A Constructive Approach to the American Meltdown
America has been captured by adversarial interests. If we want to change that, we must challenge ourselves to become a new kind of citizen.
There is no point in sugarcoating it: the United States has been captured by adversarial interests. Whether we're talking about Putin's grip on Trump and Musk or their deference to Xi, or about tech bros and their devotion to neo-reactionary fascism, or about the disastrous string of foreign-aligned cabinet confirmations, America is in deep trouble. We may have already passed the event horizon — the point at which the country collapses into a failed state, accompanied by myriad other technological and societal changes. No one can predict what may emerge on the other side.
This reality calls for new survival skills. We are no longer warning of impending disaster, or fighting to prevent authoritarianism. Authoritarianism is here. We can no longer assume that our institutions will protect us or can provide a pathway out; we must act to ensure their survival. The best analysts I know privately acknowledge there is no bottom and are trading notes for how to survive this. Here's some of what I'm hearing so far.
Prioritize Health
Secure your oxygen mask first so you can help others. It's a cliché but certainly applicable. You cannot be effective if you're frazzled and stressed. Find ways to put yourself into a state of balance. Because we are humans, the usual advice applies: get sleep, eat a balanced diet, avoid excess, and get some exercise and nature. Obvious, sure, but easy to forget in times of extreme stress. This may also involve physically removing yourself from stressful situations. If the United States is too much to take, leave for a while, if you can. If you're not ready to leave, at least be sure your passport is up to date so you can if needed. Ask yourself regularly what changes you can make to maximize your agency.
Stop Shouting, Start Doing
The last decade has been tough on those of us who saw this coming. "I've been shouting this from the rooftops to anyone who would listen" is a common phrase we've heard all too often. And the fact is it didn't work. Social media is like a casino — the house always wins, and the houses are mostly run by bad guys. Consider ways to move from strictly information-based activism into organizing, whether of small or larger groups. Find challenges you want to address directly and that matter to you and your peers. Stop shouting from the rooftops and start doing from the rooftops. Inspire others with your example.
Assume Federal Government Malice
Many people already assume that the federal government is out to get them, but that has not really been true until now. The fact is that most government employees are lovely people trying to deliver needed services — but these are the ones being fired. We're in a new era now where government power has been usurped by both foreign and private interests, and the fact is that there is no way to know who government may choose to attack or why. Without being paranoid, simply assume that you are a target — particularly if you are an activist of any kind. Destroy sensitive records as a matter of hygiene. Act with a bias towards assuming government will be an adversary rather than an ally. Plan defensively. Secure constituent services (like passport renewal) sooner than later — you don't know when they might be going away. Expect National Parks to become chaotic; expect an uptick in terrorist attacks. Secure any vaccinations needed sooner than later.
If you're on one of the several "enemies lists" being circulated by Kash Patel and his associates, you may have special concerns regarding government malice. Do what you can to protect yourself. One prominent analyst told me, "I don't have to run faster than the bear, I just have to run faster than Liz Cheney." This is really no laughing matter, but many people are looking to exit the United States on a temporary or long-term basis. Dark humor is just one way to cope with this reality.
Build Relationships
The number one thing I hear from people (and which I am doing myself) is building in-person relationships across all of my networks. Whether in your local community or in communities of interest around the world, this is a good time to invest in friendships. These relationships are what will sustain us through this period of deep uncertainty. Consider warming up old friendships of all kinds — even with people who you may not totally agree with. Some of my most rewarding interactions have been with people who politically may be on "the other side" but also see the danger of the situation we are now entering. Keeping those ties alive is crucial for the moment when we begin to exit this catastrophe.
Look for Cracks
The people who have captured the United States are not exactly geniuses. Indeed, they have traded away their acuity for a monoculture of antisocial ideas and groupthink, rendering themselves uniquely vulnerable. Elon Musk in particular appears to be on a trajectory something like that of Jim Jones, and it would not be surprising to see him collapse. While we ostensibly have to endure four years of Trump 2.0 (this assumes we have meaningful elections, which we may not; but we must ensure that we do), we may also see some sort of premature collapse of Musk, Trump, Putin, or Xi that leads to unpredictable outcomes. These events are probably beneficial, and we should encourage them. Likewise, there is no particular reason to expect that the country will ever "revert to the mean."
A New Approach
Historians will likely mark 2025 as the year that the American constitutional republic began to fall apart. For all of us who spent the last decade trying to save it, this fact requires we adopt a fundamentally new approach rooted in articulating and building a democratic American future worth fighting for. That is going to require work, and we haven't done that work yet. America 2.0 is dedicated to that cause.
We are called to become a new kind of citizen — one that recognizes that the US has been captured by adversarial forces, and needs to be rescued from them. We should act from a place of strength, and extend kindness. Adopt a bias towards action, over shrill scolding — in part because people just aren't listening anymore. Anticipate that Trump will ally America with Russia around oil, gas, and extractive industries, and know that's something we'll have to solve on the other side of this.
This situation also requires a new kind of journalism. The democratic-journalistic compact was that if journalists expose "the truth," then voters would respond by making "better choices." We see now that is simply not the case. Journalists, to the extent they wish to be effective, may want to put some of their energy into identifying visionary leaders who embody democratic values and accruing social capital around them.
Because the only way to defeat the authoritarian forces currently in motion is to outflank them with a better vision. We've become too invested in the status quo and not sufficiently invested in the future. It's time to change that.
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Dave Troy
Dave Troy
