Civics

Are you concerned about the current state of America? You are not alone. Many people are worried about the U.S. in a political sense, but Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut sees our crisis as more than just a political one. Americans have lost the sense of daily purpose and connection that are vital to happiness, becoming anxious, angry, and adrift, and the rich and well-connected have nearly uncontested influence in our system. In recent years, Senator Murphy has challenged the Trump administration. But he also sees President Trump’s handling of democracy as a symptom of a deeper crisis: the abandonment of the common good as our country’s organizing principle.

In his new book, Crisis of the Common Good: The Fight for Meaning and Connection in a Broken America, Senator Murphy draws on history and political philosophy to expose how six different cults have paved the way to our current troubles: a cult of profit that punishes workers, a cult of globalism that weakens communities, a cult of technology that turns us against one another, a cult of consumption that undermines citizenship, a cult of credentialism that devalues those without degrees, and a cult of corruption that threatens democracy.

Share this Save on Linkedin Share this Share by email