America's paralyzing uncertainty

Living with uncertainty is always hard — but it's especially difficult in these times of significant flux and sharply expanded possibilities

Uncle Sam.
(Image credit: Illustrated | Wikimedia Commons)

Living with uncertainty is always hard — but it's especially difficult in these times of significant flux and sharply expanded possibilities.

Consider the relative lack of uncertainties that confronted citizens in the comparatively placid period stretching from the end of the Cold War until roughly 18 months before Donald Trump was elected president. Will a centrist Democrat win the White House or will it be a centrist Republican? Will taxes be slightly trimmed or modestly raised? Will NATO be expanded by a small country or two? Or will the decision be delayed for a few years? Even the biggest uncertainties — Is it a good idea to invade and occupy Iraq? — seemed to be relatively low risk, since the fighting would take place many thousands of miles from American shores and be fought by an all-volunteer army.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Damon Linker

Damon Linker is a senior correspondent at TheWeek.com. He is also a former contributing editor at The New Republic and the author of The Theocons and The Religious Test.