How Sept. 11 changed American life

The 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks marks a fundamental shift in American life, characterized by the institutionalization of the "War on Terror" and the erosion of public space. Richard Beck, author of *Homeland: The War on Terror in American Life*, argues that the post-9/11 era normalized Islamophobia, expanded executive power, and created an "impunity culture" that paved the way for Donald Trump’s presidency. The government’s reliance on mass surveillance and the degradation of civil liberties, initially justified by national security, have become permanent fixtures of domestic policy. Furthermore, the suppression of political dissent and the shift toward bureaucratic, invisible warfare—such as drone strikes—have fundamentally altered the relationship between citizens and the state. The episode also features a review of Emily St. John Mandel’s *Exit Party*, which explores themes of surveillance and societal collapse in an alternative America.