What A Day How Trump's Chaos Is Becoming Normal
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Jun 2, 2025 
M. Gessen, a New York Times opinion columnist and expert on autocracy, draws intriguing parallels between the Trump administration and early 2000s Russia under Putin. They discuss how chaos in politics can become normalized, desensitizing the public to significant issues. Gessen highlights the psychological mechanisms that allow autocrats to maintain power and the dangers of intellectual decline in society. The conversation also touches on the urgent need for resilience and awareness amidst overwhelming news cycles.
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Normalization of Political Chaos
- The chaos from President Trump's administration becomes background noise as people normalize it to cope with everyday life.
- This normalization dulls public shock, making turbulent events feel routine and less surprising over time.
Living Through Autocracy
- M. Gessen relates the American experience under Trump to their time living through Putin's rise in Russia.
- They describe how initial shock fades, leading people to adjust and carry on with everyday life despite autocracy.
Human Adaptation and Dissonance
- There is inherent dissonance living normal lives amid political autocracy and turmoil.
- Humans seek stability and will adjust even to bad conditions, which can dull motivation to resist.