“When there’s no social pressure behind it, respectful behavior becomes a decision, an individual choice. Americans, even when they pay lip service to Judeo-Christian rules of moral behavior, tend to regard moral behavior as a personal decision, above rules, and often above laws.

“This is morally problematic when personal decision is confused with personal opinion. A decision worthy of the name is based on observation, factual information, intellectual and ethical judgement. Opinion—that darling of the press, the politician, and the poll—may be based on no information at all. At worst, unchecked by either judgement or moral tradition, personal opinion may reflect nothing but ignorance, jealousy, and fear.”

—Ursula K. Le Guin, May 2013 from No Time to Spare (pp. 14-15)

It is tempting to see this as prescient. It might be wise to consider what it says about our national character and how we find ourselves in the political situation under which we now suffer.