David Brooks Harmony

The New York Times article, “Harmony and the Dream,” David Brooks provides the argument that the world social classes are divided into individualists and collectivists. He goes further to give the idea that that the division is misconstrued result of economic turmoil or just world perception. Brooks shares facts about several social experiments with the contrary ideologies and social responses between Americans and Asians. He continues by linking the lack of human interaction, with the downfall and demise of the American economy. The Asian community tends to easily advance economically, and Brooks alludes that their relational values will soon become the new American dream. Americans are being left behind, due to focusing on their individuality instead of working for the greater good of the American people.

Brooks begins by showing social contrast between the American people and Asian people. He
Collective societies are known to fight for harmony and have a sense of duty. They undervalue their selves and their skills and their ability to contribute to a group setting. Brooks paints a picture of a society that is collective as a whole, and moves in harmonious unity. He warns that Americans are the only idealistic society, and that it will lead to our downfall.

Brooks asserts that the Asian culture focuses on others more, and that they put value on their relationships above all else; while most Americans have a decreasing number of active relationships. He mentions how many Americans are dealing with depression and high anxiety, due to their lack of value on relationships. They spend more time living on social media, than living their lives. Brooks then analyzes how the Asian society appears to be a happier society due to the healthy relationships they have