That was the ability and purpose of the public intellectual— to challenge deeply held beliefs, to present ideas so undeniable that they could break through even the most firm ideologies.

Where public intellectuals once shaped cultural discourse by challenging ideas, most influential figures today shape culture by modeling a lifestyle.

The most successful cultural critics of our digital age are simply a different kind of influencer, one who may sell a worldview rather than a skincare routine, but are selling something nonetheless.