Aside from their celebration of endless diversity and tolerance, postmodern elites find it difficult to agree on the substance of the good life to which they aspire in common. What I find fascinating is that, apart from drinking beer and playing soccer (football), Europeans find it hard to define the virtues with which they identify.

Muslims do understand America. That is the problem! Perhaps Americans need to be a little more humble and self-critical. Not all the fruits of freedom are appealing.

We should not think of this realm of soft power in the same way in which we think about military power. The cultural balance of power is not a zero-sum game.

The question is whether there is a way of establishing values through reason and philosophical discourse without reverting to religion.