THE ISSUE.

Somewhere between E pluribus unum and the present, the things that made America flourish became the things we believed could save us. Means became ends and good servants became false gods. Self-interest, markets, technology, finance, and the worship of equality have failed us. One need not be religious to discern that idols make poor saviors. As inheritors of this decline we are left with a looming question: what now?

THE NEED.

Anyone can point out what is wrong. It takes courage to affirm what is right and perseverance to see it through. The latter is the goal of the Arcata summit as expressed in our theme: Prospects for American Renewal. The renewal will only be realized by our banding together and propelling ourselves out of the muddy rut of apathy and disaffection. Any unified action requires a unified vision of what renewal looks like in the domains of culture, technology, economics, and governance.

THE ASK.

We are inviting 120 scholars and professionals, creatives and craftsmen, leaders and learners to address these questions in Bozeman, Montana. Situated on the frontier of the Mountain West, this historic city has witnessed some of the American experiment’s most distinctive chapters. We are not gathering simply to reminisce or idly speculate. Rather, the Arcata summit aims to enlighten the mind, strengthen the will, and boost the spirits of its participants, equipping each with the tools to become co-creators in a more equitable arrangement, actualized and bearing fruit in our own lives and communities.