I am an independent essayist with interests in post-industrial economic transformation; great power competition; and related changes in social and political thought.
Behind each of these phenomena lie institutions. I consider the institutional re-design of old, bloated bureaucracies (e.g. governments, universities, some mega-corporations) to be the main obstacle to Western prosperity in the 21st century.
Despite rapid technological progress and more expansive individual liberties, most people in the West feel that their lives are getting worse. The fault rests with broken legacy institutions that are ill-equipped to deal with novel societal problems (e.g., the ‘hollowing out’ of the middle class, aging demographics, widespread mental unwellness). In pursuit of solutions, I believe the West must leverage its creative, entrepreneurial ‘Faustian’ spirit to re-evaluate and re-structure its institutions, steering them towards real purpose rather than grift and malaise.
For more discussion on this civilizational challenge and various other topics, see my essays – just kidding, I haven’t posted them yet! But I will. You can view my Substack profile here.
I graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service with a B.S.F.S. in International Political Economy. Currently, I work as a trading desk strategist and am based in North Carolina. You can view my CV/resume here.
Feel free to write me via email (jonathan.y.carroll@gmail.com). I welcome any and all conversation. You can alternatively try to track me down in person, but that probably requires too much effort.