Capitolism

Striking a similar tone to a speech I reviewed last week by William Deresiewicz, David Brooks’ recent piece in The New Yorker also addresses the theme of over-achieving people and understanding their paths to success and happiness.  Arguing that “brain science helps fill the hole left by the atrophy of theology and philosophy” in our understanding of the human person, Brooks notes that “Researchers at the University of Minnesota can look at attachment patterns of children at forty-two months, and predict with seventy-seven percent accuracy who will graduate from high school.”  The early experiences of life do not determine us, but they certainly provide us with pathways, “changed or reinforced by later experiences.” Read the rest of this entry »