Wallabag | The Loss of Kindness in America

The author witnessed this phenomenon firsthand while on book tour, where they encountered Americans who were hostile, inconsiderate, and rude. They argue that kindness is not just a moral virtue but also a social glue that holds society together. Without it, we risk descending into chaos and conflict. The author suggests that digital technologies, which eliminate social interactions integral to market exchange, are socially deleterious and deny us opportunities to be kind. They also note that the tech bros have successfully engineered their way around systemic public approbation, making it difficult for regular people to confront the world's fattest and slowest-moving targets, conspicuous wealth. Instead, Americans fight over minor concerns, such as who gets ahead in a line of cars, highlighting the Parasite Effect. The author concludes that the loss of kindness has profound consequences for our political life, including a lack of civility and empathy, which prevents us from seizing power and building majorities around shared political interests.