大西洋月刊最近发表了一篇文章，《美国的僵尸民主》，揭示了另一幅图景：民主的外壳依旧存在，但 内部已经被权力、冷漠与技术掏空。选举仍在进行，却不再公平；法院还在运作，却往往迎合权力；媒 体并未沉默，却因恐惧和收买而逐渐失声。 冷战时期，西方世界以美国为代表的民主制度，甚至被描绘成与极权主义截然对立的文明高地。对于很 多天朝群众而言，"美式民主"也曾是一个充满想象力的参照物：那里有自由的大学讲堂、批判性的媒 体、独立的司法与充满活力的公共辩论。 然而，今非昔比，时过境迁。 美国的公民社会在表面上延续，但实际上如同"僵尸"般苟延残喘。这种"看似正常"的威权主义比传统的 极权更危险，因为它让人难以察觉自由的流失。 更严重的是，人工智能的迅速发展与这种趋势交织在一起。AI不仅重塑了人们获取信息和理解世界的 方式，还可能进一步削弱了人们的独立思考、公共参与和人性深度。 当政治威权与技术霸权结合在一起，民主制度就不再是抵御专制的盾牌，而可能蜕变为维持控制的工 具。 对很多有心人来说，这种转变不仅仅是"美国的危机"。它意味着那个曾经被寄予厚望的民主灯塔，也正 在失去光芒；也意味着人类社会发展的一场整体危机。 也许我们应该重新 ...

Group 1 - The article highlights the increasing political violence in the U.S., with recent incidents raising concerns about a disturbing "new normal" [1][2] - Political polarization between the Democratic and Republican parties is intensifying, eroding the foundations of American democracy [1][2] - Key areas of contention include immigration policy, energy policy, and social welfare, with significant differences in approaches between the two parties [1][2][3] Group 2 - The article discusses the impact of Trump's policies, which have exacerbated class divisions and led to a decline in social mobility and trust in government [2][3] - A significant increase in threats against members of Congress has been reported, with over 9,400 threats in 2024, more than double the number from a decade ago [2][3] - The federal government has increased the budget for the Capitol Police to $833 million in response to rising violence, nearly double the $464 million budget from 2020 [2][3] Group 3 - The rise of generative artificial intelligence is noted as a factor that could further polarize society and influence election outcomes [3][4] - The spread of misinformation and the creation of "information silos" are contributing to the escalation of violence and political extremism [3][4] - A survey of political scientists indicates a belief that the U.S. is moving towards a form of authoritarianism, with concerns about the erosion of democratic norms [4][5] Group 4 - The article emphasizes the need for bipartisan cooperation to address economic inequality and political violence, which are seen as root causes of societal division [5][6] - Restoring public trust in institutions and bridging social divides are identified as critical challenges for the U.S. government [6]