Thank you to everyone who supports these projects on Patreon. I wouldn't be able to devote so much time and so many resources to one video otherwise. I'm trying to make the best work I can and the donations really do make it possible. If you'd like to chip in and support me, check out www.patreon.com/rchapman. I'll probably add video notes as the piece ages and feedback comes in, but as of now I don't have anything to add here besides saying that I gave a simple overview of the emergence of the inner self in the first section of the piece. More factors contributed to it that I didn't think were appropriate to get into here, namely the emergence of technology like the printing press, which allowed people to circulate their thoughts, get educated, think for themselves. That section on the whole was mostly taken from 'The Rise And Triumph And The Modern Self' by Carl Trueman and 'Identity' by Francis Fukuyama. Of the two, Trueman goes into more depth if you're interested in learning more, but his book also approaches the subject from a decidedly Christian standpoint if that's a dealbreaker for you. - Ryan

I’m from Eastern Europe, and consume American content daily, the thing which really stands out to me, and so did my friend noticed is the amount of word “community” used in American speech, and the enthusiasm to separate everyone in “communities” on different lvl. Im my daily speech in my country, we use the word community only to talk about countryside people, that a village is its own community of people separate from the main town or city. Or in other case when you talk about jobs as a synonym to “association” or “union” like “artists community/union ect”

Everyone wants a dragon to slay. In this, someone has to be the dragon, and someone has to be the slayer. Their identity defines this. The problem is that, all too often, dragons are not real.

I think it has to a lot to do with American individualism. Nowadays everyone wants to be different more than anything while at the same time desperately wants to belong to a group of similar individuals. A paradox. Identity politics today is most of the time alienating one group from the others.

Really interesting and thoughtful vid. Nice job Ryan.

"All men are created equal" but "a slave is 3/5 of a person." There was a massive fly in the ointment right from the start.

I didn't click on this video for a long time, since I'm not too interested in identity politics. Considering I pretty much watched all of your other essays already, I gave this one a try. It started out pretty top notch as usual, where we discover what identity politics is. That was already good content and definitely made clicking on the video worth it. In the last five minutes, you demonstrate with concrete evidence like historical text passages and examples through comparisons (I love how you do both of those), what makes American culture so unique around the world. That was other worldly incredible. I'm a German American, who lived in both countries and France and regularly visits family in both countries. Every time you contrast America to the world or to itself, you put into words concepts, ideas or opinions about the American society that definitely increase my understanding. Most importantly though, I can directly link your content to certain experiences or phenomena like culture shocks in my own life. You say: "America is like this because of this historical development". And I remember a situation, where that exact fact about America probably influenced an experience I had and in all likelihood was responsible for at least part of the culture shock or mindset change, that I experienced. Every fucking essay. Spectacular content. In this essay in particular, I remembered a discussion I had with my aunt and uncle from America about the validity of the accusation of someone or something being un-American: I grew up in Germany and had just moved to America, I was 12 years old. The accusation had been used in a political discussion (probably on TV) and I had felt a certain emptiness towards that statement, as in: "So what if something is un-American? That doesn't necessarily make it bad? If it's good, why don't we make it American?". I asked my uncle what importance un-Americanness has or simply what it means. He immediately let me know that communism is un-American (it probably wasn't a coincidence, that that was the first thing he thought of, he is the most stereotypical optimistic American capitalist, mixed with a pinch of idealism haha. Always a pleasure to understand his perspective). "So we don't want un-American things in America", he followed. My aunt had a broader approach and explained that certain values and ideas are American, as she started listing of things like courage, bravery, honesty, hard work, freedom, all people are created equal, always doing your best, never giving up, etc. . In the first moment, I thought she was just listing good character traits in a subliminal effort to tell me how to behave. As I soon discovered, talking to more adults in the country about being American, many had an eerily similar idea of what it means to be a good American/Person (they almost always listed all of the same values). This discussion sprung up more often because much of my family was the first generation to immigrate into the US. Therefore, we occasionally talked about what it means to be American and how life is different here compared to back in the Philippines. After a while, I accepted that there existed, at least to some noticeable extent, the idea of an ideal American. That discovery was great, it provides a compass, a goal to attain. Sometimes, I think of Atticus Finch, who was described as the ideal American by my Literature teacher back in the day, "What would he do right now?". Or the juror in twelve angry men, who was the ideal juror by living up to those values, that my aunt declared intrinsically American just a few months before I read that book in class. At the same time, I realized, that an ideal of this kind, doesn't exist as thoroughly in Germany. If it does and I just happen to live in a circle of people, where I'm not confronted with it, then it is definitely not linked to national identity. Case in point: If you ask a German, what it means to be German, they will probably tell you, that it means that your parents and grandparents were German. Or that you obtained the nationality to live and work in Europe. If they become a little more philosophical, many talk about acknowledging history, to deal and to learn from it (emphasis on WW2 of course). No one ever talks about values to live by (although it might be the case, that you have to be a supporter of democracy to attain the German citizenship. I'm not sure about that). Some people might even answer: "Nothing. What do you mean, it is supposed to mean something? It's a passport. Where you're born is pure chance, there is no meaning there". I realize, I listed some more values like bravery, courage, never giving up or always doing your best, that are not explicitly listed in the Declaration of Independence or in the Constitution. I do that because much of my family listed them. Often, they argued, these were the values, that enabled the founding fathers to gain Independence and Freedom. So although these are more values, than talked about in the video, the people, who believe these values are intrinsically American, do so because they link these values to the creation of America. So the ideal American (at least in the case of my family) is also linked to the founding of the country. Not only is it an interesting phenomenon to believe in a seemingly universally accepted ideal of a person but it is uniquely American to link that ideal of a person to the nationality that strongly. Your history lesson just made me understand how that came to be and explained some of my experience as a young teenager in America. Chapman, I fucking _feel_ your content. Thanks!

I disagree with the point that ancient people didn't have time or space for identity beyond the social hierarchy. Eastern philosophical traditions, especially Indian philosophical traditions have focused especially on the self, to be specific, the Self.

This was a phenomenal essay. Rarely do I end a video and feel the need to sit back and ruminate. With yours, I need to pencil in time at the end. I hope this is a topic you consider diving into more. I would be interested to hear more of your analyses.

Excellent video! I believe that what makes American identity unique is that, unlike other countries where identity is based on heritage and culture, in America each individual establishes their American identity by making a choice to uphold ideals.

Idk how this video doesn’t have a million views. Recently found your channel and really enjoy your videos! Definitely not casual listening & I love that.

Love your channel, Ryan! Love all of the videos you’ve made so far - they are smart, fair, and entertaining. Just wish you released more of them, more often.

Your videos have quickly become my favorite. Amazing work man.

I just breathed! Whew! Thank you SOOO much!!! Now I'm gonna have a good cry and sleeeeep! Can't wait to watch all of your videos! 3 times each!!! Sharing too.💜💜💜

Your work really stands out on KZfaq. Thank you

Another enjoyable, informative talk. Thanks, Ryan.

I love your channel. This is the kind of content society needs. The good you do is incalculable.

Balanced and amazing. Fully felt and understood both sides of the battlefield. Great work as always, Ryan. Thank you.

"the values that unite us, also divide us" what a mic drop moment dude

You are so well studied and so impartial that it feels like I am watching De Tocqueville brought forward in time. Well done, good sir.

Ryan , you do a wonderful job of clarifying these issues. I've noticed that you have evolved and are so much more confident and professional in your presentation and your delivery is really excellent. TIs a really valuable and enlightening channel. . THAnks

Very thought out, well planned, and enlightening. Great spotlight Ryan!

Uhh, China is certainly *NOT* Communist, or even Socialist. They can give themself such a name, but it doesn't change the reality that they are just as Capitalist as North Korea, USA, Japan, and other countries. First rule of politics: Political bias is never avoidable.

This video finished way too fast! Thank you. I needed a breakdown like this. Made me smile

In elementary school, after the reciting the pledge of allegiance we would also follow it with the two lines froM the Declaration of Independence you mentioned. I totally forgot that I could recite it word for word. In grade school I would recite it blindly and not truly understand the meaning. But now I can truly appreciate the power of these words relating to the identity of America and it’s values.

loved the video! im learning that we need to embrace having conversations about identity in america, but so many people label it as political so they dont want to even talk about. identity in america is our culture.

Well done, Ryan. Thank you again!!

I absolutely love this channel. Thank you so much for your great hard work! So educational and entertaining!

Great understanding, great communication, excellent production. You make everyone at least a little smarter. Thanks Ryan.

Thankyou Ryan! I’ve got in the habit of testing my thinking about this kind of subject by checking out if you’ve made a video about it! Very clear, careful and sophisticated thinking … and you slog through the necessary research which I don’t have the time for right now bravo! Alex ( in the UK)

You give us all so much to think about here. So very well done!

I wasnt expecting to this to be one of the best vids I've seen from you, but it is! Very well organized and thoughtfully explained.

Ryan, another fine presentation on a pressing and timely topic. Your videos consistently offer thoughtful coverage of important subjects with a scholarly and dispassionate approach that is well supported with credible references and citations. Well done! In reflecting on your remarks about America's founding principles serving as a looking glass into our current social tensions, I am reminded of the iconic Latin phrase, "e pluribus unum" --- out of many, one. The American experiment is an extraordinary attempt to create a single unified nation from a collection of multi-national people. Our amazingly diverse heritage as individuals offers a richness of differing perspectives --- as well as a set of significant challenges to maintain a single country composed of a multi-ethnic population. Throughout our relatively brief national history, America's best and most cohesive moments are when we focus on where we all came TO, rather than where we came from. Our finest hours are when we acknowledge we are enriched by being Americans --- and not diminished as individuals because we or our family came from somewhere else. The American character shines best when our beliefs and conduct truly cherish and celebrate our national identity.

Thank you! I love this episode!!

what a great piece of context to add to one’s lens when evaluating issues related to things like this. thanks as usual!

Amazing video essay, keep em coming.

Thank you Ryan. Another good lecture. It reminds me of my college years. My major is group social science, so I connect well with your video lectures.

Your videos are greatly appreciated. Thank you.

I would argue America isn't the only country that faces this strong identity politic situation. I see most countries in Africa also suffer from this. As most of the borders in the continent don't coincide with the regional groups. South Africa, Congo, and Morroco are great examples of this. The boundaries of these political states encompass and join groups which natural see themselves as different but are still unified under one political name, and in majority identify with the political name. In this factor America is not that unique. It's more honest to say, the situation is only more present on the global stage because of America's influence. If America wasn't as influential as it was, it's identity politics wouldn't be anymore unique then the ones seen prominently in Africa.

I recently discovered your channel. I love the research driven impartial logic behind your analyses. Looking forward to more content from you. Keep up the good work!

I think that much of the division comes from people's reluctance to accept that we don't always get everything exactly the way we'd like. There is no guarantee that we will never be offended. Living in a country with 330 million individuals - each with their own beliefs and preferences - it's a miracle that we manage to keep it together at all...but we do. We exchange value with one another. We move through our lives interacting - or choosing not to interact - but examples of peaceful coexistence far outweigh the conflict. We just focus on the conflict more.

Love your work! Intelligent, thoughtful, and succinct.

I love how clearly-stated and organized the content in these videos are. Even if you already know all of this stuff, it's helpful to take it in, as it kind of better arranges the relationships of the various factors mentally; like defragging your computer or something.

Really great videos thankyou, you're really helping me to pull these different ideas together and understand them.

It is ironic that so much of the rhetoric surrounding "identity politics," which, as you pointed out, is supposed to be concerned with the INNER self, is focused almost exclusively on race - and on skin color in particular, which is an OUTER characteristic. We Americans do try to link physical appearance to ethnic culture, but it's not always as simple as that. People of the same nationality - even if they are "natives" of their land - can look different from each other. For example, Ireland, which is the country to which I can trace both my mother's and my father's ancestries, is home to both pale Irish people and swarthy Irish people, with different skin shadings in between. But identity politics should not be concerned with just race. We also need to examine religious beliefs, socioeconomic status, and attitudes on cultural issues, which divide us just as much.

Love your videos. They are well researched, informative and timely. Great haircut, BTW! 😊

Excellent analysis, congratulations. Please keep up your great work!

This channel is really the best at finding new reading material.

Fantastic video essay, i think you hit the nail on the head here, the lack of a national identity is in a sense the root of the problem and what this fighting is all about, establishing a national identity and people have different thoughts and ideas and even feelings towards it. I never once thought about it to be honest, but im a Swede and i consider myself a Swede just as almost everyone else in my country.

I think the Canada comparison is super interesting. Something I notice in Canada, despite it ostensibly being similar to the US in terms of a civic, rather than ethnic identity, is that people really do care less. It's sometimes seen as "weird" in Canada to be too invested in politics, and many Canadians just view their country as being "different from America," and that's just the basis of the country's identity. Only in Quebec is national identity truly distinct, and more in line with how identity is thought of in Europe, and this idea makes Canadians really uncomfortable.

Wonderful work. Thank you Ryan.

Another very good show!!! Thank you, Ryan.

_“This is the only country in the world," said Wednesday, into the stillness, "that worries about what it is."_ _"What?"_ _"The rest of them know what they are. No one ever needs to go searching for the heart of Norway. Or looks for the soul of Mozambique. They know what they are.”_ - *From Neil Gaiman's **_American Gods._*

I remember reading an article by a professor in the Guardian where she mentioned that such deep-rooted identity politics is one of the symptoms of a civil war. Abandoning ideology over identity is a bad sign.

thank you for your videos Ryan!

There is just something I really enjoy about your content.

That was an excellent and insightful video. America is a work in progress and always will be. Fortunately, this country is dynamic, we tend to make changes quickly.

I absolutely love what you do. Your narrative voice is so powerful yet calm and reasoned. I actually referenced you in one of my videos (The Populist Lie in 3D Printing). Thank you for your work!

Great work as always Ryan

absolutely love your takes!!

Thanks this is a excellent analysis. For a while I have been trying to understand the fast rise in identity politics in the UK. Perhaps not as extreme or visible as the states but it is very much effecting politicians social life. You have made it very clear that perhaps the conflict here is that in Britain we do have a distinct cultural identity outside of politics and this is largely the acceptance of democracy alongside the liberal values of fairness and acceptance. The UK is very accepting but also we have a long history across thousands of years, we do seem to know who we are - but identity politics clashes with this in that that ‘knowing who we are’ is attacked by groups who say it is wrong and oppressive. So people may make very reasonable statements about having a legal a fair immigration system - but are then shouted down as being bigots, when really they are showing the values of decency and acceptance whilst knowing this has to live in an organised and fair framework that works for everyone. Hence why immigration is such a hot topic here, very liberal and reasonable people are attacked for having what really are the common understanding of how a fair country should be organised - then sides are polarised and extremism creeps in.

You started strong and are improving. Some of the new graphics you're using are great and more approachable. I know it's likely more effort but it might be necessary to reach more people. Love the content!

Great analysis! Thanks for sharing your work

Love your content!

Your videos are great because they're not divisive like everything else is nowadays. I really enjoy them

Smart, well made videos, and easy on the eyes, so, its a watch from me! ^.^

You've got it man. Thank you for your time and work in delivering truth.

I watch a lot of KZfaq and stumbled on your channel somehow tonight. Ran through at least ten videos this evening. It was truly hard to stop watching. You've somehow managed to produce highly nuanced fair yet explicit synopses on a broad variety of modern social and political theorem. You seem naturally gifted and quite masterful in your calm and moderated distillation of these highly complex and controversial issues. Sub +1 well earned. I look forward to future videos.

So much conflict that exists appears to me to be based upon identity groups. I see value in examining the subject dispassionately as you do. Thank you for sharing.

Hi Ryan, I am your fan from Singapore, all the way from the other side of the globe. I have also been fascinated with all that is going on in the west, and I we Asians often find a lot of things incomprehensible. Your videos have helped me to understand a lot of things, and they are a beacon of light in the midst of radical voices from both the left and the right. Neutral, objective and without political or partisan inclinations, this is how I feel we should all learn to talk about politics. I would watch your videos twice, once to just get a general idea of things, and the second time I would actually take notes. Initially I would just use the transcript function to take notes, but listening to your voice is actually so great that I don't mind watching your videos bit by bit as I take notes.

Well put together - a nice summary full of reflection on our current times. Thank you!

Your videos are so amazing! Thank you!

"All men are create​​d equal..." "excuse me teacher, didn't they have slaves in the US back then?" Every single year my lesson about the declaration of independence spans this way. The cognitive dissonance is too great even for Italian teenagers not to be spotted immediately.

Im from Spain and here be called antispanish is relatively common, left wing usually dont use country simbols how the flag or the own country name for be considered far right, they said "this country" instead of Spain. In the other hand far right and centralist conservative nacionalist and some liberals call "antispain" to the far left and local nacionalistic separatist groups present in catalonia and vasque country. Also femminist and LGBTIQ+ and pro inmigrants identity groups are VERY prominent in spanish political discourse, in fight against far right populist voices in VOX party. Today political polarization in Spain are very similar to the USA one, talk about a new 1936 Civil War or an antispanish separatist coup is very very habitual.

Fantastic work!

Great video!

So if you base your national identity on political beliefs, and politics become divided, your national identity disintegrates. Seems politics alone aren't really enough to unite a county in the long run.

New idea: 10/10. It takes a lot of discipline to aim towards the final paradox here (that we only share a creedal identify and that the intensity of our differing creedal interpretations give a sharp edge to our politics). There are so many byways, which you wisely avoided, and literally waved us away when you arrived at the paradox. Kudos! New hair: 10/10. Flaunt it while you got it. New background music: 5/10. Nothing wrong with music for speech per se. It could have been introduced earlier, though, and the tone is disconcertingly ominous.

You make some great videos. Good job.

Love your work, thanks

Fascinating stuff. We need more people doing this work

This is gonna be good

Another great informative video!! I love the style and delivery of your content!

Loving the new look man, great content as always.

Great timing for this video as I am listening to Benjamin Franklin- An American Life on audible, and now trying to understand what makes us American (USA), and how much of that developed during those years leading up to the Declaration of Independence, and although so much has changed in 250 years, those essential values about individuality, equality and liberty remain.

Interesting analysis, as usual. I thought you did a good job of making a contrast between two aspects of being or experiencing human life - - idealism and tribalism. The ability to form ideas and ideals is clearly a capacity that humans have, and seemed to have developed and improved over the centuries, with input from many individuals. Tribalism and bondedness to those around us is also a natural tendency for many/most of us. Which of those are "me"? We have motivations toward our ideals AND our tribes, and sometimes the commitment to our (ideal) tribe is an ideal in itself. As well as just being what seems to me a common primate tendency. It need not be either/or, however. With better understanding, there can be BOTH idealism and innate tribal tendencies. Which seems realistic, and thus pragmatic to me, to accept and build on.

New follower, this is one of the most lucid channels out here. Such succinct clear explanations, thank you!

Wow this is an amazing video. I love your analysis. Thank you!

I think a key problem is that the American identity is hard to define. What does it mean to be American? Ask different people and you get different answers. If your national identity is based in political ideas, as this video suggests, that's not a strong basis for a national identity. Political realities and ideas change, and as Americans have become less similar to each other, so have their politics. In Japan or Poland, 2 people can completely disagree on politics, but at the end of the day, they are part of the same nation. For America, as politics become more divided and tribalistic, it becomes increasingly hard to say "we're both Americans" with any meaning. The change in our politics didn't come out of nowhere, America lacks the religious and demographic homogeneity it once had, so naturally politics have also become less homogeneous as well. A political identity can only do so much to unite a nation, and today we are seeing what happens when we reach that limit.

Well okay, with Luther, it certainly wasn't just about ritual performance vs internal identification. At least not without a firm focus on "what must I do to be saved?". But, it's really interesting looking at how this kind of counter-authority can work its way out in culture.

Thank You Sir for many insights!

Excellent as always

Excellent commentary as usual, Ryan! I would add one more element to explain the intensification of identity politics in America today, and that is the demographic shift. In 2020, non-white outnumbered white kindergarteners in America for the first time. Today's 6-21-year-olds are projected to become majority nonwhite in 2026, according to a 2018 Census Bureau projection. I'm a mixed race US citizen born in the 50's, and grew up hearing America described as a "white man's country." Some of my male classmates looked forward to being "free, white and 21." Public education, movies and TV shows all reflected that demographic reality. And while the vast majority of my generation supported civil rights, in those years that meant desegregating schools, lunch counters, public buildings and transportation. Today, those accomplishments are far behind us, and the push is for cultural and epistemic equality (not to say that civil equality is fully realized). That is, minorities that in the aggregate will soon outnumber whites are challenging the American identity itself, including how we understand our own history. This has generated a new energy in woke leftist agitation, and white supremacist retrenchment on the right.

This was a good explanation of identity politics here in the US. As an American myself who's also mixed race, I don't get caught up in identity politics especially when it has to come to my biracial background. I feel as though identity politics are divisive here in the US not just in terms of race, but other things like social class, political affiliations, etc. It can get really ugly. I try to stay out of it as much as I can. And if anyone tries to tell me I need to pick a side regardless of whether or not it's based on race, I tell them to back off.

superb delivery as usual.

I'm not certain I can pinpoint what makes you such an effective communicator, but you are certainly gifted.

This is incredibly respectful and thought provoking.

Ryan is one of the best KZfaqrs. More need to hear from him!

Some very thoughtful questions raised in this video. I wish people would reason through a problem in the calm manner you use instead of “who can shout the loudest wins”.

Love the haircut Ryan, also keep these videos coming!