
We Are Living in a Failed State - samsgro
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/06/underlying-conditions/610261/
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Finnucane
"We can learn from these dreadful days that stupidity and injustice are
lethal; that, in a democracy, being a citizen is essential work; that the
alternative to solidarity is death."

------
donclark
I think many are still in denial (corrupt political class, a sclerotic
bureaucracy, a heartless economy, a divided and distracted public), or are
self-centered, narcissistic, or too selfish to realize our problems as a
country.

"...not to prevent the coming disaster, but to profit from it." Do they know
something we don't? Maybe its just corruption?

Is this an attempt to further the gap btwn the rich and the middle class/poor?

~~~
cmurf
I think it it more difficult than this. The constant refrain on HN is that
this is all politician's fault, the media's fault, it's about partisanship,
etc. It's always a blame game.

Of course there is a connection between the selfish, decadent, incompetent at
democracy citizens that Americans are, and its leadership. And immediately the
cognitive dissonance ensues, no one wants to take responsibility. They'd
sooner adopt nutty conspiracy theories instead. That's how bad the brain hurt
is upon being confronted by a central point of democracy: the correctness of
blaming the citizens for the problems of society. And non-participation gives
no free pass, it is the path to an illiberal society.

------
AnimalMuppet
Boloney.

 _Failing_? Perhaps. Failed? No.

Or, more cynically, there's a lot further to fall...

