Avalanche Of Distrust David Brooks Analysis

In “The Avalanche of Distrust” author David Brooks illuminates the dark epidemic of distrust taking root in the United States. He seeks to warn the audience about the gloomy times that will beset the isolated country. In a world of fear and suspicion, the author writes, a darkening spiral of loneliness will hinder mankind’s productivity and his social interactions.

David Brooks starts by analyzing the presidential candidates and illustrates the frightening similarities they both exhibit. Both candidates manifest current “standards for withholding information,” as exemplified by their deceitful actions ranging from hiding government data to shielding medical records. In addition, their “danger[]” from “vulnerability” mindset mirrors that of the spreading isolation in the American population, which hearkens to the authors point. The paranoia of the general populace …show more content…
The result of the rise in distrust has lead Americans to a “corrosion of intimacy,” a phrase the author repetitively throws up to emphasize how dire the circumstances stand at present. People are cutting themselves off from each other, which not only hinders productivity, but the formation of relationships between constituents. Furthermore, Brooks shifts tone to a more upbeat and positive outlook when he notes great thinkers belief in the importance of “going the other way” (from where the nation is currently headed). The author uses this tone shift as a juxtaposition to how he actually believes a darkening shadow descends upon America. He rounds out the essay on a high by noting positive outlooks of his predecessors, and revealing he still has a shred of hope for the country. As it rapidly dips into a spiral of degenerating intimacy that Brooks sees as all-encompassing, he addends that people can avoid the hindrance to productivity and