SANTA BARBARA, CA – Breitbart News Editor-in-Chief Alex Marlow received a standing ovation for his hour-long talk titled “Lessons for a Young Conservative” at Young America’s Foundation’s (YAF) June High School Conference at the Reagan Ranch on Saturday.
“We had 266 high school students attending the conference, representing 24 states and more than 125 unique schools,” YAF’s conference director Madison Habersetzer told Breitbart News. It is the largest high school event of the year for the youth organization best known for its stewardship of Ronald Reagan’s Rancho del Cielo as well as its hosting conservative speakers on campuses across the country.
Marlow began his speech on “Lessons for a Young Conservative” by recounting his background growing up in left-wing Los Angeles, attending the University of California Berkeley, and meeting Andrew Breitbart when he was still a student. He went on to share insight into how Breitbart News found itself on the cutting edge of some of the biggest news stories of the century, especially Brexit and the rise of Donald Trump.
The next section of the speech covered the “Lessons from Andrew Breitbart.” Marlow, who was the first employee hired by Breitbart for his then nascent Breitbart News Network, implored the young conservatives to be fighters but to also have a great time doing it – something that the quintessential “happy warrior” Andrew Breitbart embraced. Marlow suggested that the conservative movement is on the cusp of fulfilling one of Andrew Breitbart’s dreams: to supplant the left as the more culturally relevant political movement. He also shared some of Andrew’s insight into the insidious nature of the establishment media, among other lessons.
The next portion of the talk was straight off the pages of Marlow’s most recent New York Times bestseller, Breaking Biden. Marlow un-ironically shared lessons that conservatives can take from Joe Biden’s longevity, among them the importance of resilience in the face of deep adversity and the importance of organizing while not alienating groups of voters and donors who can be helpful to your cause.
The concluding section of the speech was easily the liveliest. These were the “Lessons from Alex.” Marlow shared several insights that were designed to help the youngsters survive and thrive not only in their careers but also in their lives in general. Marlow first stressed the importance of networking, finding mentors, and working hard “for free” until you develop marketable skills.
Then he pivoted to the section of the speech that got the strongest reaction from the audience: the importance of appearance. Marlow said that “being hot” is the only “super power” a human can achieve. Thus, he explained, it’s beneficial to have as polished of an appearance as possible. This can be achieved by lifting weights, not dressing “like a slob,” and minding your health and nutrition, among other methods. He suggested that this makes life much easier because “looking great” is the easiest way to command attention in our time.
Marlow also offered a sober message on social media addiction. He opined that for most young people, they need to make a conscious effort to reject an unfulfilling life in the virtual world and choose a meaningful life away from screens. He said that Mark Zuckerberg at Meta and the CCP in China via TikTok are imposing their algorithms on America’s youth, keeping them distracted from what truly matters.
The speech ended on an encouraging note: Marlow stated his belief that there has never been an easier time to succeed, thanks in to part to many of the audience member’s peers who will be unable or unwilling to apply the basic principles outlined in the talk.
“This is America, the greatest country in the world where anything is possible,” Marlow said. “But you will blow it – we will blow it – if you waste your time.”
“The country needs you, so go out there and fight,” Marlow told them.
The YAF event, which also featured Breitbart News’s AWR Hawkins as a presenter, garnered praise from the students.
“I loved all the speakers on the last day, especially Alex Marlow,” one homeschooled student said. “As I’m heading to college, his talk was especially applicable.”
“Alex Marlow’s speech encouraged me to not settle for sitting around, but to be ambitious and work hard,” said another.
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