We often think of civil war as a violent split—one faction of society breaking away from another. But I’d argue that civil war can take a quieter, more internal form. The current federal government of the United States, under the leadership of Donald J. Trump, has taken actions that resemble a war on its own institutions. Key democratic pillars—such as the Department of Justice, the judiciary, and the rule of law—have been undermined through politicized appointments, public attacks on judges and prosecutors, and refusal to comply with oversight mechanisms. These aren’t isolated incidents. They are part of a pattern that echoes authoritarian shifts seen in places like Hungary under Viktor Orbán, Turkey under Erdoğan, and Israel under Netanyahu’s successful judicial overhaul campaign. These actions threaten to slow innovation, weaken economic growth, limit public services, and degrade overall quality of life for lower class people. This quality was already under pressure due to widespread corruption and a lack of regulatory safeguards for ordinary US citizens. We are not witnessing the usual partisan struggle—we are witnessing the erosion of the democratic contract itself.
What strikes me most is how little attention this erosion receives in everyday conversation. Understandably, many people are overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information and disinformation they encounter. But that makes it even more important to pause and ask: How are our opinions being shaped? Who benefits from this confusion? Propaganda has never been more powerful or omnipresent. Social media platforms and news channels—often owned by the same billionaires funding political campaigns—create echo chambers that reinforce simplified, emotionally charged narratives. The shift toward authoritarianism isn’t just a foreign phenomenon; it’s a growing domestic threat. The United States is gradually becoming a place where executive power goes unchecked. Some might say we’re on the path to becoming a “one-man show,” like Venezuela or Cuba. To be clear, I don’t think Donald Trump will be the final authoritarian figure—his age and volatility make him unlikely to last—but he’s already shown how vulnerable our democratic systems are. Whoever comes next could inherit the same tools and use them more effectively.
If you voted for Donald Trump and still support him after recent developments, I invite you to critically examine the broader context—not just his policies, but the long-term damage being done to democratic norms. If you voted for Kamala Harris and believe she would have done better, I agree in many respects. Either way we all must acknowledge that both major parties have contributed to the centralization of executive power. This isn’t just about one person; it’s about systemic trends, that are highly worrisome. The truth is that we’ve been living under oligarchic influence for decades. Campaign financing structures make it nearly impossible for candidates to succeed without backing from the wealthy elite. The bourgeoisie—owners of capital, media, and tech—now wield unprecedented control over the channels of public discourse. This makes social engineering easier than ever before. Whether through targeted advertising, algorithmic bias, or curated news feeds, our opinions are being shaped without our consent. We are participants in a mass social experiment in psychological manipulation.
The future will likely get worse. The richest man in the world (and real life super villian!) is investing billions in neurotechnology designed to interface directly with human brains. Elon Musk’s Neuralink, for example, is billed as a medical tool—but its long-term potential raises serious ethical questions. Given Musk’s history—like altering platform algorithms to promote his own posts on X (formerly Twitter)—it’s not hard to imagine a future where he pushes to have cognitive influence over other people directly through neuralink.
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