Envisioning a Big Table Conversation about Class in America
I’m sure you’re familiar with the thought experiment where you imagine if you could invite guests to a dinner party and then have them all seated around a table engaged in conversation.
For this thought experiment, I have focused exclusively on contemporary figures who are alive. This is, in part, because theoretically we could have these folks all engage in civil discourse on class matters in the here and now.
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Here’s my All-Star Team picks for a roundtable discussion about class and class dysphoria in America:
Jonathan Menjivar (who I wrote about here)
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My first instinct is not to include full-on political insiders. But, there are politicians who, in spite of their positions, still seem like very down to earth folks.
[from] The Ruling Class:
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I have purposefully omitted a few political voices who, by name alone, seem too polarizing for productive discussion. That being said, of course, it makes sense for people like Bernie Sanders and AOC to be in the room.
(It seems a bit funny that even in the theoretical I’m adding constraints. I suppose I like to believe this could become a reality.)
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Quite a few of the individuals on this list have written books that I have included in my favorite books of the year lists. Several are prominent podcasters who I have a bit of a parasocial relationship with and think are genuinely wise, thoughtful, and fascinating people. Some are figures who seem to be unusually adept at thinking outside the box on a wide range of topics even if it’s outside of their domain expertise.
I’m sure I’m accidentally omitting at least a few contemporary figures who have written well on class matters in the United States.
Who would you add to this list?
Great list! I'd add the economics writer, Annie Lowry. She writes for The Atlantic and always seems to publish articles about the economy that intersect with my own questions.
I love the idea. You have included a number of my favorite thinkers!