ABSTRACT
The January 6, 2021, Capitol attack is a moment that will live in infamy. Even as the insurrection ultimately failed and Biden was sworn in as president, it marked a further step on our path away from democracy and toward authoritarianism. How did we go from being the birthplace of modern democracy to arguably the most unstable democracy in the Western world today? This book argues political cynicism is at the heart of our current crisis of democracy, with lost faith in our political and social institutions leading many to evacuate hope in the possibility of a better future. As we retribalized into two warring camps barely able to talk to one another, truth became a victim and, coupled with rising inequality and economic insecurity, created an environment ripe for a charismatic leader to manipulate millions of Americans into believing he had won an election he clearly lost. This chapter explores that day and the attacks on democracy that have followed, arguing that a pervasive cynicism has been cultivated in political discourse, media, schools and popular culture with the goal of disabling collective action against the power of multinational corporations and the global super wealthy elites. It concludes with avenues for hope moving forward.
