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Author William Damon in Conversation with Gary Rosen
A conversation between William Damon, author of The Path to Purpose: Helping Our Children Find Their Calling in Life and Gary Rosen, John Templeton Foundation
The Harvard Club, New York City
Monday, June 9, 2008
In his new book, William Damon makes an impassioned case for altering the "culture of short horizons" that bombards young people with cynical messages about the importance of seeking instant success. As he explains, more and more young adults are "failing to launch" into joyful and productive adulthoods. They are postponing essential life commitments and find themselves drifting along aimlessly, full of uncertainty. "The most pervasive problem of the day is a sense of emptiness that has ensnared many young people," he writes. For too many of them, "apathy and anxiety have become the dominant moods, and disengagement or even cynicism has replaced the natural hopefulness of youth." Describing the results of the first scientific study of these issues, Damon presents important findings about how and why a sense of purpose plays such a valuable role in the lives of young adults.
A professor of education at Stanford and director of the university's Center on Adolescence, William Damon is one of the world's leading scholars on the moral and psychological development of children and young people. Prior to coming to Stanford in 1997, he was University Professor and director of the Center for the Study of Human Development at Brown University. His books include The Moral Child, Some Do Care, Greater Expectations, The Youth Charter, and Good Work. He is the founding editor of the well-known series New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development and editor-in-chief of The Handbook of Child Psychology.
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Gary Rosen is the chief external affairs officer of the John Templeton Foundation. Formerly the managing editor of Commentary, he holds a Ph.D. in political philosophy from Harvard. His articles and reviews have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times.