Democracy

We still have time, but not much.

The resilience of democracy amidst challenges (DALL-E)

Welcome to 2024.

I closed last year writing about preparing the next generations for a technology-driven world, reflecting on how they could be our best, or maybe only, line of defense against a dystopian tomorrow. As I look outside the window and see the first snow of the year falling, I am thinking about the title of this blog: Tech & Democracy. When I started writing it, about a year ago, I had a nagging feeling that there was something wrong with our democracy and that technology - especially social media and artificial intelligence - played a role, as a mirror to society and as a catalyzer for what is best and worst in human nature. Almost a year on, that hunch is developing into a conviction.

But today, rather than talk about tech, I want to focus on democracy.

The developments of the last few months - from the despicable acts of October 7 in Israel to the acceleration of the presidential campaign in the United States - are driving a stark contrast between progressive and conservative views of the world. Politics, global or local, instead of bringing people to the table for a constructive exchange, are pulling them apart. There is little dialogue, civil disagreement seems like a lost art and ideology and dogmatism dominate discussions. Everything needs to become part of a dichotomy of right or left. Anything ends up being hijacked by culture warriors. No wonder trust in the government in the United States has been consistently dipping below 20% during the last three administrations (Obama, Trump, and Biden).  

Our democratic institutions are built on trust. Without it, they will collapse.  The Federal Government is not alone. Only 36% of Americans trust higher education. Less than half (44%) have a favorable opinion about the Supreme Court. 32% have faith in Congress. Not even a third of Americans trust the media, and, to make things worse, younger generations (Gen Z) are the most critical. The latest edition of the Harvard Youth Poll shows that young Americans are less likely to vote in the 2024 elections.

The year is off to a busy start. Leaders of major universities, previously icons of American excellence, resign in disgrace. Higher education prestige is collateral damage in the conservative fight against woke culture and DEI. Legal challenges to the electoral process put the courts on center stage before the primaries. Immigration debates get weaponized while the country needs talent to continue to prosper.

Democratic backsliding is not a US-only phenomenon with 72% of the 2022 world’s population living in autocracies, according to the V-Dem Institute at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden. These authoritarian impulses and the erosion of trust lead to social unrest and instability, a dynamic I know well having grown up in Brazil in the 1980s as the country transitioned away from decades under a dictatorship and struggled with mounting inequality, wealth concentration, and corruption. It is not good.

We can and we must do better. Conservatives want to double down on a neoliberal model or adopt an anarcho-capitalism streak (see Argentina) and accuse identity politics of dividing us. Progressives want to reimagine capitalism in a more benign form, and on the extreme, abolish institutions that created a world divided between oppressed and oppressors. It is time to listen to each other and find common ground. Our institutions saved us until now, but they are fragile and are under stress.

In the spirit of New Year Resolutions, here are a few suggestions:

1. Promote dialogue and understanding.

2. Foster critical thinking and media literacy.

3. Strengthen democratic institutions demanding transparency and accountability.

4. Sponsor electoral reform, including ranked choice voting to reduce the 'us vs. them' mentality.

5. Support community building, local initiatives, and civic engagement.

6. Challenge underlying issues like economic inequality and social injustice.

7. Promote positive narratives.

8. Condemn polarization tactics.

9. Invest in digital literacy educating users on how to navigate social media responsibly.

10. Take personal responsibility: evaluate your own beliefs and biases and be open to changing your mind when presented with new information.

I urge us to engage with each other and not against each other, respectfully and constructively, especially when we disagree.

Become informed, act, and vote. We still have time, but not much.