Exploring David Brooks' insights on overcoming our 'epidemic of blindness' and learning to truly see each other in an age of bad generalizations and democratic crisis.

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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco

**Lena:** Hey there, welcome to today's episode! I've been thinking about something David Brooks said in one of his talks that really stuck with me—this idea that we're living in an "age of bad generalizations." That we don't actually see each other as full humans anymore. Does that resonate with you at all?
**Miles:** Oh, absolutely. It's fascinating how Brooks frames this in his book "How to Know a Person." He argues that the core problem in our society is that people don't feel seen or understood—whether it's Black Americans feeling misunderstood by whites, rural people feeling invisible to coastal elites, or just spouses in broken marriages realizing the person who should know them best actually has no clue who they are.
**Lena:** Right! And what struck me is how he connects this to our democratic crisis. Like, this isn't just about personal relationships—it's about the fabric of society unraveling. Bill Gates called it a "blueprint for a more connected and humane way of living."
**Miles:** You know, Brooks has this great line where he says, "The greatest thing a human soul ever does in this world is to see something." Not just talk about it or think about it, but truly see it. And apparently, thousands can think for one who can actually see.
**Lena:** That's so powerful. And it makes me wonder—in a world where we're technically more connected than ever through technology, why are we experiencing what Brooks calls an "epidemic of blindness"? Let's explore how David Brooks thinks we can learn to truly see each other again.