Americans are aping the ancient Romans with uncanny style and gusto. Their latest display was on Friday when they shelled out $40 million to watch former YouTube prankster Jake Paul (27) fight boxing legend Mike Tyson (58). This “rigged” spectacle mocked not just the sweet science of boxing but its fiercest former champion. All that’s left is for Americans to pay $100 million to watch 26-year-old YouTuber Mr. Beast take on 71-year-old Hulk Hogan in a WWE Smackdown!
Far more ominous, though, is Americans reelecting former reality TV star Donald J. Trump. After all, he telegraphed his dystopian intent to dismantle everything that made America great. And he’s delivering, with cabinet nominations that reflect a Caligula-like preference for loyalty over competence, mocking good governance and democratic values.
But Trump is also making clear his intent to befriend America’s enemies and alienate its friends. Only this explains his cozying up to Russia while placing onerous demands on NATO. It seems designed to unravel this alliance, which has ensured global stability and prosperity for decades.
Meanwhile, rising powers like Russia and China aren’t just watching as America descends into chaos, masking the decline with gladiatorial spectacle. (Fittingly, President-elect Trump was the guest of honor at another such spectacle at MSG last night.) No, they’re actively fueling the downfall. Russian trolls spread disinformation, while Chinese TikTok keeps Americans more addicted to fluff than synthetic opioids. Their goal is clear: to turn America into an ungovernable nation divided against itself. And it’s working.
Again, the parallels to the Fall of the Roman Empire are as stark as they are undeniable: a society distracted by spectacle, governance reduced to farce, and external forces hastening its fall.