MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — America is experiencing political and cultural upheaval, New York Times columnist and PBS contributor David Brooks told an audience gathered recently at Middle Tennessee State University for the annual Constitution Day observance.

Brooks participated in a Sept. 17 panel discussion on “We the People: The Place of the U.S. Constitution in Students’ Everyday Spaces,” with students from MTSU’s American Democracy Project, or ADP, at Tucker Theatre on campus. (You can watch a recording of the full event at the bottom of this story.)

“There’s a 60-year cycle in American history that we go through,” Brooks said. “People have low trust. People get disgusted with established power. They want to burn it all down.”

Political scientist Samuel Huntington, author of “American Politics: The Promise of Disharmony,” called that cycle a “moral convulsion” and predicted we would undergo the cycle again in 2020, said Brooks, who did offer some hope at Constitution Day — which MTSU has observed for more than 20 years.

“Your attendance here,” MTSU Provost Mark Byrnes told the audience, “is an indication that you share our devotion to the document that serves as a cornerstone of our American democracy.”

Student Government Association President R.J. Ware, panel moderator, introduced the student panelists, who included Victoria Grigsby, Sneh Gandhi, Hannah Lawrence and Jorge Avila.

“David Brooks’ conversation with our students ranged from how to rebuild a person-to-person morality to the place of the United States in global leadership,” said Amy Sayward, history professor and coordinator of MTSU’s American Democracy Project chapter. “The audience — which included students and members of the community — also asked thoughtful questions and enjoyed the stimulating, wide-ranging discussion.”

Brooks outlined what he called “historical tides” that shape global politics. The early 20th century saw the rise of totalitarian governments. The 1980s and 1990s saw democratic reforms and economic change across the globe. Since around 2010, he said, the world has entered another tide, marked by the growth of populist movements in multiple regions.

“It’s difficult for any politician to stand against the cultural forces of the moment,” Brooks said.

Citing national statistics, Brooks noted that suicide rates have increased by about 30% since 2000, that 36% of Americans report persistent loneliness, and that nearly half of high school students describe themselves as “constantly hopeless.”

“These numbers tell us we’re in a period of low trust,” Brooks said, adding that such conditions often precede broad social or political change.

Renewal after upheaval

Despite describing current challenges, Brooks expressed optimism about the nation’s long-term trajectory. He pointed to earlier eras of turmoil, such as the 1960s, that were followed by cultural reinvention in the 1970s.

“After every period of disruption, Americans rebuild with new ideas and new ways of living,” Brooks said, giving him confidence for the future of the United States.

After the panel discussion ended, Brooks took questions from the audience, followed by a reception.

In addition to the panel discussion with Brooks, Constitution Day events included readings of the U.S. Constitution across campus and voter registration. To learn more about the American Democracy Project, visit https://amerdem.mtsu.edu/.

— Nancy DeGennaro (Nancy.DeGennaro@mtsu.edu)

Watch the full recording from Tucker Theatre’s livestream of the event: