Fear, Fire, and Fury: Americans Need a Safety Net for the 21st Century

I just watched another appalling road rage video, and I discovered two things: I watch way too much YouTube, and Americans are angrier than ever.

Everywhere you look, you’ll find a plethora of articles about our collective rage, and it seems to be getting worse. Theories abound, blaming everything from the media we consume to the food we eat to the politicians we elect. I hoped we’d all simmer down after the 2024 election cycle, but if the content I’m served on YouTube and other social media is any indication, we’re in for a bumpy ride in 2025.

It’s not just the MAGA faithful who maintain a constant state of rage, which is surprising. Even when they win, they act like losers, their fears and anxieties overwhelming any sense of victory. But it’s more than MAGA. Fights on airplanes, in stores, between neighbors — these brawls, often ending in hospital stays, arrests, and even deaths, dominate the round-the-clock news cycle. (Shame on the news, by the way, but that’s fodder for another article.) America’s anger management problem isn’t limited to MAGA, white men, gang members, or white nationalists. Far too many of us are just really pissed off.

The danger of all this anger lies in its dynamism. Like the fires sweeping through Los Angeles communities, anger fuels more anger, leaving fear and insecurity in its wake. Unfortunately, this fuels even more destructive forces, like hate. In Star Wars, Yoda wisely observed, “Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”

But what if the fear of suffering itself leads to hate? Perhaps the real issue is not just anger or hate but the pervasive fear of suffering that so many Americans experience today. Pummeled by stories and images of destruction by fire, flood, and hurricanes and besieged by overwhelming personal, financial, medical, and professional challenges, Americans spend much of their lives walking a tightrope of change without a net.

Unlike other Western democracies, the United States offers little to the average Joe or Joan when they lose their balance and fall. While our government hands over our tax dollars to provide off-ramps for failed C-suite executives and bailouts for reckless corporations, the average American faces disaster alone, with little help from the greedy insurance companies they’ve paid thousands to for peace of mind that never comes.

The constant fear that the bottom will fall out from under us plagues the 99 percent of us who have been told our success and failure is a matter of personal responsibility. If we fall, well, that’s just life in America. Yet, in a world changing at an unprecedented pace — where suffering often accompanies transformation — so much of our modern life is completely out of our control. Our deep understanding of that fact produces a fear that is a natural, if often destructive, response.

Could We Reduce the Fear of Suffering?

What if a stronger, more sustainable safety net could alleviate the anxieties that fuel so much division and unrest? Universal healthcare, climate-resilient affordable housing, livable wages, access to quality, and low-cost education could provide the stability and security people need to face these changes with courage and hope rather than dread and resentment.

Let’s start with healthcare. The United States spends more on healthcare than any other nation. Yet, it ranks 29th in life expectancy and has some of the worst maternal and infant mortality rates among industrialized nations. Universal healthcare, often dismissed by critics as “socialist,” is, in fact, a pragmatic solution that countries like Germany, Canada, and Japan have successfully implemented within capitalist frameworks. These systems deliver better outcomes for less money, proving that universal healthcare is humane and fiscally responsible. A study by the Commonwealth Fund found that adopting a universal healthcare model could save the U.S. $450 billion annually by reducing administrative costs and negotiating drug prices.

Affordable, climate-resilient housing is another critical component of a modern safety net, and the fires in California, the floods in the Southeast, and the endless round of hurricanes in Florida offer an excellent opportunity to build it. As climate change accelerates, housing that can withstand extreme weather events is essential. As insurance companies pull out of markets, those remaining charge rates that most homeowners can’t afford. Millions of Americans are living in substandard housing or are one paycheck away from homelessness. In countries like Finland, where housing is treated as a right, homelessness has nearly been eradicated through programs that prioritize providing permanent homes without preconditions. The result? Improved mental health, higher rates of employment, and lower costs to the government compared to the endless cycle of temporary shelters and emergency care.

Then there’s the issue of wages. The federal minimum wage in the U.S. has been stuck at $7.25 an hour since 2009, a rate that doesn’t even begin to cover basic living expenses in most parts of the country. Yet, our elected officials and the leaders of Corporate America shrug their shoulders and say Americans will get used to higher prices. Contrast this with Australia, where the minimum wage is nearly $15 (USD) per hour, and you’ll find a population that enjoys higher rates of job satisfaction and economic mobility. A livable minimum wage — adjusted for inflation and cost of living — would reduce poverty and boost consumer spending, a cornerstone of economic growth. It can also help to build, not destroy, small businesses.

Education is often touted as the great equalizer, but the rising cost of higher education in the U.S. has turned it into a source of crippling debt for millions. Free or low-cost higher education, as seen in Germany and other European countries, ensures that economic status is not a barrier to opportunity. Coupled with strong K-12 systems, these policies foster an educated workforce ready to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing economy.

Debunking the Myths

Critics argue that these policies are unaffordable or will lead to economic ruin. But the U.S. already spends trillions on tax breaks for the wealthy, subsidies for fossil fuels, and an ever-expanding defense budget. Redirecting even a fraction of these funds toward social infrastructure would not only cover the cost of these programs but also yield significant returns in terms of public health, economic productivity, and social cohesion.

The claim that these measures would disincentivize work also falls flat. Countries with robust safety nets, like Denmark and Sweden, boast higher workforce participation rates than the U.S. When people aren’t constantly worrying about healthcare, housing, or education, they are more likely to take risks, start businesses, and contribute meaningfully to the economy.

A Call to Action

The volatility we face today is not going away. Climate change will continue to upend lives and economies, and automation and artificial intelligence are poised to disrupt millions of jobs. The question is whether we will confront these challenges with foresight and compassion or cling to a broken system that leaves most Americans vulnerable.

A robust safety net is not just about fairness; it’s about preserving the very fabric of our society. History offers stark warnings about what happens when inequality spirals out of control. The social unrest of the Gilded Age and the Great Depression reminds us that economic stability depends on ensuring that prosperity is broadly shared.

No solution is perfect, but it’s time we stopped allowing the perfect to be the enemy of the good. Universal healthcare, affordable housing, livable wages, and free education are not radical ideas; they are reasonable responses to the challenges of modern life. Let’s demand nothing less.