I’ve read Matt Taibbi’s The Great Derangement: A Terrifying True Story of War, Politics, and Religion over the past few days. Though dated by being researched and written in 2006 and 2007 (that is, before the 2008 election), it’s still a provocative and useful look at America.
Taibbi’s thesis is that many Americans — reacting to war, a government increasingly run for the financial gain of the few, and media meaninglessness — have detached from reality. He embedded in two of those groups — Christian end-of-the-worlders and 9-11 truthers. His description of both the religious and conspiracy fanatics is amusing and frightening.