The work of Rod Dreher has a consistent theme: doom. He believes the collapse of Christianity has ushered civilizational decline in Europe, that we’ve traded our humanity for comfort, and he worries that totalitarianism is around the corner for the United States. “I’m worried about Weimar America,” he tells me. “It may not be Hitler 2.0, it may not be Stalin 2.0. It might be something all American, but it’s not going to be what we’re used to.” It’s best not to dismiss him; he’s been right before. We discuss how we got here and the dangers that still lie ahead when we grant godlike powers to our technology.

0:00 - Intro
1:41 - The role of Christianity in Western society
12:26 - Free speech in Western Europe
17:40 - Immigration and de-Christianization
23:55 - Viktor Orbán's Hungary
34:50 - "Weimar America" and the coming crisis
46:45 - Dreher's personal journey
55:12 - Dark re-enchantment and A.I. as a "vector for the demonic"

(A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.)

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Preparing for ‘Weimar America’

Interesting Times with Ross Douthat

Preparing for ‘Weimar America’