Come 2025, the U.S. looks to have an uphill political battle ahead. Few Americans are more frustrated and disenchanted as they try to make their way across it. Now, UC Berkeley’s Alexei Yurchak defined this phenomenon in 2005 as “hypernormalization.” We don’t govern in a vacuum. People recognize the dysfunction in governing systems, but they continue to go about their day as if nothing is different or wrong. It’s the severe contradiction between systemic collapse and the smokescreen of normalcy that produces a cognitive dissonance bleeding into all aspects of daily existence.
British filmmaker Adam Curtis argues that Yurchak’s critique of late-Soviet life resonates deeply with the West’s ongoing slide into authoritarianism. This disturbing trend is reflected in the likes of former President Donald Trump. He personifies a government that is more thoroughly unmoored from democratic foundations, which should sound the klaxons on the degradation of checks and balances. With the 2024 election quickly approaching, scores of citizens are eager to burst their bubble of progressive elitism. They continue to be out of touch with the rapidly occurring societal changes in their midst.
Understanding Hypernormalization
Hypernormalization captures the essence of contemporary American life, where citizens simultaneously perceive governmental impotence and carry on with their routines. Deep down they all know that they’re sitting on a ticking time bomb of decaying infrastructure, but they continue to hold onto the old status quo.
Within this toxic environment, the sense of powerlessness is pervasive. If left unaddressed, citizens begin to feel disenfranchised. In turn, they double down on their individualism, working to pull the strings of their own lives when everything else is in disarray. As stated by Harfoush, “this world we’ve created is ultimately a choice.” He emphasizes that “meaningful change requires collective awakening and decisive action.” This duality reflects an internal struggle: the desire to act versus the fear of doing so alone.
Milton Mayer articulates this phenomenon well, noting, “You don’t want to act, or even talk, alone; you don’t want to ‘go out of your way to make trouble.’ Why not? – Well, you are not in the habit of doing it.” This reluctance is frequently further complicated by real indecision on how to proceed in this new and changing political environment.
The Role of Authority and Power
The further consolidation of power within the U.S. government raises deep concerns about authoritarianism. Elon Musk and others have been integral to supporting the government’s efforts to downsize the federal workforce. Democracy advocates see this move as an alarming and unprecedented threat to the independence of nonpartisan democratic governance. This trend has resulted in legitimate alarm about the arrival of a putative regime that would give unlimited power to its masters.
Curtis describes this state of affairs as “a brilliant way of managing a highly febrile and anxious society,” where governments may purposely maintain a climate of dread and confusion among their citizens. This manipulation breeds a sense of powerlessness, pushing people further into despair and inaction.
As Americans face these daunting new realities, their mental health is too often taking a hit. Hickman notes, “People don’t shut down because they don’t feel anything. They shut down because they feel too much.” Societal pressures take an emotional toll that can be just as violent. Those who feel most acutely the moral “wrongness” of the status quo often suffer anxiety and depression because of it.
The Path to Change
Even in the face of these discouraging realities, hope for change exists through the power of people coming together. Historical evidence suggests that even a small percentage of a population can effect significant change. Just 3.5% engaging in peaceful protest can hold back authoritarian movements. This first principle highlights the idea of political engagement not only as remedial action to address apocalyptic despair, but as an antidote to such despair.
Activists like Hartmann stress the urgency for citizens to mobilize: “We are in a period now when it’s absolutely essential to protest.” Collective action is the key to that empowerment. It creates a powerful sense of community among everyone who is unhappy with the current state of affairs.
As Ursula Le Guin tells us, resistance and reclamation have a tender, sometimes fierce, explosive power – they often start first in art and imagination. “We live in capitalism. Its power seems inescapable. So did the divine right of kings,” she states, emphasizing that any human power can be resisted and transformed through collective effort. The art of words is a key ingredient in crafting narratives that inspire people to take action.