La era de la crueldad

There was once a time not so long ago when mockery of the weak, offense to the sick, or humiliation of the vulnerable were excluded from democratic language and the only space for such rhetoric was in the less reputable corners of the political and media sphere. It is no exaggeration to recall that at the turn of this century a Republican U.S. president like George W. Bush advocated a "compassionate conservatism," arguing that the conservative values he represented were not at all at odds with aid to the disadvantaged or listening to others.

His successor, Barack Obama, contended that the "deficit of empathy" was a greater problem than the budget deficit, urging mental effort to "put oneself in another's shoes" and "see the world through their eyes." These noble intentions, perhaps naive, nevertheless displayed a willingness for decency and exemplary behavior. They were swept away when Donald Trump arrived on the electoral scene a decade ago, labeling Mexican immigrants as "rapists," gesturing to mock a disabled journalist at a rally, or dismissing the war record of someone like John McCain, a prisoner of war in Vietnam for over five years and considered a hero within his party and his country. Empathy and compassion were nowhere to be found, and this was only the beginning.