The Liberals
Jacoby devotes a large portion of his book to a criticism of the American political left. He argues that they no longer believe in progressivism, as they claim. In a world that's better than it ever has been, people seem to favor small manipulations or adjustments rather than massive changes. Jacoby argues that the left tends toward hypocrisy, verbally despising capitalism but also relying upon its advantages.
The Youth
Jacoby identifies the young adult generation of his time (the book was published in 1999) as particularly career oriented. They demonstrate an obsession with career, staking their entire lifestyles and value systems around the idea. To Jacoby this illustrates a confidence in the relative stasis of the society. He latches onto this group's adamant belief in the stability of the economic, political, and cultural systems as evidence for the relative excellence of the society. He uses the youth to illustrate the peak of social reform.
