Americian Culture Under Threat: Murray Moss Stands Against its 250-Year Erosion
In the heart of the United States, a shift in cultural landscape has become increasingly apparent under the current administration. The government's actions have raised concerns about the erosion of aspects that previously defined the nation, reminiscent of historical periods where cultural erosion and weaponization have taken hold.
Murray Moss, a voice from the world of design, delivered a state of the nation address, warning of potential cultural trauma in an authoritarian state. His words resonate as the United States grapples with uncertain political waters, marked by controversial statements from President Trump, such as promises to expel immigrants and threats to annex other sovereign nations.
Examples of cultural erosion and weaponization in the United States during the Trump administration include policies that systematically dismantled key institutions and marginalized cultural and social groups. For instance, the Trump administration's attempts to dismantle the Department of Education (DOE) by forcing mass layoffs, cutting budgets, and canceling federal grants to prominent universities like Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania have threatened educational and cultural institutions central to American society and knowledge production.
The reduction of federal oversight functions and the replacement of career civil servants with political appointees have also eroded institutional expertise and continuity, weakening government institutions. Policies affecting LGBTQ rights and pensions have faced growing pushback, highlighting cultural tensions and erosion of protections for marginalized groups under Trump's policies.
Using federal power to cancel grants and contracts to symbolic institutions, such as Ivy League universities, has been perceived as weaponizing budgetary control to punish or reshape cultural and intellectual landscapes. Expansion of executive power through emergency declarations and mass deportations, alongside strategic cuts and reorganization of federal agencies, illustrate the weaponization of bureaucratic mechanisms for political goals.
On a global level, the expanded Global Gag Rule applied by the Trump administration exerted coercive influence using foreign aid to impose restrictive cultural policies related to reproductive rights internationally. Although this example is outside the U.S., it reflects a broader pattern of weaponizing power to enforce cultural agendas.
Protest has emerged as the only weapon against the erosion of American culture, as seen in the increase in protests since Trump's inauguration. Public protests and activism have consistently emerged in response, especially in educational institutions nationwide where students, faculty, and staff have organized against the dismantling of the DOE and budget cuts that threaten education. Broader social pushback has targeted cultural policies detrimental to LGBTQ rights and social protections.
Activism has faced a challenge due to what some describe as "emotional habituation," where repeated exposure to political crises dulls public response, sometimes resulting in a passive consumer culture of outrage rather than direct political action. However, protestors have quickened the outrage metabolism among members of Congress and encouraged disruptive tactics, according to the LA Times.
The current government's attacks on universities, the legal system, art, science, diplomacy, empathy, and decency serve as a stark reminder of the need for activism and resistance. The worldwide economic depression of 1929 contributed to the German demand for change, and a similar panic and chaos due to Trump's tariff war have been observed.
Berlin, prior to Nazi Germany, was widely considered the 'queer capital' of the world and offered a degree of openness and tolerance not found elsewhere. The Nazi Party destroyed the Institute of Sexual Science and its valuable research libraries as part of a government censorship programme. This tragic episode serves as a cautionary tale, underscoring the importance of vigilance and resistance in the face of cultural erosion and weaponization.
In conclusion, the Trump administration’s cultural erosion in the U.S. has largely manifested through policy dismantling of educational and social institutions, while weaponization involves leveraging federal power and budgets to enforce political and cultural agendas. Activism and protests have played a central role in resisting these trends, particularly on college campuses and around civil rights issues. A new swarm of activism is needed to combat the current political climate in the United States, with rebellion, activism, and resilience being the only ways to positively reverse the dire change from American values as written in the Constitution.
- Murray Moss' state of the nation address, emphasizing potential cultural trauma in an authoritarian state, underscores the need for education and self-development to foster personal growth and navigate uncertain political waters, a critical aspect in the ongoing struggle against policies reminiscent of historical periods where cultural erosion and weaponization have taken hold.
- The Trump administration's attempts to dismantle the Department of Education (DOE) and marginalize cultural and social groups, such as through mass layoffs, budget cuts, and canceling federal grants, have also highlighted the importance of career development and political awareness, as they threaten key institutions central to American society and knowledge production.
- Beyond policy dismantling, the weaponization of power and budgetary control by the Trump administration, as shown through the canceling of grants to Ivy League universities, has underscored the necessity for general news and crime and justice awareness, as citizens must remain vigilant and informed about the expansion of executive power and its effects on cultural and intellectual landscapes.
