Image by Pau Casals.

These days, I find myself in a strange place. Despite the Democrats’ miraculous replacement of Biden, Trump’s reelection remains distinctly possible. I studied authoritarianism for my master’s degree, and I strongly believe that a second Trump presidency would represent the end of American democracy. Yet even so, I find myself frequently tempted to dismiss commentators’ pleas as hyperbolic handwringing. I think I’m probably not alone in this confusing toggling between panic and blaséness. After some soul-searching, I think one of the reasons for the ever-present allure of complacency, other than the natural human tendency towards denial, is Trump’s humor.