by Frank Bruni
First published 2024
Frank Bruni examines how grievance has become the defining characteristic of contemporary American culture and politics. The New York Times columnist argues that Americans across the political spectrum now respond to disappointments and frustrations by casting themselves as victims and identifying enemies to blame. Bruni traces how this mindset has led to extreme behaviors: violent mobs storming the Capitol, conspiracy theories spreading widely, Fox News and Tucker Carlson deliberately spreading falsehoods, the Supreme Court losing public trust, and college campuses silencing dissenting voices. He acknowledges that grievance has historically driven positive change in America, from the founding revolution to civil rights movements. But Bruni warns that when legitimate and manufactured grievances blend together, when victimhood becomes fashionable and blame becomes sport, democracy itself suffers. The book explores how politicians now appeal to citizens' worst impulses rather than their better angels, promoting selfishness over service and retribution over inspiration. Bruni offers readers both an analysis of how America reached this point and a roadmap for moving beyond perpetual outrage toward the civility and compromise democracy requires.
Genres: american, political-science, non-fiction, 21st-century, current-affairs, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: political-analysis, social-commentary
Setting: America, Capitol, United States
Period: Contemporary
288 pages · Hardcover · Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster
Content warnings: violence