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CATEGORY: CULTURE (11 MIN) 

ISI's Vision for America's 250th

In fewer than fourteen months, the United States will celebrate its 250th birthday. There is much to celebrate. The past 250 years of American history tell the story of one of the most remarkable nations ever to take the world stage. But there is also much to anticipate. We at ISI see a bright future ahead for our country, but such a future will require constant vigilance—both political and cultural.

On the Modern Age website, ISI President Johnny Burtka describes ISI’s vision for the road to America’s 500th birthday. In an essay modified from his speech at ISI’s 2025 Gala for Western Civilization, Burtka notes the challenges we face today and the solutions that can open a road to “American greatness and goodness.”

Burtka starts with the challenges. He points to the reduction in attention span from the influence of phones, social media, and AI, which has especially impacted the younger generation. And he highlights the problems with “short-term thinking” and with unrestrained ambition. The entrepreneurial energy that helped build America, Burtka says, must be limited by virtue and “ordered towards the good” to create a sustainable long-term vision.

To create lasting change, Burtka urges a focus on beauty, truth, and goodness. He cites thinkers like Lee Edwards, Dostoevsky, and Solzhenitsyn to argue that the important questions about existence, virtue, and duty must be compellingly answered for the youth of America. And if they are, through programs like those ISI provides to students around the country, Burtka believes we can seize this moment in American history.

Read more in Burtka’s article here. ​

CATEGORY: CONSERVATISM (6 MIN) 

Man and Music at Yale: Buckley's Classical Love

Music is one of the most powerful tools in the world. It can instantly change someone’s emotions, even bringing someone to tears. It can inspire creativity and strength. And it can provide solace in a difficult time. Perhaps most importantly, it can draw people to worship something greater than themselves. As such, music has played a key role in the lives of many of the most influential men and women in the world.

William F. Buckley, Jr. was no exception. For The American Conservative, Jacob Heilbrunn reviews a 2025 book by Lawrence Perelman called American Impresario: William F. Buckley, Jr. and the Elements of American Character. Heilbrunn discusses Perelman’s argument that classical music was “central” to “Buckley’s life and work.”

Heilbrunn first describes the author: Perelman is a pianist who played for Buckley and befriended him. And indeed, Perelman talks about his interactions with Buckley throughout their careers. From his time spent with the conservative thinker, Perelman believes that the training Buckley received in the piano as a young man and the hours spent listening to classical music provided Buckley with discipline and influenced his ability to write and speak.

Heilbrunn also theorizes that classical music may have helped Buckley find rest amidst his busy schedule. Perelman notes that Buckley loved J.S. Bach, whose music had a deep religious foundation. Both Heilbrunn and Perelman conclude that the “transcendent values” music provides towards the divine are on the decline—and that America needs a revival of those values.

Learn more about this world in Heilbrunn’s article here. ​​​​​

Weekly Poll

As we approach America's 250th birthday, which do you think is most essential to speak a cultural renewal?

[A] Reviving classical education rooted in virtue
[B] Restoring beauty and the arts in public life
[C] Rekindling spiritual and religious values
[D] Reaffirming civic duty and patriotism
 
RESULTS: 5/15/2025

Do you think most colleges let students hear many different political ideas in their classes on the social sciences?

[A] No - they lean mostly left - 88.9%
[B] Unsure - 6.7%
[C] Yes - classrooms feel balanced - 4.4%