The Revolt Against Institutions Is 2021’s Defining Story
In 2020 we came to terms with the pandemic, in 2021 we responded.
The history of 2021, when written, will have plenty to cover: The unrelenting pandemic that claimed more lives after a vaccine than before; the attack on the U.S. Capitol that threatened to upend American democracy; the broken supply chain that sparked inflation; the climate crisis that carried on despite global concern.
When we look back on 2021, however, no story will be more consequential than the people’s revolt against institutions. In recent memory, there hasn’t been a single year where so many people told society’s pillars to buzz off. Instead of holding jobs, they chose to resign. Instead of making safe investments, they chose meme stocks. Instead of political orthodoxy, they chose to vote independent.
Our institutions — work, government, community organizations, and places of worship — are meant to uphold a certain bargain. We expect a degree of stability for the faith we put in them. We allow them to run the foundation of our lives, and accept some self-dealing and corruption, but in return we expect them to protect us from extreme negative scenarios.
In 2020, the coronavirus upended the contract. For the trust we put in our institutions, they proved…
