anomie
(en)
lack of the usual social or ethical standards in an individual or group, which lessens social cohesion and fosters decline; popularized by French sociologist Émile Durkheim in his influential book Suicide
we, like diminished kings or rigidly insecure presidents, are reduced to being overwhelmed by info and interpretation, or else paralyzed by cynicism and anomie, or else--worst--seduced by some particular set of dogmatic talking-points, whether these be PC or NRA, rationalist or evangelical, "Cut and Run" or "No Blood for Oil"
notable
9 years, 3 months ago