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I think one of the paradoxes of modern life, is I assert that one of the things we're all nostalgic for are institutions. For sure we all believe in different institutions, but watching the decline of institutions, we all seem to be dancing on our own graves.

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Sure I'm nostalgic for my own childish naivety, aren't we all?

Your childish naivety values universities, the rule of law, a free press and the military? We had very different childhoods; and more importantly, clearly different definitions on what maturity is.

I definitely thought there were adults, who are basically gods when you are a child, that were in charge of or steering these institutions and they had principles and values beyond careerism and greed.

Go talk to any academic about how they view their field as a child versus today and it will illustrate what I'm talking about.

Doesn't mean institutions in general aren't a net good for society. What would replace them? Also doesn't mean you can't structure institutions to incentivize values beyond careerism and greed.

Yes the hope is that the institutions under attack can rebuild or be replaced by ones with better alignment with social good. There's a lot of disagreement about what that means and that's part of the chaos, but yes.

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