The popular erosion of American morality
And a yearning for upright moral heroes: in fiction and reality
America has slid into a state of popular immorality, where many are content to elevate men of detestable character to the highest seats of power. This gradual erosion of national morality has likewise been evident in the entertainment we consume. This isn’t a criticism of these media, many of which I still enjoy, but rather a commentary on their premonition of our current moral decay. Some of my past favorite genres—mafia movies, Grand Theft Auto (GTA) video games, gangster rap—all celebrate charismatic villains and the successful heist. This is harmless fun when our actual society aspires to justice and morality, even as it often falls short. Suburban teens can blast N.W.A.’s “Fuck Tha Police,” hang bedroom posters of Scarface’s Tony Montana brandishing a grenade launcher, and mow down pedestrians in GTA all while sleeping soundly knowing that their suburban justice system would never tolerate such criminality.
Alas, the season has changed, and I find myself yearning for stories that celebrate the strong moral righeousness of heroes like Frodo Baggins, Luke Skywalker, and William Wallace. This change in preference stems from a personal aversion to society's moral decay. Foundational civic values that America was built on—democracy, peaceful transfer of power, equal justice under the law—are in various stages of debasement. While I once firmly believed in democracy’s self-righting capacity, I now see too many smart people choosing the path of von Hindenburg (the German president persuaded to appoint Hitler) rather than von Ossietzky (the German Nobel laureate who resisted).
The real world protégés of yesteryear’s fictional charismatic villains now threaten to overrun our government. Donald Trump is Tony Soprano, Steve Bannon is Paulie Cicero, and Vladimir Putin is Vito Corleone. Vito’s son Michael once tried to dismiss concerns about his crime boss father by explaining: “My father’s no different from any other powerful man. Any man who’s responsible for other people. Like a senator or president.”
I prefer a world where presidential candidates are starkly different from mob bosses, and until that time, you can find me re-watching the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
