David Brooks in The New Upper Class and How They Got There describes these folks as bourgeois bohemians. They believe in peace . . . They believe in freedom . . . They dabble in religion . . . They re deal makers and compromisers.
Negotiation forms the core of their politics and moderation a tenet of their religion.
Most problems can be solved around a barbecue at Camp David or a pot-luck supper in the church basement. Many of them have left the church, although they still return to have their children married and grandchildren baptized. Yet a good many of them also currently serve on their church s official board. Recently during an event in Miami, I tested a theory about normative images for generations. The theme of the conference was Climbing Higher.