‘An Intellectual Grievance Culture’

Posted on | April 26, 2010 | 30 Comments

Jonah Goldberg hits the nail on the head in describing the phenomenon we might as well call Friedersdorfism:

When I first came to Washington, I hung around in very similar circles of young eager-beavers. I may not have been as smart as many of them, but I was just as determined to get my articles published and make my mark. We had many gripe sessions conversations about how hard it was to break-in at places like NR, the Weekly Standard, the Wall Street Journal etc. But, because Al Gore hadn’t gotten around to inventing the internet yet, there was no place for me to vent these complaints in print, never mind work them up into a meta-narrative about the decrepit state of conservatism.
That’s not the case for today’s 20-somethings who have the luxury of translating their frustration with “the business” into long cri de coeur blog posts and essays that tend to bounce off one another for reinforcement. Instead of late night griping at the Toledo Lounge, the way we did things in the 1990s, the conversation has gone public. Indeed, so public that it has become something of an intellectual grievance culture all its own.

Exactly. Given that I’m 10 years older than Goldberg, I was already well into my 30s before the Internet began to revolutionize publishing, and was past 40 when blogging became a phenomenon.

Friedersdorf, at 30, graduated college at the dawn of the blogging age, and never had to earn his living as a journalist in a world where there was no online alternative to print. (Marla Edwards, a reporter I worked with at the Rome [Ga.] News-Tribune in the 1990s, was one of the first hires at CNN’s Web site, and I remember how strange it seemed to the rest of us when she tried to explain her new job. How does that work? You mean, all you’re doing is writing updates for an Internet page?)

The impatience of ambitious youth is such that the Young Turks always resent the Old Guard — sic semper hoc — but this familiar situation is now aggravated by the ease with which Young Turks can find outlets for their resentment and have those resentments reinforced by their peers.

In a world where anybody with a Blogspot account can be a pundit, the genuinely ambitious youngsters now consider themselves failures if they’re not recognized as genuine public intellectuals by the time they attend their five-year college reunion. (When I attended my five-year reunion, I was the sports editor of a twice-weekly Georgia paper and counted that as success.)

Predictably, Friedersdorf responds to Goldberg with — what else? — a long cri de couer blog post, which is immediately seconded by Matthew Yglesias of Think Progress. (Yglesias mocks conservative journalism as a “nice, very cushy gravy train” — as opposed to the grueling conditions for Harvard grads at John Podesta’s Center for American Progress. )

At some point, you think these kids would grow tired of their intellectual wankfests or at least realize they’re trapping themselves in a narrow career niche. But among other things, the Internet can foster the illusion that there is a vast market demand for such obscure political squabbles, when what the online world actually craves is chubby chicks in lingerie commercials.

(Hat-tip: Memeorandum.)

Category: Blogging

Comments

30 Responses to “‘An Intellectual Grievance Culture’”

Estragon
April 26th, 2010 @ 9:58 am

Friedersdorf, again? What’s the deal with that?

I mean, I have nothing against the kid – or for him. He’s never written anything I found worthy of remembering – or even of not remembering in detail, but recalling it didn’t suck. He’s nothing to me. The name keeps being thrown out, as if it means something.

If he’s 30, he’s lucky in what he saves on shaving. Doogie Howser had more facial hair. Why did his parents name him after the Tim Conway character in those fishing videos?
Estragon
April 26th, 2010 @ 4:58 am

Friedersdorf, again? What’s the deal with that?

I mean, I have nothing against the kid – or for him. He’s never written anything I found worthy of remembering – or even of not remembering in detail, but recalling it didn’t suck. He’s nothing to me. The name keeps being thrown out, as if it means something.

If he’s 30, he’s lucky in what he saves on shaving. Doogie Howser had more facial hair. Why did his parents name him after the Tim Conway character in those fishing videos?
Virginia Right! News Hound for 4/26/2010 | Virginia Right!
April 26th, 2010 @ 5:34 am

[…] ‘An Intellectual Grievance Culture’ […]
Bob Belvedere
April 26th, 2010 @ 11:34 am

…when what the online world actually craves is chubby chicks in lingerie commercials.

And the problem is?
Bob Belvedere
April 26th, 2010 @ 6:34 am

…when what the online world actually craves is chubby chicks in lingerie commercials.

And the problem is?
Bob Belvedere
April 26th, 2010 @ 12:32 pm

Stacy, I love you man. You are one of my blog mentors. I consider you a friend. And your and Smitty’s promotion of my Ashley Graham postings have given me some the highest hit totals I’ve ever had [thank you]. I have an incredible respect for your intellect, too. And, hey, we’re fellow musicians – brothers-in-arms, as it were. So I say the follwoing with all the love and respect I can muster…

Stop calling Miss Graham a ‘chubby chick’! There is a difference between chubby and voluptuous. Chubby chicks don’t wear it as well as a volup. Miss Graham obviously wears it very, very well. Understand, I’ve nothing against chubby chicks – they’re more fun to be around than thin women, but the lovely Ashley is something more. She is in the same class as Jane Russell or Rita Hayworth.
Bob Belvedere
April 26th, 2010 @ 7:32 am

Stacy, I love you man. You are one of my blog mentors. I consider you a friend. And your and Smitty’s promotion of my Ashley Graham postings have given me some the highest hit totals I’ve ever had [thank you]. I have an incredible respect for your intellect, too. And, hey, we’re fellow musicians – brothers-in-arms, as it were. So I say the follwoing with all the love and respect I can muster…

Stop calling Miss Graham a ‘chubby chick’! There is a difference between chubby and voluptuous. Chubby chicks don’t wear it as well as a volup. Miss Graham obviously wears it very, very well. Understand, I’ve nothing against chubby chicks – they’re more fun to be around than thin women, but the lovely Ashley is something more. She is in the same class as Jane Russell or Rita Hayworth.
For other 30-somethings, it’s just a hobby « James Board
April 26th, 2010 @ 7:42 am

[…] For other 30-somethings, it’s just a hobby April 26, 2010 bingbing Leave a comment Go to comments Stacy McCain finds fault with young bloggers and their “intellectual grievance culture.” […]
George of Turtle Island
April 26th, 2010 @ 2:07 pm

As usual Jonah talks a good game. Let’s not forget he got a huge leg up from his mother’s site.
George of Turtle Island
April 26th, 2010 @ 9:07 am

As usual Jonah talks a good game. Let’s not forget he got a huge leg up from his mother’s site.
The Osprey
April 26th, 2010 @ 2:36 pm

Isn’t that Connor Friersdork guy working on some sort of project with Chuckles from Little Green Footballs?

Something about increasing the reliability of on line pundits…sounds like what they intend is an attack on popular conservatives on line.
The Osprey
April 26th, 2010 @ 9:36 am

Isn’t that Connor Friersdork guy working on some sort of project with Chuckles from Little Green Footballs?

Something about increasing the reliability of on line pundits…sounds like what they intend is an attack on popular conservatives on line.
Dave C
April 26th, 2010 @ 3:06 pm

What Bob said about Ashley Graham.
Dave C
April 26th, 2010 @ 10:06 am

What Bob said about Ashley Graham.
Robert Stacy McCain
April 26th, 2010 @ 4:12 pm

Stop calling Miss Graham a ‘chubby chick’!

I don’t consider “chubby” pejorative. Unlike “husky,” as in “husky ponytailed blogger.”
Robert Stacy McCain
April 26th, 2010 @ 11:12 am

Stop calling Miss Graham a ‘chubby chick’!

I don’t consider “chubby” pejorative. Unlike “husky,” as in “husky ponytailed blogger.”
Roxeanne de Luca
April 26th, 2010 @ 4:24 pm

I’ll be the first to fight for the idea that my generation (I’m about Friedersdorf’s age) has a lot to contribute to the conservative movement… but I don’t think that we should make the same mistakes that liberals made in the 1960s, that childish error of assuming that one has all of the answers and that thousands of years of tradition is just plain irrational.

The GOP in Washington screwed up. The RNC is a screw-up of an organisation. To any thoughtful person worth listening to, however, that does not translate into Fox News, the WSJ, the Heritage Foundation, and the Federalist Society – as well as the conservative luminaries who contribute to those groups – being worthless screw-ups in need of a housecleaning by the young’uns.

The fact that there is a vibrant movement of young conservatives is a testament to the success of the older generation. Allow me my law school high horse on this one: the Federalist Society, whose existence is taken for granted by my generation, was downright revolutionary when it was formed around the time I was born.

Yes, it’s frustrating sometimes to see young progressives running the Left’s think tanks, but that’s mostly because liberalism is a childish, not an adult, philosophy.
Roxeanne de Luca
April 26th, 2010 @ 11:24 am

I’ll be the first to fight for the idea that my generation (I’m about Friedersdorf’s age) has a lot to contribute to the conservative movement… but I don’t think that we should make the same mistakes that liberals made in the 1960s, that childish error of assuming that one has all of the answers and that thousands of years of tradition is just plain irrational.

The GOP in Washington screwed up. The RNC is a screw-up of an organisation. To any thoughtful person worth listening to, however, that does not translate into Fox News, the WSJ, the Heritage Foundation, and the Federalist Society – as well as the conservative luminaries who contribute to those groups – being worthless screw-ups in need of a housecleaning by the young’uns.

The fact that there is a vibrant movement of young conservatives is a testament to the success of the older generation. Allow me my law school high horse on this one: the Federalist Society, whose existence is taken for granted by my generation, was downright revolutionary when it was formed around the time I was born.

Yes, it’s frustrating sometimes to see young progressives running the Left’s think tanks, but that’s mostly because liberalism is a childish, not an adult, philosophy.
Robert Stacy McCain
April 26th, 2010 @ 4:51 pm

. . . that does not translate into Fox News, the WSJ, the Heritage Foundation, and the Federalist Society – as well as the conservative luminaries who contribute to those groups – being worthless screw-ups in need of a housecleaning by the young’uns.

A big part of this, Roxeanne, is just blowback from the Bush era, when the conservative movement became very much a top-down operation. For eight years, most punditry on the Right amounted to endless reiterations of the same theme: “Why What George W. Bush Is Doing Is Exactly Perfect!”

Another factor is the rise of cable news, especially Fox, which has created a sort of “star system” for conservative pundits. It’s a political analog of what I call American Idol Syndrome, inspiring viewers to say to themselves, “I could do that!” I certainly cannot blame a bright young writer who flips onto Fox and sees, e.g., Fred Barnes and reacts negatively: “Why is this geezerly fossil getting paid to rehash conventional wisdom and talking points? Why not someone young, fresh and clever? Why not . . . me?”

Finally, there is this ironic influence of egalitarian culture: Everybody wants to be a chief and nobody wants to be an Injun.
Robert Stacy McCain
April 26th, 2010 @ 11:51 am

. . . that does not translate into Fox News, the WSJ, the Heritage Foundation, and the Federalist Society – as well as the conservative luminaries who contribute to those groups – being worthless screw-ups in need of a housecleaning by the young’uns.

A big part of this, Roxeanne, is just blowback from the Bush era, when the conservative movement became very much a top-down operation. For eight years, most punditry on the Right amounted to endless reiterations of the same theme: “Why What George W. Bush Is Doing Is Exactly Perfect!”

Another factor is the rise of cable news, especially Fox, which has created a sort of “star system” for conservative pundits. It’s a political analog of what I call American Idol Syndrome, inspiring viewers to say to themselves, “I could do that!” I certainly cannot blame a bright young writer who flips onto Fox and sees, e.g., Fred Barnes and reacts negatively: “Why is this geezerly fossil getting paid to rehash conventional wisdom and talking points? Why not someone young, fresh and clever? Why not . . . me?”

Finally, there is this ironic influence of egalitarian culture: Everybody wants to be a chief and nobody wants to be an Injun.
Jeff Weimer
April 26th, 2010 @ 5:03 pm

Hey Stacy, you finally found something to beat Conor Friedersdorf with!
Jeff Weimer
April 26th, 2010 @ 12:03 pm

Hey Stacy, you finally found something to beat Conor Friedersdorf with!
Bob Belvedere
April 26th, 2010 @ 5:38 pm

Dave C: Thank you.

Stacy: I think this calls for you going on a road trip to New York and interviewing the gal. I’d hit you damn tip jar then boy.
Bob Belvedere
April 26th, 2010 @ 12:38 pm

Dave C: Thank you.

Stacy: I think this calls for you going on a road trip to New York and interviewing the gal. I’d hit you damn tip jar then boy.
Conor Friedersdorf
April 27th, 2010 @ 4:46 pm

Stacy,

For the first four years of my career, I worked for primarily print publications — The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin Newspaper, The San Bernardino Sun newspaper, and The Los Angeles Newspaper Group.
Conor Friedersdorf
April 27th, 2010 @ 11:46 am

Stacy,

For the first four years of my career, I worked for primarily print publications — The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin Newspaper, The San Bernardino Sun newspaper, and The Los Angeles Newspaper Group.
Robert Stacy McCain
April 27th, 2010 @ 5:06 pm

Yes, Conor, and there was always a blogosphere during those 4 years. My point is that you had a choice involving a technology that really didn’t exist prior to the mid-1990s. Hell’s bells, I didn’t have an e-mail account until I was 35!
Robert Stacy McCain
April 27th, 2010 @ 12:06 pm

Yes, Conor, and there was always a blogosphere during those 4 years. My point is that you had a choice involving a technology that really didn’t exist prior to the mid-1990s. Hell’s bells, I didn’t have an e-mail account until I was 35!
Bingbing
April 28th, 2010 @ 11:54 am

What Roxeanne said and Stacy’s reply is spot on. There are many young Conservatives and/or Right wingers out there, blogging away, but sure, not getting the recognition the “old guard” is.

Instant Gratification: Yeah, but Loorz is an historical abnormality. And who’s the cashier at his drive thru?

I think whatisname’s argument is more of a childish temper tantrum… like he ordered a roast at the Burger King drive thru and is complaining that it hasn’t arrived in under a minute thirty.
Bingbing
April 28th, 2010 @ 6:54 am

What Roxeanne said and Stacy’s reply is spot on. There are many young Conservatives and/or Right wingers out there, blogging away, but sure, not getting the recognition the “old guard” is.

Instant Gratification: Yeah, but Loorz is an historical abnormality. And who’s the cashier at his drive thru?

I think whatisname’s argument is more of a childish temper tantrum… like he ordered a roast at the Burger King drive thru and is complaining that it hasn’t arrived in under a minute thirty.