How Elites Ate the Social Justice Movement

“This is strong stuff.” —Sam Tanenhaus, The New York Times Book Review“[O]ne of the sharpest and funniest writers on the internet. I don’t agree with everything he says, but he’s always thoughtful and he pushes me to think. I hope his new book, How Elites Ate the Social Justice Movement, will be read especially by those on the left, because the left is where his heart lies and the failings of the left seem to break his heart most.” —Pamela Paul, The New York Times“DeBoer’s writing can be withering, as the best polemics often are, and few people will agree with all of his arguments. But his central point is important, whether you’re part of the political left, center or right: Calling out injustice isn’t the same as fighting it.” —David Leonhardt, The New York Times’s “The Morning” newsletter“A nuanced look at how movements for social change can actually succeed — rather than getting bogged down by empty gestures and inertia — from one of the most thoughtful and interesting writers out there.” —The New York Post“Freddie deBoer is someone I have long passionately disagreed with, but he writes like a dream, has a relentless intellect, and is always, always worth reading. Sharp, funny, brutal and able to skewer every conventional political platitude, he is particularly merciless tackling his own side.” —Andrew Sullivan

Fredrik deBoer is the author of The Cult of Smart, a book about meritocracy, education, and the potential for a more humane society. It was selected by New York magazine as one of its Ten Best Books of 2020. He holds a PhD in English from Purdue University, where he concentrated on assessment of student learning. He lives in Brooklyn with his girlfriend and his cat Suavecito.