In the New York Times, Oren Cass argues that what “the elites” don’t understand is that the majority of Americans have a different definition of success than they do.

As a result, the economic policies that make sense under one paradigm, don’t under this one.

This is an argument that Cass has been advancing since at least the 2016 election. In Cass’s view, the electoral system and system of government has stopped working for the average American, which President Donald Trump’s 2016 victory showcased.

To frame Cass’s argument in a different manner, the majority of individuals are essentially trying to optimize their lives along a different set of metrics from the ones the elite think are important. Using the theory of disruptive innovation, we might say that the “y-axis of performance” has fundamentally changed. Large swathes of the electorate are demanding something different.