David Brooks' latest column is an ode to independent thought. He makes a distinction between engaged writers and detached writers, and laments the dearth of the latter:
The engaged writer closely and intimately aligns with a team. In his
writing, he provides arguments for the party faithful and builds
community by reminding everyone of the errors and villainy of the
opposing side. For the engaged writer, the writing is often not about
persuasion. ... It’s often about mobilization. It’s
about energizing the people who already agree with you. ...
But the detached writer wants to be a few steps away from the partisans.
She is progressive but not Democratic, conservative but not Republican.
She fears the team mentality will blinker her views. She wants to
remain mentally independent because she sees politics as a competition
between partial truths, and she wants the liberty to find the proper
balance between them, issue by issue. ...
She sometimes gets passionate about her views, but she
distrusts her passions. She takes notes with emotion, but aims to write
with a regulated sobriety. ...
Detached writers generally understand that they are not going to succeed
in telling people what to think. It is enough to prod people to think
