Surviving the Storm: Strategies for Resilience in a Fractured America

Authoritarian movements aren’t invincible—the challenge is being ready with a better alternative.

Image credit - Manish Jangid

Editor’s Note

This started off as a much bigger piece, a few thousand words, and it was just getting out of control with too many directions. So I scaled back to one main point below. I may return to some of these topics in future newsletters.

The Magic Pill Fantasy: The Truth About Polarization

Right now, many Democrats fear that with Republicans in power—especially under the Trump regime—they will use the tools of government to target them, even punishing them economically. The fear that Republicans want to eliminate Democrats as a threat isn’t paranoia; it’s based on real actions, rhetoric, and policy shifts.

But if I could offer a pill to Democrats that made all Republicans disappear as a threat, I suspect many would take it. And that reveals something deeper about the state of American politics.

In "man on the street" interviews I’ve conducted, people across the political spectrum say they want less polarization, less vitriol, and a return to civility. But when you press them, what they often mean isn’t coexistence—it’s victory. They don’t want to find common ground; they want the opposition to submit, disappear, or be neutralized.

Republicans, for their part, have long believed that government, media, and cultural institutions are already weaponized against them. They feel like they’ve been under siege for years. Both sides increasingly see the other not as a political opponent, but as an existential threat. And when people feel threatened, they start fantasizing about a world where the threat is simply... gone.

This is a danger we’ve highlighted in multiple episodes of Outrage Overload, including America on the Knife’s Edge. When a society starts seeing opposition itself as the problem, democracy is already breaking down.

But history shows that eliminating opposition never leads to stability—it leads to cycles of retaliation. When one side believes they must destroy the other to survive, they set in motion forces that spiral out of control. The lawless weaponization of government power never stays confined to its original targets. Eventually, it turns on those who once saw themselves as loyal.

Where Do We Go From Here?

How to engage in this moment is a personal decision. Some will take to activism, others will work behind the scenes, and some may simply focus on maintaining their own well-being. There is no single right approach—only what is right for you.

Dave Troy suggests prioritizing personal health first, ensuring you have the emotional and physical resilience to navigate turbulent times. He warns against falling into the trap of shouting into the void and instead advocates for action—whether through community organizing, strengthening relationships, or building alternative structures that can withstand political upheaval.

The delicate balance between expressing warranted outrage and upholding the principles of dialogue and persuasion is a core concern in conflict resolution, as explored by experts like Bernie Mayer. In a recent response to Guy and Heidi Burgess's discussion on this very dilemma, published on their 'Beyond Intractability' substack, Mayer highlighted that while bridge-building is essential, it's not a standalone strategy.

I think a focus on bridge building across our most extreme differences right now without focusing on how to build movements for change won’t work. Understanding it as part of a process that requires us to both reach out across our differences and build powerful and often disruptive movements for change is from my point of view a considerably more promising approach. – Bernie Mayer

Mayer emphasizes that bridge-building must be paired with strong social movements that challenge injustice and demand change. He warns against false equivalence, stressing that the current crisis is not equally the fault of all sides. Mayer argues that while dialogue is valuable, it cannot replace the hard work of organizing, calling out harm, and addressing power imbalances. He also highlights the need for solidarity among those resisting authoritarianism, urging collaboration across different movements to build a more effective response.

Others, like Sarah Kendzior, stress solidarity, rejecting division, and embracing American defiance. Across these perspectives, a few key themes emerge: take care of yourself, build real relationships, reject corruption, and find ways to act—whether small or large—that align with your principles.

Never sacrifice your humanity or that of others. If you find yourself willing to negotiate another’s humanity, that is when they’ve won something real. That is when you’ll have surrendered your soul. – Sarah Kendzior

Another critical consideration is acknowledging the risks of political targeting and planning accordingly. While paranoia is counterproductive, prudence is necessary. It may be wise to secure essential documents, protect sensitive information, and assume that government power may not be wielded impartially.

But perhaps the most important takeaway is that democracy is not saved by any single election or exposé—it is rebuilt through vision, relationships, and the work of articulating a future worth fighting for. As Troy notes, authoritarian movements are rarely as invincible as they seem. Their leaders are prone to corruption, miscalculation, and internal collapse. The challenge for the rest of us is to be ready with something better when that moment comes.

Ultimately, what you do next is up to you. But doing nothing is a choice, too. What role will you play?