The Second Mountain - David Brooks

Notes

Introduction

Permanent joy that animates people who aren't obsessed with themselves but have given themselves away.

First mountain - normal goals our culture endorses. Reputation management. I am what the world says I am.

It's never too late or too early to get knocked off your first mountain.

People in valley are reminded that they are not just parts of themselves they put on display.

There is a layer they have been neglecting.

This valley can be the making of people.

People in valley stage 2 small rebellions.

1. Against ego ideal - realize they are better than that.
2. Against mainstream culture - no longer interested in what others tell them to want.

Where is your ultimate appeal? To self (first mountain) or to something outside of self (second mountain)?

First. Ego. Acquisition. Elitist.

Second. Shed ego. Contribution. Egalitarian.

Purpose 1 of book. Show individuals how to move from first to second mountain.

Purpose 2 of book. Show how societies can move from first to second mountain.

Second mountain people have made deep commitments to others.

Made strong commitment to one or all of these. Vocation, spouse and family, philosophy, community.

Good character is a by-product of giving yourself away.

Selfishness has been normalized in our culture.

Lead a life of deep commitment.

Distinction between happiness and joy. Happiness involves victory of self. Joy involves the transcendence of self. Self-forgetting.

Steer towards joy.

When people make generousity part of their daily routine, they refashion who they are.

Your essence is changeable.

Permanent joy comes out of an enmeshed and embedded life.

Happiness fades. Joy does not.

1: Moral Ecologies

We all create microcultures around us by the way we lead our lives.

One of the greatest legacies a person can leave is a moral ecology.

"Ratchet - hatchet - pivot - ratchet" Moral ecology solves problems of moment. Ratchet's up in culture. Grows too rigid and counterculture takes hatchet to it. Period of turmoil to determine which new ecology to pivot to. Ratchet that up.

Many great outcomes from march toward individualism, but many ideas become false when takes to extreme. This is what US moral ecology has been for the last 50+ years.

Individualism not counter-balanced by another ethos causes links between individuals to dissolve.

Individualism built on:

buffered self - live as you please but don't interfere

god within - achieve self-actualization and self-fulfillment

privatization of meaning - come up with own values and worldview

dream of total freedom - best life is freest life

centrality of accomplishment - measured by what they have achieved