The ‘Great Awokening’ and the Death of Nuance with Thomas Chatterton Williams

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In his latest book, Summer of Our Discontent, social commentator Thomas Chatterton Williams examines the complexities and contradictions of the so-called “Great Awokening,” beginning in the 2010s and peaking in the explosive summer of 2020.

I sat down live with Thomas, in partnership with the American Enterprise Institute, to discuss his book and the cultural and political shifts in America amid the rise of identity politics. We explored how, as the optimism surrounding the Obama presidency gave way to deep divisions, groupthink came to dominate public discourse. We also revisited the deaths of Trayvon Martin and George Floyd, unpacking the myths and misconceptions surrounding both and examining how political narratives hardened in their aftermath. Finally, we asked whether—amid cancel culture, declining trust in the media, and polarization accelerated by social media—America can reclaim the spirit of unity that once felt possible.