PNN – The prominent New York Times columnist believes that “Trumpism” means the devaluation of values and distrust; a phenomenon that considers morality only for “fools” and that life is nothing but power, force, and tyranny.
According to the report of Pakistan News Network, the Al-Quds Al-Arabi magazine published an article by Tunisian author Malek Al-Turiki, referring to the cultural decline in countries around the world, including the crisis of public distrust in the United States: Herfé Bourgeois, the late and famous French journalist of the 1970s and 1980s and author of the book “Settling the Score of Media Colonialism,” once answered a question about what he was addicted to. He said: Newspapers! With this phrase, he was referring to people’s addiction to reading newspapers; an addiction that was once prevalent among different segments of society, with topics ranging from poetry and history to politics and economics.
One of the pleasures of this addiction was the anticipation of reading articles by prominent writers and columnists who had an unwritten cultural and moral pact with their readers.
For example, reading American newspapers with writers like Jim Hoagland, Charles Krauthammer, Antonia Lewis, and William Buff—who were the most profound cultural analysts with European intellectual roots—was enjoyable for many readers.
Also, the Independent newspaper, with articles by Peter Jenkins and Hugo Young, was considered an important source of political opinion in Britain.
While today, fewer people are addicted to reading newspapers, this cultural decline is not limited to third world countries; it has also been accompanied by a crisis of public distrust in America.
David Brooks, a prominent New York Times columnist, announced in his last article that he is leaving the newspaper after 21 years of service to focus on research and writing projects.
In his latest analysis, David Brooks discusses the decline in trust in America and asks: From addiction to newspapers to the decline in trust, what has happened to America?
Pointing to the key factors of this crisis, Brooks considers the Iraq War to be the beginning of Americans’ loss of confidence in their own power, the financial crisis to be the cause of losing confidence in capitalism and its ability to provide public welfare, and the Internet, instead of improving communication, to be the cause of increasing hatred, isolation, and polarization of society.
He also describes “Trumpism” as the devaluation of values and distrust; a phenomenon that sees morality only for “fools” and that life is nothing but power, force, tyranny, and abuse.
Referring to a historical study, he warns at the end of the article: Public discourse in America is more negative than at any time since the mid-19th century; and 69% of Americans no longer believe in the ‘American Dream.’