As the t-shirt goes “it’s weird being the same age as old people.” You remember the late 1980s, as the Soviet Union under Mickey Gorbachev tried to shake itself from torpor with “pereistroika” and “glasnots” – or rather, Gorbie thought he could make that happen. But it didn’t turn out like that, for short and long-term reasons (the Bolshevik destruction of civil society, technological obsolescence, Afghanistan, Chernobyl etc). Instead, well, it all spelt the End Of The Soviet Union.
Part of the problem is that “dysfunctional” systems perpetuate themselves. Incumbents are able to expel ideas, perspectives, repertoires etc that might upset their position. Sclerosis feeds on itself. This is hardly a new insight, obvs.
One way of looking at the hilarious (ymmv, especially if you are a covert asset wondering if your cover is blown) incident where various inadequates in Trump’s cabinet included a journo on their war-broing is to say well, only a deeply dyfunctional system would allow such manifestly incapable people anywhere near “power”. A sociological view would point out that dimestore autocrats like Trump need to surround themselves with desperately useless people who couldn’t organise a coup against the autocrat even if they wanted, whose uselessness makes him look good ((Dan Quayle, anyone?)
A more cynical/conspiratorial view would have it that while the Signal debacle is an accident, putting people in place who are capable of such accidents is not – Trump as guided asset for the Russians, Chinese, SMERSH, the Lizard People, whoever is making sure that the American military machine becomes inoperable because allies are terrified and morale is in the toilet.
The rending of teeth and gnashing of cloth in the US about this is objectively hilarious (though, again, ymmv), in part because it offends the liberals’ amour-propre, to be (mis)governed by such blatant clowns offends their sense of dignity. Competent Russians, and especially dedicated swallowers of “Soviet” communism must have felt similarly irked/despairing. Accidie all over the place.
But, in closing (at last), if you’re worried about dignity, well, the rest of the 21st century is not going to be your happy time, now is it?
marchudson.net 
Marc, it’s a long time since the world has had a “happy time”, behind he facade, the decline in “happy times’ has been relentless. Only now has the facade slipped and allowed the decline to be exposed.