 23.47 seconds in when you mentioned how your grandfather told you how much he loved you, and your lifelong regret at not returning the favor. I would like to share with you and your viewers something that happened to me that perhaps might help you heal, as well.

My father divorced my mother when we were very young. In fact, the only time we would ever see him is once a year when he would invite us all to his apartment to enjoy a home cooked meal with him. He was a very good cook. But like you, he was not a very demonstrative or loving person and never told us that he loved us, which I truly missed. But on one Christmas night, as I walked into his small kitchen to see what he was doing, when he brushed by me, for some reason I had the most powerful desire reach out and hug him, which I did. He seemed surprised by the unexpected sign of affection, but for the briefest moment we both realized how much we cared for each other, without even uttering a single word. His only response was to gently touch my hand. So I just wanted you to know that when your granddad told you how much he loved you, even though you said nothing I know without a question or doubt that he heard you, and understood. Love is something that can be felt without a single word, but be remembered in the heart for all eternity.