Andrew Sullivan

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Andrew Sullivan – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

Andrew Sullivan – the life, career, and ideas of Andrew Sullivan, American journalist and commentator; explore his views, contributions, and most memorable quotes.

Introduction

Andrew Michael Sullivan (born August 10, 1963) is a British-American journalist, political commentator, blogger, and author known for his provocative takes on politics, religion, sexuality, and public discourse. Over decades, he has occupied space at the intersection of conservatism, liberalism, and social critique, often challenging orthodoxies on both left and right. As an early pioneer of political blogging and a distinctive voice in journalism, Sullivan’s work has influenced debates on marriage equality, torture, faith, and the nature of public intellectuals in the digital age.

Early Life and Education

Andrew Sullivan was born in South Godstone, Surrey, England, and grew up in nearby East Grinstead, West Sussex.

Sullivan won a scholarship in 1981 to Magdalen College, Oxford, where he studied modern history and modern languages. He graduated with a first-class BA.

In 1984, Sullivan moved to the U.S. to pursue graduate studies at Harvard University, where he earned a Master in Public Administration (MPA) from the Kennedy School in 1986, and later a Ph.D. in Government in 1990. Intimations Pursued: The Voice of Practice in the Conversation of Michael Oakeshott.

Career and Achievements

Andrew Sullivan’s career is notable for its intellectual range, evolution, and the central role of digital media.

Early Journalism & orial Work

Sullivan began writing for The Daily Telegraph covering American politics. 1991, he became editor of The New Republic, a position he held until 1996. During his tenure, he expanded the magazine’s focus beyond politics to include cultural and social debates.

One controversial moment from that period was his publication of excerpts from The Bell Curve by Herrnstein and Murray, which generated editorial backlash. Sullivan responded by including a majority of rebuttal pieces from contributors, a move that deepened tensions internally.

Later, Sullivan became a magazine columnist (e.g. The New York Times Magazine) and commentator. In 1998, he joined the Times magazine, but in 2002 was dismissed—apparently because of tensions over his criticism of the Times and its leadership.

Blogging, Digital Influence & The Dish

In 2000, Sullivan launched his blog The Daily Dish, becoming one of the earliest prominent political bloggers. Time, The Atlantic, The Daily Beast—and eventually became subscription-based and independent.

On 28 January 2015, Sullivan announced he was retiring from regular blogging; the Dish effectively “shut down.” The Weekly Dish on Substack.

From 2016 to 2020, he was a writer-at-large at New York Magazine, and also published a weekly column titled Interesting Times.

Thought, Politics & Identity

Sullivan’s political stance has evolved over time. He describes his conservatism as rooted in Catholic faith and in the philosophy of Michael Oakeshott—as a kind of anti-ideological conservatism that values tradition, skepticism toward grand programs, and incremental change.

However, on many social issues—especially rights for LGBTQ people—he has diverged from mainstream conservatism. He has advocated for marriage equality long before many conservative figures did.

In foreign policy, Sullivan was an initial supporter of the 2003 Iraq War, believing failure to act would project weakness. Over time, he has also been critical of some policies of the Bush administration, especially regarding torture and executive overreach.

Sullivan is openly gay and a practicing Catholic—a tension he often explores in his writing.

Legacy and Influence

• Sullivan is widely credited as a pioneer in political blogging, influencing how journalists and thinkers engage online.

• His intellectual willingness to shift positions—sometimes hailed, sometimes criticized—marks him as a public thinker who resists rigid ideological consistency.

• His writing helped mainstream arguments for same-sex marriage and offered a voice for socially liberal conservatism.

• His conversations about faith, pluralism, and public discourse continue to resonate in debates about religion, free speech, and identity in liberal societies.

Personality, Strengths & Traits

Andrew Sullivan is often described as intellectually bold, morally serious, self-questioning, and restless. He tends to interrogate his own beliefs and remains open to change.

His style is both polemical and reflective: while he can forcefully critique power, he also engages with spiritual and philosophical themes—particularly the role of faith, doubt, and pluralism.

He has also spoken candidly about his personal life—including his HIV-positive status—and his efforts to reconcile personal identity with public commitments.

Famous Quotes of Andrew Sullivan

Here are selected quotes that reflect Sullivan’s intellectual and moral voice:

“The one thing we know about torture is that it was never designed in the first place to get at the actual truth of anything; it was designed … to produce false confessions … and that is how it always works.” “What modernity requires is not that you cease living according to your faith, but that you accept that others may differ … politics requires a form of discourse that is reasonable and accessible to believer and non-believer alike.” “I think if someone is writing continuously for 10 years and has not changed their mind about something — there’s something wrong with them. They’re not really thinking.” “Blogging is to writing what extreme sports are to athletics: more free-form, more accident-prone, less formal, more alive. It is … writing out loud.” “Homosexuality is like the weather. It just is.”

Lessons from Andrew Sullivan

From Sullivan’s life and work, several insights emerge:

1. Be intellectually flexible.
   Sullivan’s shifts in political perspective show that holding convictions need not preclude growth or self-critique.

2. Bridge faith and reason.
   He demonstrates that religious faith and modern pluralism can coexist—and that politics benefits from that tension.

3. Own contradictions.
   Sullivan’s identity as a gay Catholic in conservative circles reflects that real people can straddle seeming contradictions.

4. Engage boldly online.
   His early use of blogging helped shape public intellectual life in the digital age—showing the power (and perils) of direct connection with readers.

5. Stand for moral consistency.
   He’s willing to challenge both political sides, especially on issues of justice, torture, and the sacredness of dignity.

Conclusion

Andrew Sullivan is a singular figure in late 20th and early 21st century journalism: a voice that refuses to be comfortably categorized. His journey—from British Catholic upbringing to Oxford to American politics—has informed a writing career that grapples with faith, identity, and the limits of ideology. Sullivan’s influence is less in mass popularity than in pushing conversation—about pluralism, integrity, and the role of faith in public life.