alt Hacker NewsWhile I think American society definitely has problems, the idea that it's close to collapse is no better than any other online propaganda opinion, and in fact it's a common refrain pushed by foreign state actors.
A better way to think of this nonsensical online content: it's just the form that has been shown to win in the modern democratic political arena. Unfortunately, being a serious professional doesn't connect with voters anymore. Posting lots of goofy memes seems to, or at least it did a few years ago – IMO the media tactics used by current politicians are a few years out of date, culturally.
> the idea that it's close to collapse is no better than any other online propaganda opinion
Not just that: how do you even define "the collapse of American society"?
What, exactly, do people think that would look like?
The Purge?
Complete anarchy? Riots in the streets?
The classic image of a burning metal garbage can in the street?
To the extent that a modern society like that of the US can "collapse", it's going to be a very, very slow and uneven thing. Most likely what it would look like is a Balkanization of the country—either de-facto, or full legal (or illegal) secession of groups of states, over the course of a number of years.