How do we lead moral lives in an age of bullies? -- Robert Reich

[erronis]

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jul/28/bullies-moral-lives-robert-reich

In my lifetime, I have witnessed a shift from support of decency to tolerance of cruelty. Where do we go from here?

‘Each abuse of power encourages other abuses. Each undermines norms of civility.’ Photograph: Leah Millis/Reuters

We are living in an age of bullies. Those with power are less constrained today than they have been in my lifetime, since the end of the second world war.

The question is: how do we lead moral lives in this era?

Vladimir Putin launches a horrendous war on Ukraine. After Hamas’s atrocity, Benjamin Netanyahu bombs Gaza to smithereens and is now starving to death its remaining occupants.

Trump abducts thousands of hardworking people within the US and puts them into detention camps – splitting their families, spreading fear. His immigration agents are accused of targeting people with brown skin.

He usurps the powers of Congress, defies the courts, and prosecutes his enemies.

. . .

A condensed litany of the bully (bullies)'s trangressions and a short hopeful path forward.

[senseandsensibility]

1. It is one of many dilemmas caused by this horrible maga movement

I don't have any answers. Although I usually advise Dems to keep their attacks short, punchy and memorable, I think this topic is a little different. When discussing bullying specifically, I think appealing to independent voters' better angels by using personal stories and examples that normal people can relate to would be more effective.