Twilight of the Elites

America after Meritocracy

De: Chris Hayes

Narrado por: Chris Hayes

A powerful and original argument that traces the roots of our present crisis of authority to an unlikely source: the meritocracy.

Over the past decade, Americans watched in bafflement and rage as one institution after another - from Wall Street to Congress, the Catholic Church to corporate America, even Major League Baseball - imploded under the weight of corruption and incompetence. In the wake of the Fail Decade, Americans have historically low levels of trust in their institutions; the social contract between ordinary citizens and elites lies in tatters.

How did we get here? With Twilight of the Elites, Christopher Hayes offers a radically novel answer. Since the 1960s, as the meritocracy elevated a more diverse group of men and women into power, they learned to embrace the accelerating inequality that had placed them near the very top. Their ascension heightened social distance and spawned a new American elite - one more prone to failure and corruption than any that came before it.

Mixing deft political analysis, timely social commentary, and deep historical understanding, Twilight of the Elites describes how the society we have come to inhabit - utterly forgiving at the top and relentlessly punitive at the bottom - produces leaders who are out of touch with the people they have been trusted to govern. Hayes argues that the public's failure to trust the federal government, corporate America, and the media has led to a crisis of authority that threatens to engulf not just our politics but our day-to-day lives.

Upending well-worn ideological and partisan categories, Hayes entirely reorients our perspective on our times. Twilight of the Elites is the defining work of social criticism for the post-bailout age.

©2012 Christopher Hayes (P)2012 Random House Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

"[L]ively and well-informed.Offering feasible proposals for change, this cogent social commentary urges us to reconstruct our institutions so we can once again trust them." ( Publishers Weekly)

"[A] forcefully written debut.... A provocative discussion of the deeper causes of our current discontent, written with verve and meriting wide interest." ( Kirkus Reviews)

"This is the Next Big Thing that we have been waiting for. Twilight of the Elites is the fully reported, detailed, true story of a 21st century America beyond the reach of authority. It's new, and true, and beautifully told - Hayes is the young left's most erudite and urgent interpreter. Brilliant book." (Rachel Maddow, host of The Rachel Maddow Show and author of Drift)

Gives names to important issues.

Chris Hayes, editor at large of The Nation, and host of his own show on MSNBC, identifies some serious issues, and makes a sound case for them, without offering serious solutions, though giving a problem a name is the beginning of a discussion about possible solutions. His primary point is that our nation has come to be based on meritocracy rather than inherited aristocracy, i.e., being able to rise competitively from whatever class we are born into to elite status by being identified as exceptionally intelligent and having access to elite education at exclusive schools or being so successful in business as to accumulate exceptional wealth, but those considered elite do not always act competently or in the best interests of society. Being smart or a good businessperson is not necessarily accompanied by good character, good citizenship, or good judgment.

Further, the privilege of elite status has not come with accountability for performance commensurate with that status, and therefore extreme failures by the elites are not corrected and are in fact perpetuated, compounded, or even rewarded. Elites depend upon other elite "experts" for guidance about major issues, and their life experience becomes so far removed from that of those affected by their decisions that they make decisions they might not make if they or their loved ones had to experience the consequences themselves. His excellent examples range from the White House to the world of sports. As for a solution, he points to the Occupy movement. This is unsatisfactory [imho], since the Occupy movement lacked leadership sufficient to press its causes politically, but his point is really that a revolutionary way of viewing and exercising power and merit in our society is needed, short of revolution in the streets.

Hayes narrates his own book, and even though his voice is not sonorous, it is easy to listen to, and his emphasis adds to the meaning of his points. In general a good "read."

valuable observations of a hghly educated newz man

valuable poignant inside from a highly educated newsman who is deeply concerned about inequality, Injustice, and ineptitude in high and low places

Revolutionary Read

Where does Twilight of the Elites rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of the best. Inspirational, a call to action and answers the question "why are things so messed up right now"?

What about Christopher Hayes’s performance did you like?

Emotional, read his own book so knew exactly what to emphasize.

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

Meritocracy isn't perfect.

Any additional comments?

I think everyone should read this book.

Our life and Times in Perspective

If you could sum up Twilight of the Elites in three words, what would they be?

Solid comprehensive timely

What was one of the most memorable moments of Twilight of the Elites?

Hayes skillfully reviews the unraveling of every major institution in the recent past.

Which character – as performed by Christopher Hayes – was your favorite?

His description of the Catholic Church's handling of pedophile priests over decades was especially revealing.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

It's how we got here.

Any additional comments?

Hayes narrates his book well. And while the book outlines the current state of our lives, I wish there were more solutions for our future were offered. Maybe that is his next book!

Chris Hayes is SCARY brilliant

This book was ahead of its time. Excellent observations from one of the smartest and most thoughtful journalists out there today.

Just freakin Brilliant!

What did you love best about Twilight of the Elites?

So many real life examples and data & sarcatic humor by Chris Hayes

Who was your favorite character and why?

Story bout Major league baseball gettin exposed wit steriod usage and how it plays into corruption among the elites

Which character – as performed by Christopher Hayes – was your favorite?

Every character Exposing Right Wing / Tea Party Leader

If you could give Twilight of the Elites a new subtitle, what would it be?

Toxic BS propaganda of the elites

Any additional comments?

Totally refreshing, Chris Hayes is a master of words. Never heard anyone explain and expose the Right wing elites so well, definately worth a read, you will not be dissappointed (1 of my all time favs)

Nailed it

What made the experience of listening to Twilight of the Elites the most enjoyable?

Despite having read other similar books I trusted the reviews and listened to this book as well. It explains well, why we are stuck in a society run by the top and why the elite have difficulty emphasizing with the rest of us.

The constant state of inequality

To paraphrase Hayes..."Inequality and democracy are not fixed states, but processes...we have to decide what the next changes will be. " Great book

Well reasoned with examples and references

The passion of the author reading his own work comes through. Chris also has fun using different voices when quoting others. All of which give the sense of rubbing the fourth wall without breaking it.

Material seems well reasoned and challenges clear. The solution was not as coherent on 1st listen.

It would be interesting to see how his thoughts have progressed with time and changes of administration and support of the elites even greater then when this was written. Although, that could be considered proof of his thesis on many fronts.

Solid work, not ideological

Solid work, well read, and with strong scholarly references (bought one of the books he cites about oligarchy).