Alaska native John Daniel Davidson ’04 is a senior editor at The Federalist, where he covers politics, immigration, culture, and religion. He is the former opinions editor of The Collegian and delivered a talk over lunch at the Center for Constructive Alternatives titled, “The Twitter Files Reveal an Existential Threat.” Davidson, his wife, and their daughter are moving to Alaska this summer, where they plan on homesteading.
Why journalism?
Two weeks after I started at Hillsdale, the 9/11 attacks happened. In the old student union, I watched the second plane hit live. I came to Hillsdale with a vague idea that I wanted to study literature and be some sort of writer — but everything changed after 9/11. I switched my major from English literature to history, and I decided to join the journalism program. I had no way of explaining to myself or to anyone else, what had happened and why. I thought that there must be some deep roots to this. So I needed to study history and become a better educated person. And if I was a better educated person, then maybe I could have something worthwhile to say as a writer.
With the increase in virtual newsrooms, what’s the best way for young journalists to get the experience of a print newsroom?
To the extent that young people can work in an in-person office, a deadline-driven news environment, and be answerable to editors, that is as good of a substitute as you can get for the experience of working in the newsroom of a daily newspaper.
Did you have a favorite piece published when you were a student?
In 2003, Johnny Cash died. I was — am — a huge Johnny Cash fan. I had gone down to Checker Records because I knew “American IV” was coming out. I told the guy just before it came out, “I want you to order the CD when you get it in, call me and I’ll pick it up.” That’s how we got music back in the 2000s. So, weeks and weeks go by, the guy calls me he’s like, “got your record in.” The record blew me away and I spent a couple hours driving around back roads listening to this CD. Not long after that, Johnny Cash died. I wrote a short obituary for him. The director of the journalism program at the time, Tracy Lee Simmons, shared my little obituary with William F. Buckley Jr., the founder of National Review. Buckley sent back a note saying that it was excellently done. When I heard that I thought, “I’ve made it.”
What’s your hottest Catholic take?
The future of the Catholic Church is the Latin Mass.
At what age should kids have social media?
Social media should be illegal for people under the age of 18. Twitter is a professional hazard. It’s the one social media platform you kind of need to have as a journalist. I’m locked out of my Twitter.
Have you made appeals to the new Twitter gods to get your account back?
Yeah.
Do you think they’ll work?
No. I don’t think I’m important enough, for one. And for another, I don’t think Elon Musk is totally in control of what’s happening right now. Social media is a dangerous and pernicious development in American public life. And it would be better if it didn’t exist. And if people want to be happy, they should not use social media. To the extent that journalists can, they should limit their use of social media as much as possible and rely on it only to the extent that they have to.
What political philosopher most accurately predicted the modern state of American politics?
The standard answer is Alexis de Tocqueville. You have to read him. People should also read John Dewey. His notes and his view of public life in America helps explain the problem of the collapse of Protestantism. You don’t read him because you’re going to agree with his assessment, but his argument represents sort of the void into which we are stepping.
George Washington rises from the grave and asks you for a two-sentence summary of the border crisis. Go.
General Washington, there is no southern border. We’re being invaded.
What is the name of the book you’re writing?
“Pagan America: The Decline of Christianity and the Coming Dark Age.” I imagine it will be out at the end of this year.
