“I fear that we’re now on the precipice of fully turning away from democracy and toward a full embrace of authoritarianism,” says @nytopinion columnist Charles Blow. “The country seems thirsty for it; many Americans appear to be inviting it.” As people lose confidence in our country’s institutions, “many being central to maintaining the social contract that democracies offer — they can lose faith in democracy itself,” Charles says. “If you want a democracy to thrive, the idea that voting is a choice is itself an illusion. Voting is about survival, and survival isn’t a choice. It’s an imperative. It’s an instinct.” #authoritarianism #voting #democracy #nytopinion