The Vanishing American Adult

The Vanishing American Adult is a 2017 book by United States Senator Ben Sasse published by St. Martin's Press.^[1]

In the book, Sasse describes Americans as “a drifting and aimless people — awash in material goods and yet spiritually aching for meaning.” He calls on parents to take control of their children's education and argues that children need to learn to work hard, resist consumerism, read widely, and live for a while in a place different from their home, although it need not be far from home.^[2][3]

Sasse has denied that The Vanishing American Adult is a campaign book in the lead-up to the 2020 Presidential election.^[2]

Reception

In The Atlantic, Emma Green describes The Vanishing American Adult as a "serious new book" arguing that, "Americans have lost their sense of personal integrity and discipline. For the country to deal with the troubles ahead—including automation, political disengagement, and the rise of nativist, huckster politicians, he says—people must recover their sense of virtue. The republic depends on it."^[4]

In National Review, Michael Shindler argues that the book perpetuates a “secularized creed of puritan industriousness” and claims that Sasse’s injunction to “Work first, play later; and limit your play as much as necessary to get back to bed to be able to work first thing again tomorrow” is indicative of an “austere economic theology” in which “labor itself is alienated from its fruits.”^[5]

This book has been criticized for its lack of research and empathy regarding its commentary on the firing of Talia Jane from Yelp for her open letter to the CEO requesting a living wage. One argument is that this reading of Jane’s experience, and the lack of critical reading of Stefanie Williams's response^[6] used in the book, is a disregard of what it means to be a historian, much less a politician.^[7]

References

External links

• Weekly Standard book interview , "A Conversation with Ben Sasse," May 8, 2017