The Ben Shapiro Show

Episode: Why America Kicks Ass
Date: February 16, 2026

Episode Overview

In this special episode, Ben Shapiro shares a speech delivered at a City Journal event, honoring the Manhattan Institute—a leading conservative think tank. Shapiro’s remarks focus on the spirit of American optimism, the ideological challenges facing the country from both the left and segments of the right, and a passionate defense of the American Dream. He contrasts doom-laden narratives with a call to revive problem-solving, individual autonomy, and belief in the founding principles of the United States.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Appreciation for the City Journal and Manhattan Institute

• Shapiro opens with gratitude toward City Journal and the Manhattan Institute, praising them for their intellectual rigor and optimism.
  • “City Journal, perhaps the finest intellectual publication in all of America.” (02:29)
  • Notes his own support as a donor, emphasizing their growing relevance.

2. The Value of Optimism

• Shapiro stresses that true problem-solving requires optimism—believing problems can be identified, attributed, and solved.
  • “Solving problems requires a few presuppositions. First, that we live in a system in which problems can be solved.” (03:29)
• He warns that contemporary culture, on both the left and right, is abandoning this optimism in favor of cynicism and resignation.

3. Criticism of Both the Left and the “Horseshoe Right”

• Both extremes, Shapiro argues, view America as fundamentally broken but for different reasons:
  • The Left sees America’s founding and history as a heritage of exploitation and systemic sin (capitalism, racism, etc.).
  • The Horseshoe Right (far-right radical/conspiratorial groups) sees America’s demise as stemming from a loss of traditional order and a shift toward “radical godlessness.”
  • Both seek to consolidate power rather than repair and improve the system.
    • “Make no mistake, the Left and the Horseshoe Right despise America.” (05:18)

4. The Dangers of Centralized Power

• Both ideological extremes, claims Shapiro, believe solutions lie in centralizing power—though purporting different ends (utopia or restoration).
  • “Both the Left and the horseshoe right will hold hands to achieve their common aim: tearing down the system they see as fundamentally evil…” (08:11)
  • He references a point of rare agreement between figures like Tucker Carlson and Cenk Uyghur—revolution against the “rigged” system.

5. Historical Perspective: Tocqueville on Soft Despotism

• Shapiro draws upon Alexis de Tocqueville, warning of a paternalistic government that keeps the populace docile and dependent—“a flock of timid and industrious animals.”
  • “Such a power does not destroy, but it prevents existence. It does not tyrannize, but it compresses, enervates, extinguishes…” (09:11)
• He warns this tendency leads from softness to frustration, and eventually to outright tyranny.

6. Call to Action: Rekindling the American Spirit

• Shapiro urges a renewed commitment to American values: individual bravery, autonomy, optimism, and real problem-solving.
  • “Unless we fight back, unless we work to rekindle in the hearts of our fellow Americans bravery and optimism… we must encourage conservatives and all Americans to embrace what it means to be an American once again.” (10:23)
• He champions the American Dream—not as utopia or domination, but as risk-taking, hard work, and aspiration for a better life.

7. Defense of the American Dream

• The American Dream, says Shapiro, has been mischaracterized by extremists; it’s the story of people striving to improve their lives and communities, guided by liberty and virtue.
  • “The American Dream is the dream my great great grandparents had … to solve the problems of life using the liberty and virtue and determination granted to us by our Creator in the freest, most prosperous governmental system ever crafted by human minds.” (11:31)
• He insists the Dream is alive and “there for all of us, for the taking,” imploring Americans to instill these values in the next generation while there’s still time.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Problem-Solving in America:
  “To solve problems requires a few presuppositions. First, that we live in a system in which problems can be solved.” (03:29)
• On Ideological Extremes:
  “Make no mistake, the Left and the Horseshoe Right despise America.” (05:18)
• On Conspiracy and Power:
  “If conspiratorial systems are to blame for their individual problems, then they are ripe for something far worse than that state of enervation. They are ripe for tyranny.” (09:54)
• The American Dream Defined:
  “The American Dream is not a dream of a Marxist commune or a feudal estate... It is the dream of a free and ethical people crossing oceans and mountains to build better lives for themselves.” (10:50)
• On Hope and the Future:
  “That dream [the American Dream] is with us still. That dream has not been stolen by a shadowy elite. It is there for all of us, for the taking.” (11:48)

Important Timestamps

• [02:29] – Praise for City Journal & Manhattan Institute
• [03:29] – Preconditions for solving problems; the importance of optimism
• [05:18] – Both Left and Horseshoe Right’s shared disdain for America
• [08:11] – The convergence of ideological extremes and the danger of centralized power
• [09:11] – Tocqueville quoted: warning about soft despotism
• [10:23] – Call for bravery, optimism, and American values
• [10:50] – Vision of the American Dream
• [11:48] – Reaffirming that the American Dream is still available and achievable

Tone and Language

Ben Shapiro’s tone throughout this speech is energetic, passionate, and urgent. He combines criticism of contemporary cynicism with a strong note of encouragement, blending historical references and personal conviction. His calls for action are both grounded in conservative principles and designed to inspire listeners to “rekindle the spirit of our founders and our forefathers.”

Summary

In “Why America Kicks Ass,” Ben Shapiro delivers a forceful defense of America’s founding values and a stern warning against creeping cynicism and centralized power. Criticizing both far-left and far-right pessimism, he champions the enduring optimism and problem-solving ethos essential to the American project. Ultimately, Shapiro argues that the American Dream is alive—if citizens have the courage and optimism to claim it.