Are We the Frog in Boiling Water? The Slow Slide into Authoritarianism

It’s not the sudden collapse of democracy we should fear — it’s the erosion we barely notice.

Are We the Frog in Boiling Water? The Slow Slide into Authoritarianism

You’ve probably heard the metaphor: put a frog in boiling water and it’ll jump out. Place it in lukewarm water and slowly turn up the heat.

It won’t notice the danger until it’s too late.

Now apply that to democracy.

That’s what authoritarianism looks like in America right now. Not a dramatic coup. Not military tanks. Just a slow, calculated dismantling of norms, laws, and public expectations — one executive order, court defiance, and “joking” threat at a time.

The pot is heating up. And the question is: Are we even aware we’re in it?

Authoritarianism Doesn’t Always Start with a Bang

We love to imagine authoritarianism as a dramatic takeover. But in reality, it often starts with familiar slogans, charismatic leaders, and subtle shifts that don’t feel dangerous — at first.