James Howard Kunstler reflects on 9/11 anniversary and institutional decay

James Howard Kunstler reflects on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the September 11 attacks, characterizing the event as a psychological turning point for the United States and Western civilization. He argues that the trauma of the attacks led to a breakdown in the nation's institutional immune system, allowing for what he describes as a widespread presence of “bad faith” within society.

Kunstler defines this “bad faith” as the act of knowingly speaking or acting falsely, using terms like “justice,” “inclusion,” “diversity,” and “democracy” as covers for ulterior motives such as vengeance, cancellation, or social control. He suggests that this phenomenon has damaged the collective intellect of Western institutions, including political parties, news media, government agencies, schools, and the arts.