Masha Gessen on Outrage Fatigue in Trump's America
In the days after Trump's election, journalist Masha Gessen penned a viral piece in the New York Review of Books called “Autocracy: Rules for Survival” — a sort of cautionary guide for panicked Americans who suddenly found themselves unsure of what to expect from our politics and our country. Gessen, who cut her teeth reporting under autocratic regimes, shared advice like: Believe the autocrat - he may lie, but when it comes to fundamentals, he means what he says. And: don’t expect institutions to save you. Don't compromise, do be outraged. And, above all: resist the urge to normalize.
With Trump’s first presidential year behind us, Brooke checks back in with Gessen for her assessment of how our institutions and country have been faring. As Trump calls foreign countries "shitholes," threatens North Korea with nuclear annihilation, and demands funds to build a border wall, are Americans suffering from "outrage fatigue"?
